Using 177

1754... French and Indian War

√ How did the French Indian Wars begin the March toward Independence?

√ What role did General Washington play in the war?

1764... British Impose new Taxes

√ The British imposed the American Revenue Act?

EXERCISE: Read the text of the Acts.

√ How did the British justify the imposition of this tax?

1765... Stamp Tax Passed

√ The Stamp Tax created a much greater uproar than the American Revenue Act. Why?

... Sons of Liberty Organized

1767... Townshend Act Passed

√ The Townshend Act significantly increased the tensions between the colonies

and England. How important were English domestic concerns in determining and

convincing the British to impose the Townshend Act?

1768... Colonist Boycott

EXERCISE: The colonist responded to the Townshend Acts with a boycott of British

goods. They summarized their feelings in the circular letter. Have your students read

the circular letter.

The paragraph beginning: “It is, moreover, their humble opinion, which they express

with the greatest deference to the wisdom of the Parliament, that the acts made

there, imposing duties on the people of this province, with the sole and express

purpose of raising a revenue, are infringements of their natural and constitutional

rights; because, as they are not represented in the British Parliament, his Majesty's

Commons in Britain, by those acts, grant their property without their consent.”

Sums up well the argument for no taxation without representation.

EXERCISE: Have students stage a protest or boycott against “taxation without representation”.

... British Send Troops to Boston

√ What was the effect of the British dispatching troops to Boston to maintain order?

1769... Spain Established Settlement in California

1770... Boston Massacre

√ The Boston Massacre represents the first shedding of blood on the road to the

Revolutionary War. How important was this event?

√ Were the British soldiers justified in opening fire on the colonist?

EXERCISE: Set up a mock trail of the British troops.

1772... Townshend Act Rescinded

√ Why did the British parliament repeal most of the Townshend Act while maintaining

it on tea?

1773... Boston Tea Party

√ Why did the colonists dress up as Indians while perpetrating the Boston Tea Party?

1774... Coercive Acts Imposed

√ Why did the British parliament impose the Coercive Acts?

√ Were the British unaware of the potential response?

1774... First Continental Congress

√ What caused the First Continental Congress to meet?

√ The Congress issued a Declaration of Causes.

Have your students read the Declaration and summarize the complaints against

Great Britain.

1775... Paul Revere Rides

EXERCISE: Paul Revere Midnight Ride is one of the most famous in history, partly

due to the poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. Have one of your students dramatically

read the poem aloud.

1775... Battle of Lexington

√ The Revolutionary War began at Concord and Lexington. Did either side decide to

begin a war that day?

1776... Paine Publishes “Common Sense”

√ Why was the publishing of Common Sense important?

1776... Declaration of Independence

√ Why was the Declaration on Independence issued?

√ Read the Declaration aloud. What are the enduring phrases that come to light?

EXERCISE: Establish a mock Continental Congress. Divide the class into two groups– one group supporting immediate independence and the second group wishing to wait.

EXERCISE: Write and design the front page(s) of an American newspaper telling the tales of the revolution and its outcome.

1777... Battle of Saratoga

√ Why was the American victory at Saratoga so important?

... Valley Forge

√ Why has the name “Valley Forge” gone down in history as a place of American

suffering.

1781... Articles of Confederation

√ Why was there a needs for the Articles of Confederation?

√ What powers did the Articles give to the States and what did they give to the

Federal Government.

EXERCISE: Have the students read the Articles and summarize.