Unit Two: The American Revolution

This unit will revolve around the American Revolution.

The guiding question for this unit is: When is breaking the law justified?

By the time you are finished studying this unit you should understand the following ideas:

• There were long term and short term causes for the American Revolution.


• Individuals courage was a key factor in winning the war.


• Many of the most influential people and decisions in our country's history came out of this period of U.S. history.

Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) Addressed in Unit 2 are:

SSUSH3 The student will explain the primary causes of the American Revolution.
a. Explain how the end of Anglo-French imperial competition as seen in the French and Indian War and the 1763 Treaty of Paris laid the groundwork for the American Revolution.
b. Explain colonial response to such British actions as the Proclamation of 1763, the Stamp Act, and the Intolerable Acts as seen in Sons and Daughters of Liberty and Committees of Correspondence.
c. Explain the importance of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense to the movement for independence.

SSUSH4 The student will identify the ideological, military, and diplomatic aspects of the American Revolution.
a. Explain the language, organization, and intellectual sources of the Declaration of Independence; include the writing of John Locke and Montesquieu, and the role of Thomas Jefferson.
b. Explain the reason for and significance of the French alliance and foreign assistance and the roles of Benjamin Franklin and the Marquis de Lafayette.
c. Analyze George Washington as a military leader; include the creation of a professional military and the life of a common soldier, and describe the significance of the crossing of the Delaware River and Valley Forge.
d. Explain Yorktown, the role of Lord Cornwallis, and the Treaty of Paris, 1783.

SSUSH5 The student will explain specific events and key ideas that brought about the adoption and implementation of the United States Constitution.
a. Explain how weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and Daniel Shays’ Rebellion led to a call for a stronger central government.
b. Evaluate the major arguments of the anti-Federalists and Federalists during the debate on ratification of the Constitution as put forth in The Federalist concerning form of government, factions, checks and balances, and the power of the executive, including the roles of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison.
c. Explain the key features of the Constitution, specifically the Great Compromise, separation of powers, limited government, and the issue of slavery.
d. Analyze how the Bill of Rights serves as a protector of individual and states’ rights.
e. Explain the importance of the Presidencies of George Washington and John Adams; include the Whiskey Rebellion, non-intervention in Europe, and the development of political parties (Alexander Hamilton).

Below are your assignments for this unit. Read the directions for the due date, expectations, and method for receiving points for each assignment.

Assignment 1: Preview Reflection Blog Post: When is Breaking the Law Justified?

Write a blog post that addresses the following 2 topics to get you thinking about this unit.

1. List five purposes of the government.

2. Would you be willing to join a revolution if our government was not fulfilling the purposes of government you listed above? Why? Why not?

* Write your response as a blog post. Be sure to provide specific examples to defend your argument for topic #2 above. Be sure to give your post an appropriate title and use proper writing rules. Notify Mrs. Siegmund when you have published your post. *20 possible points.

Assignment 2: 4 Part Vocabulary Slides and Vocabulary Quiz

Complete a four part vocabulary slide (1. the definition 2. supporting fact 3. interesting fact 4. visual) for each of the following terms associated with this unit: Stamp Act, Intolerable Acts, Common Sense, John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence, Charles Cornwallis, George Washington, Treaty of Paris 1783, Articles of Confederation, Shay's Rebellion, U.S. Constitution, The Great Compromise, Bill of Rights, Federalist, anti-Federalist

* This should be typed using power point and following Mrs. Siegmund's example. Place finished vocabulary assignment in Mrs. Siegmund's drop box, and notify Mrs. Siegmund after you have completed this task to get points for completing the assignment. Add graded slides to your GPS ring. You will take a vocabulary quiz after you have turned in your vocabulary assignment.

*64 possible points for vocabulary assignment, and 16 possible points for the quiz.

Assignment 3: The Road Through the American Revolution Picture Map

You will need to be at school to work on this assignment. For the background information needed to complete the picture map you will watch chapters in a play list Mrs. Siegmund created that can only be accessed at school.
Click here for the instructions. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully!*

After completing this assignment turn it into Mrs. Siegmund so she can grade it and award points in the grade book. 90 possible points

Assignment 4: Battles of the American Revolution Map and Map Quiz

Pick up a map and directions packet from Mrs. Siegmund. If you do not follow the instructions in the directions packet, you will get terribly confused and your map will not turn out right. You will also be expected to take a map quiz using your finished map. If you cannot pick up the map and directions from Mrs. Siegmund, you can click on the links to open it and print it out.

* After you have completed you map show it to Mrs. Siegmund so she can award your points. When you are ready for your map quiz pick it up from Mrs. Siegmund and turn it in to be graded. Be sure to turn in the directions packet and put your completed map and map quiz in the map section of your notebook. *68 possible points.

Assignment 5: Influential American Documents Lesson

Mrs. Siegmund will lead the class through a thought provoking lesson that deals with the following American documents: The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

* Lesson date TBA. 25 possible points

Assignment 6: Primary Source Document Reflection Post
a) Read one of the following accounts of life during the Revolutionary time period.
b)After you've finished your reading create a blog post (be sure to give your post an appropriate title) that addresses the following questions in paragraph format.
- What did you learn about life during the revolutionary era from reading this document?
- What surprised you the most about what you read?

The Rights of the Colonists-Samuel Adams

Eyewitness account of the Boston Tea Party by one of the participants

Excerpt from Thomas Paine's Common Sense where he provides the majority of his argument for breaking from the British

George Washington's account of the Battle of Trenton

The Surrender of Cornwallis- General Cornwallis' letter explaining the reasons for his surrender

* The post should be well written, and edited before you publish it. Be sure to give your post an appropriate title. Notify Mrs. Siegmund after you publish so she can award your points. *30 possible points.

Assignment 7: When Breaking the Law is Justified Post

As you study this unit about the American Revolution you will be confronted with the question: When is breaking the law justified? You’re also asked to consider whether or not the U.S. government has upheld their end of the deal since 1789.

Create a blog post that compares the American Revolution with another time in U.S. History, preferably during the 20th century, when Americans broke the law because they did not feel that their rights were being upheld by the U.S. government.

Use the following questions to build your argument for your post:

American Revolution:

• Did the colonists have their natural rights?
• What actions did the colonists take to make their own government that would uphold their rights?
• Were the colonists justified in breaking the law?

20th Century:

• When since the American Revolution have Americans broken the law because they felt their rights were not being upheld by the U.S. government?
• What actions did Americans have to take to make sure that the U.S. government was upholding their natural rights?
• Was this group of Americans justified in breaking the law?

* Your post should be in the format of a short essay(minimum of 5 paragraphs long). Your essay must have an introductory paragraph with a thesis statement, two supporting paragraphs (1. where you discuss the causes and results of the American Revolution 2. where you discuss a time during the 20th century when Americans broke the law because they didn't feel their rights were being upheld) and a conclusion paragraph where you restate your thesis and conclude your argument. The post should be well written, and edited before you publish it. Be sure to give your post an appropriate title. Notify Mrs. Siegmund after you publish so she can award your points.
*50 possible points.