Activity: Understanding Colonial Unrest

U.S. HistoryStandard 11.1.2

TCI 3.3

• 11.1 Students analyze the significant events in the founding of the nation and its attempts to realize the philosophy of government described in the Declaration of Independence.

• 1. Describe the Enlightenment and the rise of democratic ideas as the context in which the nation was founded.

Essential Question

What were the key values and or beliefs that led to the American Revolution?

Group-work Checklist for Understanding Colonial Unrest

1. Make sure your group has four copies of Student Handbook 3.3A, one copy of Student Handbook 3.3B, and a placard 3.3

2. Make sure each group member knows his or her role:• Facilitator Leads group discussion throughout the activity. Makes

sure all group members contribute ideas on answering matrix questions and completing the Colonial Unrest-O-Meter. Contributes ideas throughout the activity.

• Deliverer Responsible for taking placard that you have already worked on to the next group. Keeps group aware of the time limit while group works on the placard. Contributes ideas throughout the activity.

• Reader Reads aloud the written information on each placard to the group. Contributes ideas throughout the activity.

• Presenter Presents the group’s findings on one of the events to the class at the end of the activity. Contributes ideas throughout the activity.

3. Read and examine the placard carefully. Discuss what happened in the event represented on the placard. Record the information on your matrix.

4. Discuss with group members how much you think the event contributed to colonial unrest and come to an answer that is agreeable to all group members. Place number next to event.

NOTE: Your numbers should total 365. Continue the process for all placards. Make sure Presenter is ready to

report the group’s findings on the final placard you work on.6. Listen to all the presentations carefully. Be prepared to discuss your

ideas with the class after the presentations are completed.

Placard A

A Proclamation of 1963

Placard B

B The Quartering Act

Placard C

C The Stamp Act

Placard D

D The Townshend Acts

E Boston Massacre

• On March 5, 1770, a mob of colonists in Boston began to harass British troops, taunting them and throwing snowballs. The situation soon got out of hand, and finally, the troops opened fire. Five colonists died.

• Most colonists believed that the British soldiers were completely at fault, The enraged citizens of Boston called a town meeting to demand the removal of British troops and to argue for the trial of the British soldiers for murder. The British agreed to the colonists’ demands.

E Boston Massacre

F Boston Tea Party

Placard F

Placard G

G Intolerable Acts

H First Continental Congress

Placard I

I Lexington & Concord

Essential Question

What were the key values and or beliefs that led to the American Revolution?