02: Revolutionary America

02: Revolutionary America

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Avalon Project - Patrick Henry - Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death
Avalon Project - Patrick Henry - Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death
Although it is famous for it's last phrase, the Liberty of Death speech of Patrick Henry makes at least four references to the colonists being treated like slaves. This is evidence of a universal understanding of what it means to be in chains.
Avalon Project - Patrick Henry - Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death
Continental Association, 20 October 1774
Continental Association, 20 October 1774
Buried in the lengthy non-importation document detailing exactly what colonists won't buy and won't sell in order to convince the British to respect colonial rights, it an agreement to "discontinue the giving of gloves and scarfs at funerals. Why not have students figure out where that comes from?
Continental Association, 20 October 1774
Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 October 1774 (I wonder how Luther Broke the spell)
Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 October 1774 (I wonder how Luther Broke the spell)

Excerpts from letters that could easily be understood by the high school student. Just a few minutes of reading can expose them to John's complaints about the others in Congress, and especially his complaints about Presbyterians, Episcopal and Catholic services. World History teachers will find this a concise illustration of complaints about the Catholic Church

Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 October 1774 (I wonder how Luther Broke the spell)
Sentiments of an American Woman - Women & the American Story
Sentiments of an American Woman - Women & the American Story
Esther Reed's 1780 document can be put alongside Common Sense in a teacher's Women in the Revolution lesson. This source has images of the original broadside, a transcription of the text and a "in modern language" transcription that makes it immediately usable by students
Sentiments of an American Woman - Women & the American Story
Letters of John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams, 1774-1793
Letters of John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams, 1774-1793
Great presentation of excerpts of correspondence between father and son in the midst of the American Revolution. Especially useful to show students how historians look into the private lives of people of the past for understanding
Letters of John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams, 1774-1793
The Declaration of Independence: Compare Versions
The Declaration of Independence: Compare Versions
It's always a good idea to remind students that writing is never done, you just run out of drafts. This shows comparisons of different drafts of the Declaration of Independence. There are other versions of this available but this shows the phrasing of the slavery cause, and recognizes it's absence from the final version. This can be the base a longer exercise or simply a "do now" lesson introduction that puts the three instances of slavery up on the screen with the blank final version - what does this say about slavery in the colonies before the Revolution itself? You will also notice that Jefferson only referred to God "and Nature's God" once in his copy - all of the other references to the divine and Providence come from Congress
The Declaration of Independence: Compare Versions
Carleton Papers – Book of Negroes, 1783 - Library and Archives Canada
Carleton Papers – Book of Negroes, 1783 - Library and Archives Canada
The Book of Negroes, contained within the British Headquarters Papers, gives information such as names of the black Loyalists, gender, health, distinguishing marks, status (free or slave), origins, names of their white associates and names of ships used to carry them. Names of Black Loyalists have been indexed in the following database:
Carleton Papers – Book of Negroes, 1783 - Library and Archives Canada
The Founders & Patriots of America
The Founders & Patriots of America
Read the description of this organization and ask if students think there are any African Americans in the "Founders and Patriots of America"
The Founders & Patriots of America
Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, post 12 May 1780
Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, post 12 May 1780
What did founding fathers think of STEM education? John tells his wife that he has to study laws and government so that his sons can study mathematics and technology. Then he goes on to say that his sons should study mathematics and technology so their sons could study painting, poetry and music. Too bad he didn't includes mention of his daughters
Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, post 12 May 1780
1619 vs 1776 • New American History
1619 vs 1776 • New American History
This lesson deserves attention for two reasons the first of which is this is an -off-the-shelf lesson that any teacherUS History teacher can use at any time. There are several activities, structures readings, etc. - each of which is plugged into a thinking routine or protocol. That is the second reason to look at this - by looking at the way the readings are connected with routines, teachers can learn how to structure lessons in the same way
1619 vs 1776 • New American History
Paul Revere: Plagiarizing Patriot? | Antiques Roadshow | PBS
Paul Revere: Plagiarizing Patriot? | Antiques Roadshow | PBS
Teachers commonly refer to the "Revere" drawing of the Boston Massacre, and they also teach students about the dangers of plagiarism. Those two lessons don't fit together, Revere stole much of that image.
Paul Revere: Plagiarizing Patriot? | Antiques Roadshow | PBS
76 Surprises in Liberty Is Sweet - Wakelet
76 Surprises in Liberty Is Sweet - Wakelet
This is a list of Woody Holten's "surprises" of the American Revolution. it would be easy for any teacher quickly scrolling through the list to recognize the differences between the taught narrative canon in the classroom and the understandings of US History in the discipline itself.
76 Surprises in Liberty Is Sweet - Wakelet
Art vs. History: John Adams, 1776 and Hamilton - YouTube
Art vs. History: John Adams, 1776 and Hamilton - YouTube
This seven minute video uses material from 1970s film version of a Broadway musical (1776), a recent HBO film (John Adams) and another Broadway musical (Hamilton) to examine the intersection of art and history
Art vs. History: John Adams, 1776 and Hamilton - YouTube