Content: The War for
U.S. I Learning Standards:
Independence and Victory
1775-1783
While the colonies and the British
began with different strengths and
weaknesses, the Revolutionary War
demonstrated Washington’s great
leadership. By 1780, the strengthened
Continental Army, with help from
European allies, achieved victory at
Yorktown.
 The Revolutionary War
Begins
o People of the
Revolution
o Battle of Saratoga
o Valley Forge
 An American Victory
o European Allies
o Victory at Yorktown
o Revolution Changes
America
Key Questions:
How did various groups of people
play a role in the Revolutionary
War?
What characteristics do you think
strong leaders need?
How did Washington’s leadership
inspire Americans to overcome the
hardships of war?
USI.2 Explain the historical and intellectual influences on the American Revolution and the formation and
framework of the American government. (H, C)
 the legacy of ancient Greece and Rome
 the political theories of such European philosophers as Locke and Montesquieu
Seminal Primary Documents to Consider: Massachusetts Body of Liberties (1641) and John Locke’s Treatises of Civil
Government (1690)
USI.3 Explain the influence and ideas of the Declaration of Independence and the political philosophy of Thomas
Jefferson. (H, C)
Seminal Primary Documents to Read: the Declaration of Independence (1776)
Seminal Primary Documents to Consider: the Suffolk Resolves (1774) and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
(1786)
USI.4 Analyze how Americans resisted British policies before 1775 and analyze the reasons for the American
victory and the British defeat during the Revolutionary war. (H)
Pacing Guide: 10/6 – 10/17 (9 days)
Skills and Outcomes: When students have finished
studying this topic, they will know and be able to:
Preview The Revolutionary War using the PIC method
 Summarizing: Read the section The
People behind the American Revolution,
pp.126-127 and create a GO (example
p.130) to analyze the role of women,
African Americans, and Native Americans
in the Revolutionary War.
o Examine visual on Strengths and
Weaknesses of Continental and
Formative/Summative Assessments:
Students will complete the following products/other
assessments to demonstrate the skills and understandings
they have acquired.
 Create a recruitment poster for the
Continental Army during the winter of 1777,
just after the Battles of Trenton and
Princeton. In your writing you should
persuade young men to join the Continental
Army. Emphasize the positive attributes of
joining and minimize the negatives based on
the outcomes of the battles. (Rubric 2,
British Armies. P. 126
During wartime, do the media have
the ability to influence public
support?
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Determining the Main Idea: take notes on
the 4 main points in the section. For each
point students should include 2-3
supporting details. (Main Idea and Details
Chart GO - Transparency 12) p. 125
o Discuss how the 4 topics are
related.
Interpret the map on Battles of the
American Revolution. P. 129 (Skills
Handbook, p.H19)
Identify the Battle of Saratoga using the
5w’s chart. (Concept/Event Map GO Transparency 2) p.128
o This American victory led to
convincing France to join the war
on the side of the Americans.
Summarize: What personal characteristics
helped Washington to hold his army
together at Valley Forge? p.129 (Skills
Handbook H19)
Evaluate: How did the writings of Thomas
Paine help Washington at Valley Forge?
Interpreting Voices of History: Read
Thomas Paine The American Crisis, p.130
or p.131. Re-write the quote in your own
words and interpret its meaning.
o Who was Paine’s audience?
o What was his purpose in writing it?
o Is this quote still relevant today?
Preview An American Victory using the PIC method
 Interpret the map on the Battles of the
Alternative Assessment HB)
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Write an “eyewitness account” describing
the events that led up to the Battle of
Saratoga and explain the reasons for the
British defeat. You should use the 5 W’s
method. (Rubric 41, Alternative Assessment
HB)
Analyze Abigail Adams’ letter to her
husband, dated March 31, 1776. Write a
response to this letter in which you predict
how John Adams might respond to this letter
based on the status of women in the
American Revolution.
http://www.thelizlibrary.org/suffrage/abigail.
htm
Below is a list of women’s legal limitations
during the eighteenth century that will be helpful
in writing your response:
 Women were not allowed to vote
 When a woman married all her property
became her husband’s.
 Women were allowed only to run small
businesses
 Men were allowed to use corporal
punishment on their wives
 If a divorce occurred, the husband
retained custody of the children.
Analyze John Adams’ response to Abigail.
 In your words, what is John Adams
saying to his wife?
 Writing for the SAT: Think about the
American Revolution, 1778-1781. p.133
(Skills Handbook H19)
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Main Idea and Details on America’s
European Allies, p.134. (Main Idea Chart
GO - Transparency 11)
o Analyze: How did America’s
European allies help shift the
balance in the Revolutionary War?
Interpreting infographics on the Battle of
Yorktown. p.135 (Skills Handbook,
p.H18)
o Thinking Critically: Explain how
the Battle of Yorktown might be
viewed either as a Patriot victory or
as a British loss.
Determine the Main Idea Use
Transparency 13 to record, p.135-136. The
topics are:
o American/French Victory at
Yorktown
o the Treaty of Paris
Identify how the Revolution affected the
American society: Women’s rights,
slavery, religion, the new nation’s
government. p.136-137 (Tree Diagram GO
- Transparency 10)
o Interpreting Voices of History:
Read Abigail Adams’ letter to her
husband regarding treatment of
women in America after the war.
p.136 Re-write the quote in your
own words and state its meaning.
following issue.
The British army in America was well trained
and had access to many resources from Great
Britain. In contrast, the Continental Army often
lacked resources and was not as well trained.
Nevertheless, the Americans were able to win
independence from Great Britain in 1783. (p. 141)
 Given that the British were a well-trained,
well-equipped fighting force, how were the
Americans able to win independence from
Britain? Write a short essay in which you
develop your position on the issue. Support
your point of view with reasoning and
examples from your reading and studies.
 Open Response: Think about the ideas
expressed in the Declaration of
Independence. Explain: Did the American
Revolution succeed at living up to the ideals
expressed in this document? Support your
answer with information from your notebook
and the text. Consider the following ideas:
o “All men are created equal”
o Everyone has a right to “life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness”
o Government exists to protect the
rights of the people
(School wide rubric on Open Responses)
Quizzes and Topic Test
 Required
 Select at least one more assessment of your
choice
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o Interpreting Visuals: What do the
symbols in the Great Seal of the
United States signify? p.137
Evaluate: What did the revolution
accomplish and what ideas did it set in
motion?