Activity: Causes of the American Revolution Placards

Group-work Checklist Activity: Causes of the American Revolution 1. Get into groups of four. 2. Make sure each group member has a copy of the Worksheet: The Causes of the American Revolution 3. Make sure each group member knows his or her role: Leader Leads group discussion throughout the activity. Makes sure all group members contribute ideas on answering matrix questions and completing the EKG Timeline. 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. 4. Read and examine the placard and picture carefully. Discuss what happened in the event represented on the placard. Record the information on your worksheet. Do not complete the last box until your group has analyzed all placards. When you have finished analyzing a placard, place all placards back in the folder and wait until your teacher tells you to rotate the placards. 5. Discuss with your group members how much you think that each event angered the colonists and come to an answer that is agreeable to all group members. Place the numbers on the matrix. (Be sure you use a pencil since you may want to change the number). Explain the rational for the “unrest rating”. NOTE: Your numbers should total 36! No more and no less! 6. Make the EKG timeline 7. Make sure Presenter is ready to report the group’s findings on the final placard you work on. 8. Listen to all the presentations carefully. Be prepared to discuss your ideas with the class after the presentations are completed.  

Proclamation of 1763 Placard A The Proclamation of 1763 was a formal announcement by the British that announced that the land won during the French and Indian War - land West of the Appalachian Mountains – would be reserved for the Native Americans. The American colonists where not allowed to settle in that area. It was against the law. The British thought it would be easier to protect the colonists if they lived only in the lands east of the Appalachians. They did not want any more wars with the Native Americans. The colonists were angry with the Proclamation because many had a desire to move west. It was also very clear to the colonists that the British intended to maintain an even tighter control over them than ever before.

Proclamation of 1763 Picture A

Placard B The Quartering Act The Quartering Act was hated by the colonists. It required them to house British soldiers in their homes. The colonists also had to supply the soldiers with food, fuel, and transportation. Although Britain told the colonists that the British troops where sent to the colonies to protect them, the colonists believed they were sent to control and spy on the them. This made the colonists very suspicious of the troops. They were also angry because Britain never asked for approval for this act by the colonists, especially since they had to use their own money to pay for the British soldiers.

Picture B The Quartering Act

Placard C The Stamp Act After the French and Indian War Britain was in debt. They where hoping that the colonists would help pay off the debt since the British helped defend the colonists during the war. In 1765 Britain passed the Stamp Act which required colonists to pay a tax on most printed materials, such as newspapers, marriage licenses, pamphlets, and playing cards. The colonists had to buy a stamp and place it on the printed materials to prove that he or she had paid a tax. The colonists were very angry with the Stamp Act. Not only did they have to pay extra money whenever the purchased paper products but they resented being taxed without their consent. Many colonists were so angry with the Stamp Act many merchants began a boycott of British goods. They refused to by anything from Britain. Many colonists formed groups such as the Sons of Liberty and the Daughters of Liberty and stopped stamped papers from becoming unloaded. Some colonists formed a group called the Stamp Act Congress. They demanded the British Parliament repeal the Stamp Act which they will eventually do.

Picture C The Stamp Act

Placard D Townsend Acts When Charles Townsend became Prime Minister of Britain he imposed an indirect tax on the colonists. An “indirect” tax was collected at the sea ports before the items reached the colonial stores. This small tax was placed on glass, led, paper and tea. Since the tax would be included in the price of the items purchased at the store and not added to the price, Townsend hoped the colonists would not even notice they were paying a tax. To Townsend’s surprise, the colonists did notice the tax and were very angry, especially because they did not get to vote on the tax. They believed, “no taxation without representation!”. In response, the colonists began a boycott of British goods (they refused to buy goods from Britain).

Picture D Townsend Acts

Placard E The 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.

Picture E The Boston Massacre

Boston Tea Party Placard F The Tea Act was passed in 1773. This act gave the British East Indies Company a monopoly of American tea. This meant that Americans could only purchase tea from this company. Therefore, it eliminated all competition. The colonists were not very angry about the Act itself (the tea was actually cheaper) but the fact that the colonists did not consent to this act. The Sons of Liberty decided to protest this act by organizing the Boston Tea Party. Dressed like Native Americans they smashed open 340 chests of tea and dumped them into the harbor while a crowd of colonists cheered them on.

Picture F Boston Tea Party

The Intolerable Acts Placard G In reaction to the Boston Tea Party the British passed the Coercive Acts. “To Coerce” means to force someone to do something. These Acts closed the port of Boston and imposed military rule on all of Massachusetts. The British hoped to force the colonists to pay for the tea and obey British rule. All town meetings were suspended. The colonists called them the “Intolerable Acts” because they felt the could not tolerate them. Samual Adams helped to get the colonists angry about these Acts. They felt the British were imposing to many unjust rules for the colonists to follow. They believed these laws were violating their rights. Although the Acts were only for Massachusetts, the colonists believed that eventually Britain could begin taking away the rights of the other colonies. Therefore, all the colonies protested against these Acts. In the towns surrounding Boston, “minutemen” began storing weapons and training to be ready at a “minutes” notice.

Picture G The Intolerable Acts

The First Continental Congress Placard H The First Continental Congress Because the colonists believed they needed to do something to protect their collective rights, they agreed to set their differences aside. They believed that it would be better to present their complaints to Britain as a unified group. The First Continental Congress was formed from 12 of the 13 colonies. Many important men such as Sam Adams, George Washington, John Adams and Patrick Henry met in a building in Philadelphia. There they drew up a Declaration of Rights and wrote a list of requests for the King of Britain. They also called for a boycott of all British goods. They stopped all trade with Britain. Those who did not follow the boycott were often tarred and feathered.

The First Continental Congress Picture H The First Continental Congress

Placard I Lexington and Concord In 1774 the British occupied the city of Boston. In 1775 British troops were sent to Boston to destroy the military supplies that the colonists had collected at Concord, 21 miles from Boston. When the Sons of Liberty found out about the plan they send Paul Revere and William Dawes to alert the minutemen in the towns and villages along he way, “The British are coming! The British are coming!” When the British reached Lexington, about 70 minutemen awaited them. A conflict arose and 8 minutemen were killed. The British pushed onto Concord. The American Revolution had officially begun!

Picture I Lexington and Concord