AP U.S. History
Mr. Meyers
Updated throughout unit
Unit 2: The American Revolution
Overview: During this unit, we are going to do something different in regards to
homework and daily lessons. Instead of reading the textbook and a few documents on the
American Revolution for homework, we are going to read a book by Robert Gross titled
The Minutemen and Their World. This book will blend in with what we have already
studied during our unit on the colonial era and then take us beyond that time. Your
readings will be lengthier than the text would have been, but I won't expect you to take
notes. For daily lessons in class, I will lecture for most of each period to ensure that you
understand the key events and issues surrounding the Revolution. A portion of each
period however will be devoted to discussing the previous night's reading. Students will
write a short paper upon completion of the book. I hope you enjoy a break from the
textbook!
Essential Questions:
1. Describe the economic and political relationship between England and the
American colonies.
2. What was the relationship between the Seven Years’ War and the Revolution?
3. What were the central causes of the American Revolution? In what ways were
economic, political, ideological, and social issues related to the revolution?
4. How united were the colonists during this era? To what extent did they consider
themselves "Americans"?
5. Who suffered and who gained by the revolution?
6. What was revolutionary about the American Revolution? What was the nature of
the Revolution?
7. What was the nature of George Washington's relationship with his slaves and
slavery? How does this relationship change over time? What role did the
revolution play in these changes?
8. How did the institution of slavery shape southern society during the colonial era?
Study Guide for Unit 2
More Study Questions (these are more specific than your Essential Questions)
Chapter Five:
Trace the movement towards independence.
Evaluate the impact of British policies on the colonies.
Was the British reaction to the colonial outbursts justified?
Were the colonial outbursts justified?
How do Paine and Jefferson justify the right to rebel?
How were the Loyalists treated?
What was the turning point of the war?
What role did other nations play, especially France, in the
outcome?
What were the terms of the Treaty of Paris in 1783?
Chapter Study Guides
Chapter 3 (82-84)
mercantilism
enumerated goods
Navigation Acts(1660, 1663, 1673, 1696)
vice-admiralty courts
Board of Trade
Chapter 4 (114-119)
gap between theory and practice in British politics
commonwealthmen: Cato’s Letters
civic virtue
royal governors
suffrage in the colonies
colonial assemblies-tensions with governors and England
Chapter 4 (120-127)
stakes involved in war with France
Fort Duquesnes
George Washington
Fort Necessity
The Albany Plan
General Braddock’s defeat
the Seven Years’ War
William Pitt
Wolfe and Quebec
Peace of Paris - 1763
impact of war on the Americans
Chapter 5 (131-141)
“Postwar” optimism
George III’s and Parliament’s role in stirring up colonies
parliamentary sovereignty: England’s and the colonies’ views
role of the Great Awakening, Enlightenment thought (Locke) and Commonwealthmen
the budget crisis
Pontiac’s uprising
Proclamation of 1763
George Grenville
Sugar Act of 1764
Stamp Act of 1765
Patrick Henry and the Virginia Resolves
the Stamp Act Congress
the “Sons of Liberty”
attacks of property of Andrew Oliver and Thomas
Hutchinson
the trade boycott
repeal of the Stamp Act (Pitt’s role) the Declaratory Act
of 1766
Chapter 5 (141-148)
the Townshend Acts of 1767
Circular Letter
the Boston Massacre
the burning of the Gaspee
the Tea Act of 1773
(Intolerable) Acts
General Gage (British)
Congress
the Quartering Act
the Massachusetts
Lord North
Loyalists
Sam Adams and the committees of correspondence
the Tea Party
the Coercive
the Quebec Act
Chapter 5 (148-157)
the Suffolk Resolves
the “Association”
battles of Lexington, Concord Battle of Bunker Hill
Congress
George Washington
Prohibitory Act
“Common Sense”
Thomas Jefferson - the Declaration of Independence
British and American advantages and disadvantages
crossing the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton
Gerneral Burgoyne (British)
General Gates (American)
Valley Forge
The First Continental
Paul Revere
Second Continental
Thomas Paine General Howe (British)
Battle of Princeton
Battle of Saratoga
Chapter 5 (157-162)
Ben Franklin’s diplomacy
Treaty of Amity and Commerce
General Clinton (British)
Lord Cornwallis (British)
the southern campaign
King’s Mountain, NC
Yorktown
Loyalists’ experiences
American negotiating delegation and their strategy
Treaty of Paris 1783
(terms)
Chapter 6 (165-175)
Sans Souci Club
Society of Cincinnati
primogeniture and
entail
disestablishment
John Woolman
Phillis Wheatley
Benjamin Banneker
Manumission Society
Richard Allen - AME
Church
Abigail Adams
“republican women” - role in a republic
State level “Declarations of Rights
George Mason
Syllabus
Date
Wednesday, 9-7
Thursday, 9-8
Friday, 9-9
Monday, 9-12
Topic
Go over Unit 1 Exam
Unit 2 Introduction
Assign The Minutemen and
Their World
1756 Snapshot: Imperial
Systems and Rivalries
French and Indian War Lecture
Homework
Gross, Prologue, Chapter 1
pp. 3-29
The French and Indian War
DBQ
Wrap Up Thoughts on DBQ
(Quiz and discussion on
Book)
Gross Chapter 4
pp. 68-108
Gross Chapter 5
pp. 109-132
Tuesday, 9-13
Two Systems
Historiography and the
American Revolution: Causes
Events Leading to the
Revolution: Phase 1
Acts and More Acts Part 1
Wednesday, 9-14 Events Leading to the
Revolution: Phase 2 and 3
Acts and More Acts Part 2
Thursday, 9-15
Lexington Green: A Case Study
Friday, 9-16
Declaration of Independence,
Enlightenment Thought
Monday, 9-19
Three Phases of the War,
Turning Points
Tuesday, 9-20
Women and African Americans,
The Radicalism of the American
Revolution? Where Historians
Disagree…
Wednesday, 9-21 Unit 2 Exam
Gross, Chapters 2 and 3
pp. 30-67
Gross Chapter 6
pp. 133-171
Gross Chapter 6
pp. 133-170
Gross Chapter 7
pp. 171-191
Paper Due Monday!
Txt 165-173 Read and Take
Notes
Study Guides
None!