The
Revolutionary
War
Resource Unit
Heather Borchers
Crystal Brooks
Chiara Brown
Heather Look
Table of Contents
 Introduction
 Content
 Objectives
 Activities
 Evaluation
 Instructional Resources
Introduction
 General Theme
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The Revolutionary War was a very important
time in American history. It was a time
when freedom and liberty were ideals to be
obtained. Not only is this unit a valuable
resource for our students, but it also allows
them to better understand how America
was founded.
Introduction (cont.)
 This resource unit identifies:
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Important men and women of all cultures
and social classes who played pivotal roles in
changing our country.
Important battles that changed the façade
of this nation.
Significant dates and events that impacted
the future of the nation.
Introduction (cont.)
 This resource unit is directed towards eighth
grade students.
 Standards: History
 Indicators:
 3. Identify and explain the resources of conflict
which led to the American Revolution, with
emphasis on the perspectives of the patriots,
loyalists, neutral colonists, and the British
concerning:
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a. The Proclamation of 1763, the Stamp Act, the
Townshend Acts, the Tea Act, and the Intolerable
Acts
b. The Boston Tea Party, the boycotts, the Sons of
Liberty, and petitions and appeals to Parliament
Introduction (cont.)
 4. Explain the results of important developments of the American
Revolution including
 a. A declaration of American independence
 b. Character and significance of the military struggle in the
North in the early years of the war and the shift of the battle
to the South after 1779
 c. Creation of state constitutions
 d. Impacts on women, African-Americans and American Indians.
 5. Explain major domestic problems faced by the leaders of the
new republic under the Articles of Confederation including
 a. Maintaining national security
 b. Creating a stable economic system
 c. Dealing with war debts
 d. Collecting revenue
 e. Defining the authority of the central government.
Introduction (cont.)
 6. Explain the challenges in writing and ratifying the U.S.
Constitution including
 a. Issues debated during the convention resulting in
compromises (i.e., the Great Compromise, the ThreeFifths Compromise and the compromise over the slave
trade)
 b. The Federalist/Anti-Federalist debate
 c. The debate over a Bill of Rights.
 7. Describe the actions taken to build one country from 13
states including:
 a. The precedents established by George Washington,
including the cabinet and a two-term presidency
 b. Alexander Hamilton's actions to create a financially
strong country, including the creation of a national bank
 c. The establishment of an independent federal court
system
Content
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American Revolution
assembly
Battle of Bunker Hill
Boston Tea Party
Tea Act
boycott
Committees of Correspondence
delegate
First Continental Congress
Intolerable Acts
liberty
militia
minutemen
Rebel
Repeal
Sons of Liberty
Stamp Act
town meeting
Boston Massacre
U.S. Constitution
Redcoats
Thomas Paine
Molly Pitcher
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Loyalists
Tariff
Paul Revere
Samuel Adams
George Washington
John Hancock
Lexington
Concord
Yorktown
Saratoga
Benedict Arnold
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson
Slavery
James Madison
Great Britain
Townshend Act
Ben Franklin
John Burgoyne
Charles Cornwallis
Thomas Gage
Patrick Henry
Crispus Attucks
Betsy Ross
Objectives
 Students will recognize the impact that the
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Revolutionary War had on America and the lives of
the people.
Students will be able to identify and explain the
different British taxes and laws implemented on
the colonists.
Students will be able to define all vocabulary
words.
Students will order the events of the
Revolutionary War by creating a timeline.
Students will compare and contrast the major
battles and the impact that each of those battles
had on the war’s end result.
Objectives (cont.)
 Students will differentiate between the lives of loyalists
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and patriots.
Students will be able to relate the rights that the colonists
had then compared to the rights that we have today as
citizens.
Students will be able to identify geographical locations of
important events.
Students will summarize the events that led to the
development of the Constitution.
Students will discover the individuals that played important
roles in the Revolutionary War period.
Students will identify the role of African Americans in
America during this time period and the effects that the
war had on them.
Activities
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Students will make a timeline of the events leading up to
the Revolutionary War.
Students will write a newspaper article on an event that
took place during the revolutionary period. Examples might
be: Introduction of the Stamp Act, The Boston Massacre,
The Boston Tea Party, the Battle at Bunker Hill, and Paul
Revere’s Ride. Many topics can be chosen.
Students will need to create a journal chronicling five days
of a journey on the road to battle. When writing the
journal entry, the student must pick one battle during the
Revolutionary War and write about the environmental
obstacles that they faced in this region. This account
should include the type of weather that was faced, the
terrain encountered and any significant bodies of water in
the region that affected the soldiers’ travels.
Activities (cont.)
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Students will investigate the effects of the Revolution on
the African American population. Then, acting as an
African American (free or enslaved) during this time
period, write a one page diary entry describing how
America’s independence will affect them.
Students will make a “then” and “now” chart. In this chart
students will list how goods were produced, distributed,
and consumed in the late 1700’s in comparison to how they
are “now.” What are the differences and similarities?
Students will discover George Washington’s role during the
war using the internet, books, and other resources. They
will then play the Solve the Mystery Game:
http://www.georgewashington.si.edu/kids/portrait.html
Activities (cont.)
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Students will read an excerpt from "Nancy's Story: 1765", a book
about what effect the Stamp Act had on Americans. Students
will learn about the Stamp Act and see it from a child's
perspective.
Students will choose a famous person during this time. They can
choose a famous British person, a patriot, a loyalist, or any other
influential people. They can choose to be a famous man or woman.
They will study that person and then prepare a five minute
presentation. Students will act as if they are that person and
introduce themselves to the class. They can dress up as that
person if they would like to. They need to have at least one prop
that they can hold that symbolizes that person.
Students will put Benedict Arnold on trial for treason. There will
be a judge, jury, witnesses, and lawyers for both sides, and, of
course, someone to play the role of Arnold.
Students will produce a graphic organizer for the important
information concerning the development of the Constitution. The
organizer will include important dates along with important people
involved and any other appropriate information.
Evaluation
Sample Test
1.
The United States won its independence from:
A. Spain
B. France
C. Britain
2. The Revolutionary War lasted from:
A. 1775-1777
B. 1775-1783.
C. 1776-1779
3. These famous words - "We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal ... " are part of:
A. The Constitution of the United States
B. The Bill of Rights
C. The Declaration of Independence
Evaluation (cont.)
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The people who opposed the Revolution were called:
A. Loyalists.
B. Whigs.
C. Republicans.
Freedom was promised to slaves if they would fight:
A. In the British army.
B. In the American army.
C. Neither.
To win the Revolution, America needed the help of:
A. The Hessians.
B. The Indians.
C. The French.
Evaluation (cont.)
1. _____________ published "Common
Sense," a pamphlet that helped to stir up
a feeling for independence among
Americans.
2. Benedict Arnold served the American
army with distinction before he was
branded as a __________.
3. ____________ was a reputed protest
leader and was the first person killed in
the Boston Massacre.
Evaluation (cont.)
1. Compare and contrast the views of a
patriot and the views of a loyalist. Give at
least two characteristics for each
viewpoint.
2. Name one of the Acts that the British
enforced on the colonists. Explain what
the act stated and explain the effects on
the colonists.
Instructional Resources
Student Resources
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Liberty: The American Revolution: Road to Revolution Quiz
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http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/road.html
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Students will test their knowledge about the American Revolution,
and see if they can navigate their way to independence. Every correct
answer gets them closer to liberty!
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The Fight for Independence DVD
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By putting themselves in the colonists’ shoes, students begin to
understand why the colonists, who came to this country for religious
and economic freedom, felt compelled to engage in a war with England
for their independence. This program clearly illustrates the
precipitants to the Revolutionary War and gets kids thinking about
how they would have reacted if they had lived during colonial times.
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Liberty’s Kids
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http://www.libertyskids.com/
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The Liberty's Kids website includes a broad range of entertaining
educational activities for kids. The website is based on the Liberty’s
Kids TV series.
Instructional Resources (cont.)
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George Washington National Treasure: Portrait for Kids
 http://www.georgewashington.si.edu/kids/portrait.html
 Students will use clues to help solve a make-believe mystery! Using a
special spyglass tool, they will uncover hidden layers of a painting and
learn fascinating facts about the portrait along the way.
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The Road to Independence
 http://library.thinkquest.org/11683/SimWar3000.html
 This game is a simulation of the amount of money that goes into putting
a war on. Students will have to pay for food, ammunition, and troops.
This game should give the students an idea of how expensive a war is.
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Read-Aloud Plays: Revolutionary War by Dallas Murphy
 These exciting, fact-based plays will revolutionize the way your
students learn about history! They'll gain new insights into America's
fight for independence as they read plays about the Boston Tea Party,
the Boston Massacre, Tories and Loyalists, the Battle of Yorktown, and
Crossing the Delaware.
Instructional Resources (cont.)
 Nancy's Story: 1765 by Joan Lowry Nixon
 Virginians are protesting the Stamp Act and Nancy Geddy is
afraid the uncertain times will harm her father's business. And
if that worry is not enough, Nancy's stepmother is making her
life miserable. Grades 4-6, 165 pages.
 Magic Tree House #22: Revolutionary War on Wednesday by Mary
Pope Osborne.
 The Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to Colonial
America. They arrive just as General George Washington is
planning the crossing of the Delaware River. Before they know
it, Jack and Annie are in a boat with the Father of Our Country
as history is made.
 During the field trip to Washington DC, students will make a stop
at Valley Forge to discover the lives of the soldiers in the hard
winter times.
Instructional Resources (cont.)
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George Washington Crossing the Delaware –painting
 Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, American, 1816-1868
George Washington Crossing the Delaware, 1851
Oil on Canvas; 12 2/5 x 21 1/4 in. (378.5 x 647.7 cm)
Gift of John S. Kennedy, 1897 (97.34)
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Music of the Revolutionary War
 http://www.cvesd.k12.ca.us/finney/paulvm/h5_musicfrms
et.html
 Music served a useful part in the Revolutionary War.
Songs were written for different reasons. Often they
were used to help make people feel excited and emotional
about their cause. Revolutionary music was a good way to
express feelings, make fun of the enemy, and forget the
terrible realities of war.
Instructional Resources (cont.)
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Events Leading Up to War (2004) DVD
 An in-depth video chronicling the events leading up to the Revolutionary
War for grades 4-8.
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Revolutionary War Video Quiz VHS
 This is a quality video that contains the important content knowledge of
the Revolutionary War with an effective built-in quiz format.
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The Patriot Movie DVD
 Benjamin Martin is a South Carolina planter who is still haunted by his
notoriously brutal past as a soldier in the French and Indian War. When
the American Revolution comes, he chooses not to fight for the
Continental Army because he wants to protect his family. When Martin
is faced with his family being in danger, he comes up with a way to fight
and protect his family.
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Liberty American Revolution 1775-83 by Columbia Games Board Game
 Liberty is a fast-playing game covering the American Revolution from
1775-1783. British, American, and French forces are included and the
role of the Indians and Navies is depicted. The unique problems faced
by each side become clear in this exciting game.
Instructional Resources (cont.)
Teacher Resources
 Teacher Corner
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Houghton Mifflin English: Graphic Organizers
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http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/k_5/graphorg/
This website has many ideas and templates for graphic organizers that
teachers can use in the classroom.
History Central: A Teacher’s Guide to the Revolutionary War
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http://www.theteacherscorner.net/thematicunits/american.htm
This website contains a plethora of lesson ideas for Revolutionary War units.
http://www.historycentral.com/Revolt/Teachers.html
This teacher website contains a wealth of discussion items and concepts
that are relevant to the Revolutionary War.
1776 by David McCullough
 This book for adults provides the military aspect of the Revolutionary War. It
contains a high reading level, but teachers can use this book to aid in giving more
information to their students that is not in their textbooks.