Fifth Grade Revolution Unit
Lesson 10, part II
Title: Patriot or Loyalist
Grade Level: 5th
Unit of Study: American Revolution,
Abstract: Students will explore the differences between Patriots and Loyalists and the decision
that colonists had to make.
GLCE:
U3.1.3 Using an event from the Revolutionary era, explain how British and colonial
views on authority and the use of power without authority differed.
U3.1.5 Use the Declaration of Independence to explain why the colonists wanted to
separate from Great Britain and why they believed they had the right to do so.
U3.1.8 Identify a problem confronting people in the colonies, identify alternative choices
for addressing the problem with possible consequences, and describe the course of
action taken.
Key Concepts: Personal beliefs influence government.
Sequence of Activities:
1. Read with the class a journal entry or letter (see below) from someone trying to
explain to another their reasons for becoming a Patriot or remaining a Loyalist (or
read from your district’s resources on patriots and loyalists). Web links:
Patriot vs. Loyalist information
John Adams' "Thoughts on Government" letter
2. In pairs or small groups, have students work through the “Patriot, Loyalist, or
Neutral-You Decide” activity.
3. Show the students the “Join or Die” political cartoon ("Join or Die" political cartoon).
Have students discuss with a partner what they think it means in relation to the
American Revolution. Report out to class, record and discuss answers.
Formative Assessment:
Write a letter to your brother pretending you are a Patriot and he has chosen to remain a
Loyalist (or vice versa)
Connections:
English Language Arts
This work by Calhoun ISD Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment is licensed under a Creative Commons
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Fifth Grade Revolution Unit
Friendly letter writing
Mathematics
Resources:
Equipment/Manipulative
Student Resources
Teacher Resources
Hands on History American Revolution by Michael Gravois ISBN# 0-439-07208-5
Book of plays: Revolutionary War by Dallas Murphy ISBN#0-590-03325-5
History Comes Alive Teaching Unit: The American Revolution by Jacqueline B. Glasthal
ISBN#0-590-31500-5
U.S. History Document-Based Activities by Charlotte S. Jaffe and Barbara T. Doherty ISBN#
978-1-56644-110-0
How Our Nation Was Born: The American Revolution by Carole Marsh ISBN#978-0-63502348-3
Primary Sources Teaching Kit Colonial America by Karen Baicker ISBN #0-590-37847-3
The Complete Book of United States History by McGraw-Hill ISBN# 1-56189-679-9
Excerpt from a “Letter from Catharine Van Cortlandt, 1777, to her husband Philip Van
Cortlandt, dated Hanover, New Jersey, January 20, 1777.”
Many of our female neighbours have been here, but I find their visits are only to gratify
curiosity and to add insult to our unremitted distress. One of them who lives across the
river, whose family we took so much pleasure in relieving when friendless…said that
formerly she always respected you and loved the ground over which you walked, but
now could with pleasure see your blood run down the road… The pious, devout and
Reverend Mr. Green is very industrious in promoting your ruin by declaring you an
enemy to their cause. The farmers are forbid to sell me provisions, and the millers to
grind our grain. Our woods are cut down for the use of their army, and that which you
bought and left corded near the river my servants are forbid to touch, though we are in
This work by Calhoun ISD Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Fifth Grade Revolution Unit
the greatest distress for the want of it… Our dear children have been six weeks without
any other covering to their tender feet but woolen rags sewed around them to keep
them form freezing.
This work by Calhoun ISD Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.