Understanding Colonial Unrest

1. UnderstandingColonial Unrest The Unrest-O-Meter

2. SWBAT • Given placards with short descriptions of selected events and group discussion SWBAT: • Discuss events that turned proud British subjects of 1763 into rebellious Americans by 1775. • Rate the relative levels of “unrest” for each event • Choose five of the nine events to create a timeline with appropriate illustrations and descriptive sentences to summarize the information learned in this activity.

3. Group Work Activity • Explain how proud British subjects of 1763 became rebellious Americans by 1775 by discussing 9 events leading up to the American Revolution. Rate the relative levels of “unrest” each event causes. This will be done by: • Learning about and analyzing nine events between 1763 and 1775. • Completing a Matrix summarizing each event. • Rating and providing rationale for each event through discussion and consensus. • Finally, arriving at a class consensus in rating each event.

4. Unrest-O-Meter Process • Divide into groups no greater than four or five. • Placards will be passed from group to group at Mr. L’s direction (no rushing! 5 – 7 minutes ea.). • Locate the event on the matrix (the letter after the 3.3_ ) • One group member reads the placard to the rest of the group. The group summarizes. • Group discussion to reach consensus on that event’s outcome, causes, and rating. • When directed, pass placard clockwise (from a top looking down position). • When all nine events have been discussed, adjust your meter to show no more than 36 blocks.

5. Unrest-O-Meter Rating Criteria • Discuss criteria to be used for ratings.

6. Class Consensus • Groups summarize events while Mr. L marks Unrest-O-Meter. No discussion of rating, only clarification of event. • After all nine events are placed, class consensus to arrive at 36 rating blocks. EXAMPLE ONLY

8. 3.3 A Proclamation of 1763 • The King said, To prevent wars with the Indians, the land west of the Appalachians would be reserved for the Indians – no white settlement west of the mountains. • Why? • $$$: The King did not want to spend any more money fighting wars. • $$$: He did not want to have to pay for soldiers. • ???: He also may have felt that he was protecting the land rights of the Native Americans, they were now his subjects.

9. 3.3 B The Quartering Act Colonists were required to ensure British Soldiers were housed, fed, provided candles, beer, and transportation. • Colonists did not trust the presence of the soldiers – felt soldiers would be used to enforce laws. • Did not want to pay for expenses • Did not believe “it was for their own good” believed the soldiers would be police enforcers • Did not want soldiers in their homes because they did not trust them

10. 3.3 C The Stamp Act 1765 Stamp tax: Printed materials were to be taxed. The Stamp was applied to show the tax was paid. Items to be taxed: newspapers, pamphlets, marriage licenses, playing cards. • Outcome: 9 colonies sent representatives to the Stamp Act Congress, passing a resolution demanding GB repeal the Stamp Act. (Virginia, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Georgia were not represented.) • Boycotts were put into place. • In Boston: Sam Adams organized “The Sons of Liberty” • John Adams called this the “birth of the revolution.”

11. 3.3 D The Townshend Acts 1767 An Indirect, “hidden,” tax levied on finished products imported into the country • Taxes raised the cost of the products. • Also allowed British seize and search American ships and warehouses suspected of smuggling goods • Colonists saw through the plan and again organized and boycottedBritish goods

12. 3.3 E The Boston Massacre • Date: 05 MAR 1770 • Description: British soldiers fired on an unruly mob of Bostonians. • Result: The British soldiers were put on trial. Defended by John Adams. The Incident used as propaganda by the Sons of Liberty. • Propaganda are advertisements and letters used to inflame peoples opinions or sway their opinions (Paul Revere)

13. 3.3F The Boston Tea Party • 1773: British Parliament passed the Tea Act • This gave the British East Indies company a monopoly. • The irony of the boycott and “party” is that the tea was actually cheaper than before but the Bostonians would not buy it on the principle of it being taxed without their “representation.” • Boston boycotted and then destroyed the tea.

14. 3.3G The Intolerable Acts 1774 • Also called The Coercive Acts • The acts were passed to force the colonist to pay for the destroyed tea. • Boston Harbor was closed – by the English Navy • The rallying cry, “If can be done to Boston . . .” it can happen anywhere. Was used to alert the other colonies to British oppression

15. 3.3H The First Continental Congress 1774 • The colonies final begin to unite! (12 of the 13, not Georgia) • The colonial representatives endorsed resolutions to: • Denounce the Intolerable acts • Form militias to resist the enforcement of the acts • And called on the colonies to stop trade with GB

16. 3.3 I Lexington and Concord • Date: April 19, 1775 • British intentions: to capture stores of ammunition and Sam Adams and John Hancock. • The Lexington Militia stood their ground, a confrontation ensued, sparked the day’s conflagration. • Before returning to Boston . . . • 73 British solders were dead & 174 were wounded. • 49 patriots were killed, 39 more were wounded.

17. What follows? In the next unit we will discuss: The forming of the Second Continental Congress The drafting of the Declaration of Independence The forming of the Continental Army under the leadership of George Washington And the early battles of the American Revolution – also know as the War for Independence