The Revolutionary Period

11th Grade U.S. History

Tim Coudret

Table of Contents The American Heritage Slides 3-6 People in Societies Slides 7-9 World Interactions Slides 10-13 Decision-making and Resources

Slides 14-16

Democratic Processes Slides 17-19

Citizenship, Rights and Responsibilities

Slides 20-22

American Heritage

Activities 1) Discuss why the Articles of Confederation was

replaced by the Constitution 2) Divide the students into two groups. One side

will be the Federalists, the other Anti-federalists. Each side will outline their positions on the Constitution and the two sides will have a debate over the Constitution.

Activities continued 3) Have students discuss why Americans have

traditionally distrusted an overbearing government. Does that characteristic still exist in Americans?

4) Divide the class into two groups. One group will identify and justify the major colonial policies of the British between 1767 and 1774. The other group will offer the colonist’s response to these policies.

Activities continued

5) Have the class address this question, “ Has the United States lived up to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence? Why or why not? The students will present their response to the class

American Heritage Websites

1) Thomas Paine, Common Sense 1776http://udor.let.rog.n1/~usa/D/1776-1800/paine/cm

2) A Loyalist Answers Thomas Painehttp://earlyamerica.com/review/fall96/loyalist.html

3) Virtual Tour of Plimoth (Plymouth) Plantationhttp://pilgrims.net/plimothplantation/vtour/

4) Jamestownwww.williamsburg.com/james/james.html

5) Timeline: America During the Age of Revolutionhttp://memory.loc.gov/ammen/bdsds/timeline.html

People in Societies

Activities 1) Discuss with the class the different ways of life

of the merchants, farmers, slaves, women and children during the Revolutionary Period.

2)Have the students write a journal entry as if they were a colonial slave or woman and discuss the contradictions between the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and their actual lives.

People in Societies 3)Ask students to investigate the role of African

Americans in the Revolutionary War. 4)Have students take on the role of Loyalists. What were

their concerns? Did they feel safe? How were they viewed and treated?

5)Discuss Native Americans with class. Have students prepare speeches as if they were a Native American chief discussing the Europeans. Which side will they support? Why?

People in SocietiesWebsites

1) Amazing Women in War and Peace

www.captbarb@aug.com

2) African American Freedom Fighters

www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/aaffsfl.html

3) Loyalist Propaganda

http://users.erols.com/candidos.propda

4) Litchfield During the American Revolution

www.litchfieldhistorical society.org/history/duringrev.html

5) Native Americans in the American Revolution: Oconostota

www.iath.virginia.edu/seminar/unit1/ocon.html

World Interactions

Activities 1) Discuss with students the effect that the

American Revolution had on the rest of the world. 2) Have students explore the French Revolution.

Students should make a table and contrast and compare the two nation’s revolutions.

World Interactions

3) Students will address this three pronged question, “How did the colonial slave trade effect Africa economically, sociologically and psychologically?

4)Students will get into groups of three or four and discuss and list the ways that the slave trade has affected our culture today.

World Interactions

5) Divide students into three groups. One group will be Spain, the other two will be France or the Netherlands. Each group will ascertain why these countries were willing to help the U.S. win the independence. The three groups will share their findings with the entire class.

World InteractionsWebsites

1) British Newspaper Coverage of the French Revolution

www.english.ucsb.edu/faculty/ayilia/research/around-1800/

2) A Tale of Two Revolutions

www.self-gov.org/freeman/8908pete.html

3) The Franco-American Alliance

http://odur.let.rog.nl/~usa/H/1994/ch3_p11.html

4) Spain’s Support was Vital

www.neta.com/%7E1stbooks/vital2.htm

5) French Alliance Brings Joy to Valley Forge

www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/history/alliance-washington.html

Decision Making and Resources

Activities 1)Have students discuss the geographic factors that

led to the development of two very different economies in the original colonies.

2)Have students identify various natural resources that existed in the original 13 colonies and list the likely industries that would exist there.

Decision Making and Resources 3) Students will write a letter from the point of view of a

loyalist and a patriot stating the reasons for choosing to fight or stay loyal.

4) Students will be divided into two groups. One will list the factors that led to manufacturing appearing predominantly in the North and agriculture in the South.

5)Have students identify on a map the geographic feature that is a common denominator for the location of almost all cities.

Decision Making and ResourcesWebsites

1) Map: British Colonies in North America, 1763-75

www.lib.utexas.edu/maps

2) Maryland Loyalism and the American Revolutionhttp://users.erols.com/candidos/index.htm

3) Southern Colonial America During the Revolutionary Warif.com/public_html/The_Great_Republic_ By_The_Master_Historians_Vol_11

4) U.S. Territorial Maps, 1775http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MAP/TERRITORY/1775map.html

5) How Did Geography Affect Social, Political and Economical Differences Between the Colonieswww.apreview.com/ushistory/students/articles/jfsl-geography.asp

Democratic Processes

Activities 1) Students will research voter turnout and discuss how

they think voter turnout affects election results. 2) Students will investigate what percentage of Americans

actually determine the face of our government after eliminating those that are under the age of 18, felons, people who are not registered and those that do not choose to vote etc…

Democratic Processes 3) Students will be split into two groups. One group will

defend the Electoral College, the other will oppose it. As a group they will propose alternate solutions.

4) The students will compare and contrast how British government differed with the Constitutional government of the U.S.

5) One class period will be spent operating like a direct democracy. The next class will be spent operating like a representative democracy. Which is better? Why do we have a representative democracy?

Democratic ProcessesWebsites

1) What is Your Electoral College I.Q.? http://www.RichardWarrenField.com/elct-tst.html

2) In Defense of the Electoral Collegehttp://www.cato.org/dailys/11-10-00html

3) Electoral College Reform Optionshttp://gning.net/electoral.html

4)The Electoral College Inhibits Democracy http://www.electionreform.org/ERMain/editorials/ec.html

5) How the Electoral College Works and Why it Works Well http://www.cato.org/dailys/11-13-00.html

Citizenship, Rights and Responsibilities

Activities

1) Have students list 1 or 2 issues that interest them. Group students with similar topics together. Students will research their topic and present their findings to the class

2) Class will divide into four groups. Each group will cover a different 1st amendment right. The groups will highlight the the various rights and limitations of each.

Citizenship, Rights and Responsibilities

3) Have class divide into two groups. Group one will argue that voter registration is a necessary requirement for voting. Group two will argue the latter. Have five students serve as a jury.

4) Students will design a voting ballot that is easier to understand. They may test it out with other students

5) Students will contemplate the sacrifice that U.S. veterans have made for our freedoms. Students will be required to either; 1. Interview a veteran or 2. Write a report about one of our national monuments to veterans.

Citizenship,Rights and ResponsibilitiesWebsites

1) Center for Voting and Democracywww.fairvote.org/

2) Register to Votehttps://ssl.capwiz.com/congressorg/nvral

3) Ben’s Guide to U.S. Governmenthttp://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/citizenship/index.html

4) The Wallhttp://grunts.space.swri.edu/thewall.htm

5) The Power of a Namehttp://grunt.space.swri.edu/pwrname.htm