American Revolution - Lesson One, Causes - Mr Donn's Lesson Plans Illustration

Mr. Donn's Lesson Plan
American Revolution
Lesson One, Causes

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The American Revolution Lesson Plans

Lesson One - causes

Essential question: What caused the colonies to change from loyalty to Great Britain and the King to rebellion?

Vocabulary and Terminology

Vocabulary

1. Religious freedom

2. Tax

3. Parliament and Parliament representation

4. Revolution

5. Terrorist

6. Monopoly

Terminology

A. The Stamp Act

B. The Boston Massacre

c. The triangle trade

D. Common Sense

E. The intolerable acts


American Revolution

Lesson one

Place this question where all students can see it. "Freedom fighter or traitor and terrorist which are they?"

1. Ask students this question

What would we do if the people of Hawaii decided that they wanted to be their own country?

a. They decided taxes were too high and just didn't pay them.

b. People started buying weapons, not just pistols, but tanks and cannons and missiles.

c. People started using the internet and twitter to talk about overthrowing the government.

2. Either have a large group guided discussion, or place students into small groups with the instructions to formulate a policy for the U.S. government to apply to this scenario.

3. Allow sufficient time for students to reach a consensus in either the small group or the class to reach one in the large group.

4. Inform the class that this was the position of England and the colonies in the 1770's.

5. At this time give the students the vocabulary and have them define these words and terms.

6. Introduce the class to the following materials.

a. The stamp act

b. The buying and storing of weapons including cannon and gunpowder by the colonies (including that stored at Lexington and Concord Massachusetts.

c. Thomas Paine's "Common Sense".

What happened next? See Lesson 2

American Revolution Unit (Donn)

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What happened next? See Lesson 2

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