SummaryThe American Revolution was more than a war for independence. The struggle reflected the development of a unique American identity that was fueled by colonists' personal definitions of democracy and equality. This new consciousness inspired a war that led to independence from Great Britain and the creation of a radically new society. Chapter OutlineSection 1: The French and Indian WarThe war that the colonists fought against the French and Native Americans caused them to rethink their relationship with Britain.
Section 1: Analyzing Primary Sources: French and Indian WarUsing the links below, examine documents from the French and Indian War. Select one of the documents and then summarize your research in an essay describing the document you selected. Section 2: Issues Behind the RevolutionThe colonists, believing they should not be taxed without representation, protested new British laws.
Section 2: Recreating History: Colonial Broadsides and PamphletsUsing the links below, examine the broadsides, petitions, and documents used to spread news throughout the colonies. From your research, create a pamphlet declaring your stand on one of the issues you have read about in this section of your textbook. Section 3: Ideas Behind the RevolutionNew ideas about equality and self-government contributed to the outbreak of the American Revolution.
Section 3: Writing a Biography: Second Continental Congress DelegatesUsing the links below, examine the lives of the men who drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence. Select one of the signers who interests you most and then write a one-page biography of the delegate you selected. Section 4: Fighting for IndependenceDespite their considerable military weaknesses, the Americans won important battles against the British between 1775 and 1777.
Section 4: Drama Writing: Espionage in the American RevolutionUsing the links below, investigate the role of intelligence, such as the use of spies, during the American Revolution. Then, write a one-act play or a series of monologues having to do with the subject. Section 5: Winning IndependenceAmericans won their independence by outlasting the British in a long and costly war.
Section 5: Writing a News Article: The Revolutionary WarUsing the links below, research the final battles of the Revolutionary War. Then, write a news article, as though you were trying to explain it to American readers in 1781, about the events leading to the British surrender at Yorktown. |
