American Revolution- Important Events and Documents
Jennifer Arthur
Standard:
11.1 Students analyze the significant events in the founding of the nation and its attempts to realize the philosophy of
government described in the Declaration of Independence.
1. Describe the Enlightenment and the rise of democratic ideas as the context in which the nation was founded.
2. Analyze the ideological origins of the American Revolution, the Founding Fathers’ philosophy of divinely bestowed
unalienable natural rights, the debates on the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, and the addition of the Bill of
Rights.
3. Understand the history of the Constitution after 1787 with emphasis on federal versus state authority and growing
democratization.
Anticipatory Set: Students were asked questions about the Declaration of Independence, in the book. They were told to write down any words
that stood out to them, anything that shocked them and any grievances that the Declaration claimed.
Direct Instruction: Then give the students the process grid and fill out the first process grid, demonstrating the level of details that you except
for each document. I taught abut the Declaration of Independence . The students had to fill in the information with me.
Indirect Instruction: The students then broke into groups and were asked to complete the document grid for the event or document that they
were assigned. Each group was held accountable because they had to fill in their portion on the large graphic organizer that would give the rest
of the class the information needed.
Independent Practice: The group of students had to teach their fellow classmates about their subject. They had to come up and fill in the
information but also had to answer any questions that their classmates had.
Closing: To further their understanding, the class had gallery walk where they had to add information to the posters on each event. This allowed
me to assess what documents students understood and which I needed to go over.
Main Purpose
Process Grid
Key Events
Date Location
Key People
Document or Event:
Historical Statements
Interesting Facts
Declaration of Independence- Information
Main Purpose*Declaring the colonies independence from Great Britain
* Colonist clearly expressed they were nor rebels but free people with
all the powers of an Independent nation
*List of grievances (wrong doings) of the British King
Key Events
*1765 Stamp Act (taxes)
*1776- Common Sense by Thomas Paine- pamphlet about why we should separate from
Great Britain
*1774- Intolerable Acts- Closed Boston Harbor- Quartering of Soldiers- Made the
colonist want to gain independence
*Boston Massacre- Shot Heard around the world- rallied colonist to separate
Key People
*Thomas Jefferson- wrote The Declaration of Independence
*John Locke- Influenced Jefferson- of government does not allow its citizens rights and
freedoms, the people have a right to replace that government.
John Hancock- From Massachusetts, wealthy, patriot etc… Lead the 2nd Continental
Congress * 1st signature big enough to read
Historical Statements
*We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal…endowed by
their creator with certain unalienable rights. Life, Liberty and pursuit of Happiness
Interesting Facts
The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and
usurpations… absolute tyranny over these states
*Grievances against the King
*No taxation without representation
Significant Documents and Events in the Building of a New Nation~ The United States
Main Purpose
Declaration of
Independence
American
Revolution
Articles of
Confederation
Major Debates
U.S. Consitution
Date/Year/Location
Key Events
Key People
Historical
Statements
Interesting Facts
Significant Documents and Events in the Founding of our Nation~ The United States
Declaration of
Independence
American
Revolution
Main Purpose
Date/Year/Location
Key Events
Key People
Historical
Statements
Interesting Facts
Declare Independence
from Great Britain
July 4. 1776
Taxes, Boston
Massacre, Boston
Tea Party, Shot
heard around the
world
Thomas Jeffersonwrote the
Declaration of
Independence
*Grievances of the
King
*Slavery was
originally outlawed
but had to remove
in order to ratify
Fought to win
Independence from
Great Britain
1775- 1781- In the 13 *1st Continental
Congress- prepared
colonies
military
*Fighting at
Lexington and
Concord- 1st fire of
the revolutionApril 18th 1775
nd
*2 Continental
Congress- May1775- appointed
George Washington
as Commander of
the Continental
*
*Richard Henry Lee- Yankee Doodle
encourage colonist
they had a right to
fight for
independence
*George
WashingtonCommander of
Army- National
Hero
*Benjamin Franklinfamous American
represented
colonist in Englandcame home when
*Loyalists- Opposed
independence and
were loyal to the
British King
*Patriotssupporters of
independence
*US- strengthsGeorge Washington
as leader & wanted
independence
*Weaknesssoldiers untrained,
shortage of food
Army
and ammunition,
inferior navy, no
central govt.
hear about the war
Great BritainStrengths- well
trained armystrong central govt
Support of colonial
loyalty and native
Americans
Weaknessesunfamiliar terrain,
weal military
leaders
Articles of
Confederation
*New government
called a confederation
or alliance among 13
states
March 1781
What they could do
under the Articles:
*Declare War,
Make peace and
sign treaties,
Borrow Money,
standard money
*Northwest
Ordinance of 1787land agreements
John Dicksonexpressed the value
of compromise
A firm league of
friendship
Weaknesses of the
Articles:
*could not collect
taxes
*one vote per state
*9 out of 13 states
need to agree to
pass any law
*Articles could be
*Shays Rebellionmade them realize
they needed a
stronger govt
amended if all
states approved
*No executive
branch to enforce
laws
*No national Court
* No national unity
Major Debates
Conflict and
compromise to create
a new stronger central
governmentMajor Debates:
*Large Vs. Small states
*North vs. South
*Strong central govt vs.
strong states
May 1787Constitutional
Convention in
PhiladelphiaAdjourned in Sep
1787- for ratification
*Bill of rights added
Dec 1791
*Great
CompromiseSenate- 2 votes per
state
FederalistsSupported the New
Constitution,
Alexander
Hamilton, James
Madison
*Anti-federalistsdid not want a new
*3/5th Compromise- constitutionSlave states, slaves Richard Henry Lee,
Patrick Henry,
count as 3/5th in
George Mason
population
House- Population
*Separation of
Powers*Checks and
Balances
*Federalism- power
divided by national
and several state
governments
*Division of power
Ratificationneeded 9 states to
ratify
*In 1788 with the
addition of the Bill
of rights- New
Hampshire became
the 9th state to
ratify making the
Constitution Law of
the Land
U.S. Constitution 5 purposes
*Establish Legitimacy
*Create Appropriate
structures
*Describe and
distribute power
*limit govt powers
*allow for change
1788- Present Day
1788- Ratified
The United States
1789- George
Washington- 1st
President of the
United States
*George
Washington- 1st
President- created
his cabinet
positions- lead the
way for other
Presidents
*Alexander
Hamilton- Secretary
of the treasury
*Thomas JeffersonSecretary of State
“We the people of
the United States…”
*Living Constitution
*Only 27
amendments to the
Constitution since it
was created