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Causes of the American Revolution
Meghan Hassel
Normal Community High School
Summer 2012
Prints and Photographs Division,
Library of Congress. LC-USZ62-9701.
In this learning experience students will use a variety of primary sources, including the Declaration of
Independence, to analyze and categorize causes of the American Revolution.
Overview/ Materials/LOC Resources/Standards/ Procedures/Evaluation/Rubric/Handouts/Extension
Overview
Objectives
Recommended time frame
Grade level
Curriculum fit
Materials
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Students will:
 analyze colonial era broadsides to identify causes of the conflict
with the British
 create posters incorporating primary sources. When combined as
a class, the posters will create a timeline of causes of the
American Revolution
 analyze and re-word in modern language the text of the
Declaration of Independence
 write an essay describing social, political and economic causes of
the American Revolution.
6 days
10th
US History
 Computers with internet access
 Access to the online Primary Source Analysis Tool at the Library
of Congress website or hard copies of the document
 1 piece of poster board per group
 Markers, crayons or colored pencils
 Hard copies of the text of the Declaration of Independence for day
5 (or computers with internet access for students)
 “Causes of Conflict Between the British and Colonists” worksheet
for each student (day 4)
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University


“Declaration of Independence: Tweet it!” worksheet for each
student (day 5)
Essay prompt and rubric for each student (day 6)
Common Core Learning Standards
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Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies
 CC.9-10.RH.3 Analyze in detail a series of events described in a
text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply
preceded them.
 CC.9-10.RH.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as
they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political,
social, or economic aspects of history/social studies.
 CC.9-10.RH.5 Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize
key points or advance an explanation or analysis.
 CC.9-10.RH.9. Compare and contrast treatments of the same
topic in several primary and secondary sources.
Procedures
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Days 1-3:
 Students will investigate the causes of the American Revolution.
Divide the class into small groups (6 or 12 groups depending on
class size). Assign each group a time frame from 1764-1775. If
you have 6 groups, assign years according to the timeline sections.
If you have 12 groups, assign each group one year.
 Depending on previous experience, the teacher may choose to
demonstrate how to use the Library of Congress website prior to
the next step.
 Using computers, each group should access the America During
the Age of Revolution, 1764-1775 Timeline. Students should first
review the events in their given year(s). Students should then
search the collection of broadsides from the era at:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/rbpehtml/ using key words/events
from their timeline summary. There are over 200 items in the
collection: there are several documents addressing each of the
events. Students may find it easier to search the entire Library of
Congress Site.
 If appropriate for your students, have groups complete the Primary
Source Analysis Tool online at the Library of Congress to
facilitate understanding of the primary sources
 Each group should create a poster documenting colonial
grievances and attitudes during their given year(s). Each poster
should contain at least 3 quotes directly from primary sources
from the collection. Students may include images from the
primary source collection.
Day 4
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University

Teacher should introduce the idea that wars have multiple causes.
Using a war your students are familiar with, have the class
brainstorm social, economic, political and environmental causes
for the conflict. Inform students that they will be similarly
categorizing causes of the American Revolution.
For example using the Persian Gulf War:
Economic cause- stability it the Persian Gulf ensures the United
States a steady supply of oil.
Social cause- Americans were unfamiliar with Islamic culture.
Political cause- desire to remove Sadaam Hussein from power
and install a democracy.
Environmental cause – the US does not have oil.

Hang the group posters on the wall in chronological order. In
their groups from the earlier activity, students should rotate from
poster to poster. While viewing the other groups posters, students
should categorize colonial complaints according to the following
categories (see handout “Causes of Conflict between the British
and Colonists: ESPeN Grid"): economic, social, political and
environmental. While placement of grievances may vary, student
should be able to justify their placement.
 Reconvene as a group and ask students to summarize their results
as the teacher checks for understanding.
Day 5
 Introduce the concept of the Declaration of Independence as a
break up letter between the colonists and King George. Have
students activate prior knowledge by giving reasons why people
break up.
 Pass out a copy of the worksheet “Declaration of IndependenceTweet It!” to each student.
 With partners, students will “translate” the grievances listed in the
declaration into modern language. Students should access the
original text of the Declaration of Independence online or in print
form. Assign each partner set several grievances to translate.
After reading the primary source text, students should re-write it
in Tweet form using modern, everyday language. (If students are
unfamiliar with Twitter, show them sample Tweets.)
 Partner groups should share their translations with the class. Call
on students from other groups to identify if the grievance is
economic, social, economic or environmental.
 Optional: Announce to students that they will be taking an essay
quiz in class the next day on the following prompt: Explain
political, social and economic causes that pushed colonists to
declare independence.
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Day 6
 Pass out copies of the handout “Essay Quiz- Causes of the
American Revolution” to each student or write the prompt on the
board.
 Students should individually answer the essay prompt below in
paragraph form.
Evaluation
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
Extension
Students should write a three paragraph essay in response to the
following prompt: Explain political, social and economic causes
that pushed colonists to declare independence.
(See handout and rubric below)
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
Students should compare and contrast earlier drafts with the final
version of the Declaration of Independence.
 Identify 5 important changes in content (students should not
for example cite changes in punctuation or simple changes in
syntax). Why do you think such changes were made? How do
these changes reflect the debates within the Continental
Congress?
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Primary Resources from the Library of Congress
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Image
Description
Citation
URL
In Congress, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous declaration
of the thirteen United States
of America.
Library of Congress,
Rare Book and Special
Collections Division,
Continental Congress
& Constitutional
Convention Broadsides
Collection
http://memory.loc.g
ov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/
bdsbib:@field(NUM
BER+@od1(bdsdcc
+02101))
A Century of Lawmaking
for a New Nation: U.S.
Congressional Documents
and Debates, 1774 - 1875
Journals of the
Continental Congress,
1774-1789, ed.
Worthington C. Ford et
al. (Washington, D.C.,
1904-37), 5:491.
http://memory.loc.g
ov/cgibin/ampage?collId=l
ljc&fileName=005/ll
jc005.db&recNum=
75
The BLOODY
MASSACRE perpetrated in
King Street BOSTON on
March 5th 1770 by a party
of the 29th REGT
Revere, Paul, engraver.
"The BLOODY
MASSACRE
perpetrated in King
Street BOSTON on
March 5th 1770 by a
party of the 29th
REGT." 1770. Prints
and Photographs
Division, Library of
Congress.
Prints and Photographs
Division, Library of
Congress. LC-USZ62-
http://www.loc.gov/
pictures/resource/pp
msca.19159/
Join or Die by Benjamin
Franklin
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc
.pnp/cph.3a12149
9701.
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
The Tory Act : published by
order of the Continental
Congress, Philadelphia, Jan.
2, 1776.
Library of Congress,
Rare Book and Special
Collections Division,
Continental Congress
& Constitutional
Convention Broadsides
Collection
http://memory.loc.g
ov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/
bdsbib:@field(NUM
BER+@od1(bdsdcc
+00801))
Philadelphia. In Congress,
December 6, 1775 : We the
delegates of the thirteen
United Colonies in NorthAmerica, have taken into
our most serious
consideration a
proclamation issued from
the Court at St. James's, on
the twenty-third day of
August last. ...
An account of a late military
massacre at Boston, or the
consequences of quartering
troops in a populous town,
March 12, 1770. [New
York, John Holt, 1770.]
A view of the obelisk
erected under Liberty-tree in
Boston on the rejoicings for
the repeal of the ---- Stamp
Act 1766.
Library of Congress,
Rare Book and Special
Collections Division,
Continental Congress
& Constitutional
Convention Broadsides
Collection
http://memory.loc.g
ov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/
bdsbib:@field(NUM
BER+@od1(bdsdcc
+007b1))
Library of Congress,
Rare Book and Special
Collections Division.
http://memory.loc.g
ov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/
rbpebib:@field(NU
MBER+@band(rbpe
+10401000))
http://memory.loc.g
ov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/
awhbib:@field(NU
MBER+@od1(cph+
3a23468))
Journals of the
Continental Congress,
1774-1789.
TUESDAY, APRIL 30,
1776.
Journals of the
Continental
Congress, 17741789, ed.
Worthington C. Ford
et al. (Washington,
D.C., 1904-37),
19:320.
American political
prints, 1766-1876 /
Bernard F. Reilly.
Boston: G.K. Hall,
1991, entry 1766-1.
http://memory.lo
c.gov/cgibin/ampage?collI
d=lljc&fileName=
004/lljc004.db&r
ecNum=319
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Rubric
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Rubric: Essay Quiz
Causes of the American Revolution
Points
Earned
Points
Possible
Political Causes:
ONE political cause
Explanation of the cause
SECOND political cause
Explanation of the cause
Specific example
2 points
2 points
2 points
2 points
2 points
Social Causes:
ONE social cause
Explanation of the cause
SECOND social cause
Explanation of the cause
Specific example
ONE economic cause
Explanation of the cause
SECOND economic cause
Explanation of the cause
Specific example
Total
2 points
2 points
2 points
2 points
2 points
2 points
2 points
2 points
2 points
2 points
30 points
Economic Causes:
Causes:
Award 2 points for each cause that accurate and appropriately fits the category (political, social or economic).
Award 1 point for each cause that is accurate but in the incorrect category.
Award 0 points for causes that are inaccurate (even if they are in the appropriate category).
Explanations:
Award 2 points for each accurate explanation of a cause.
Award 1 point for a partially correct explanation.
Award 0 points if no explanation is provided.
Specific Examples:
Award 2 points for each accurate specific example.
Award 0 points if the example is inaccurate or does not fit the appropriate category.
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Handouts
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Causes of Conflict between the British and Colonists
ESPeN Grid
DIRECTIONS: As you view each of the posters, categorize the causes of conflict between the British and
the colonists. Record each complaint and the year below in the appropriate box.
Economic
Social
Causes of Conflict between
the British and Colonists
Political
eNvironmental
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Declaration of Independence: Tweet It!
1.
THE GRIEVANCES:
A large portion of the Declaration is dedicated to listing the grievances
(complaints) against the British government. Carefully READ EACH GRIEVANCE. In the chart below,
LIST UNFAMILIAR VOCABULARY. Then, RE-WRITE the complaint as a TWEET using modern
words. Make it make sense!
For example, the Grievances follow this statement:
Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity
which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the
present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all
having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To
prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
Re-worded in modern language:
The colonies suffered but now it’s time for change! The King of Great Britain has been
unfair. Here’s proof…
Vocabulary
TWEET IT! Grievance Re-Written in Modern Words
1.
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Essay Quiz: Causes of the American Revolution
DIRECTIONS: Answer the following question below in complete sentences on your own piece of paper. Your
response should include at least three paragraphs. You will be graded according to the rubric below – be sure to
include each of the requirements in your essay.
QUESTION: Explain political, social and economic causes that pushed colonists to declare independence.
Points
Earned
Political Causes:
Social Causes:
Economic Causes:
TWO political causes
Explanation of each cause
Specific example
TWO social causes
Explanation of each cause
Specific example
TWO economic causes
Explanation of each cause
Specific example
Total
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Points
Possible
2 pts each
2 pts each
2 points
2 pts each
2 pts each
2 points
2 pts each
2 pts each
2 points
30 points