What were the main causes of tension between Great Britain and the colonies?
Objectives
Students will understand the main causes of tensions between the colonies and Great Britain prior to the American Revolution.
Student Resources:
Timeline
Thermometer of rising tensions
Coloring Utensils
Engage
Ask students “What do we celebrate on the Fourth of July each year?”
Then, based on student responses, ask students to recall their prior knowledge of what caused the American Revolution.
After the discussion, say to students, “Today we will review the tensions that led to the colonists declaring independence from Great Britain and fighting in the American Revolution. You will rank events, explain them in your own words, and pull-out key phrases to help you remember. Today is all about the main causes of tension that built for years before America declared its independence”
Explore
Access the timeline. Have students review the events leading up to what they would consider the start of the American Revolution.
At the top of their thermometer, label the event that was the final occurrence prior to the start of the American Revolution.
Then, students will work their way down the thermometer, labeling the three other events that they believe most lead to revolution.
Students will explain the event in their own words.
To “color” the thermometer, students will write in keywords or people related to the common understanding of that event, such as “Paul Revere” for Lexington and Concord. Teachers can choose to have students illustrate in the thermometer instead.
Assess & Reflect
If you could include a fifth event, which occurrence would you include and why?
Compare your thermometer to a classmate. How similar or different are they? How does this reflect what colonists might have believed at the time?
There were more than four events to choose from. How difficult was it to narrow down to fill out the thermometer? How does that reflect how difficult it might have been for colonists to manage the growing tensions toward Great Britain during this time?
