Unit 2: American Revolution – A New Government

Standards

SSUSH3 The student will analyze the primary causes of the American Revolution.

  1. Explain colonial response to the Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, and the Intolerable Acts as seen in the Sons and Daughters of Liberty and Committees of Correspondence. (pg. 100-103)
  2. Explain the importance of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense to the movement for independence. (pg. 111-112)

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Unit 2: American Revolution – A New Government

SSUSH4 The student will analyze the ideological, military, social and diplomatic aspects of the American Revolution.

  1. Investigate the intellectual sources, organization, and argument of the Declaration of Independence including the role of Thomas Jefferson and the Committee of Five. (pg. 112)
  2. Explain the reason for and significance of the French alliance and other foreign assistance including the diplomacy of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. (pg. 120)
  3. Analyze George Washington as a military leader, including but not limited to the influence of Baron von Steuben, the Marquis de LaFayette, and the significance of Valley Forge in the creation of a professional military (pg. 109,118)
  4. Investigate the role of geography at the Battles of Trenton, Saratoga, and Yorktown. (pg. 124,125)
  5. Examine the roles of women, American Indians, and enslaved and free Blacks in supporting the war effort.
  6. Explain the significance of the Treaty of Paris, 1783.

SSUSH5 The student will investigate specific events and key ideas that brought about the adoption and implementation of the United States Constitution.

  1. Evaluate how weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and Daniel Shays’ Rebellion led to a call for a stronger central government.
  2. Explain the key features of the Constitution, including the Great Compromise, limited government, and the Three-Fifths Compromise. (pg. 146-148)
  3. Evaluate the major arguments of the Anti-Federalists and Federalists during the debate on ratification of the Constitution, The Federalist Papers, and the roles of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison.
  4. Explain how objections to the ratification of the Constitution were addressed in the Bill of Rights. (pg. 153)

SSUSH3b

  1. What was the Proclamation of 1763? How did the colonists respond to it?
  2. What was the Stamp Act. What colonial group was formed in response to the Stamp Act?
  3. Explain the Boston Massacre (who, what, why, when). What group was formed as a result of the Boston Massacre?
  4. What was the British government’s response to the Boston Tea Party? What did the colonists call these Acts? What colony was Britain punishing with these acts? Why? What were three parts of these Acts? What group was formed as a result of these acts?

SSUSH3C

  1. What was Paine’s goal in writing Common Sense? What arguments did he use to help the cause for independence?

SSUSH4a

  1. Name two philosophers whose ideas influenced the Declaration of Independence. What philosophical movement were they part of? What was the goal of the movement?
  2. What is the “Social Contract Theory”? What are three ideas about government according to John Locke?
  3. What does Baron de Montesquieu say about government?
  4. What group signed the Declaration of Independence? When? Where? What were the signers risking? Who was the primary author of the D of I? What was the basis of his political ideas?
  5. What was the purpose of the D of I as stated in the preamble? List two political ideas found in the second paragraph.
  6. List 3 specific complaints about the king. Whose signature is largest on the D of I?

SSUSH4b

  1. After what battle did the French join in the fighting? On whose side did they fight? Why? Who helped convince the French to join the Patriots?

SSUSH4c

  1. Who was the Marquis de Lafayette? Who was the Baron von Steuben? What role did they play in the Revolution?
  2. Why were some colonists Loyalists? What groups supported the Loyalists? Why?
  3. Describe George Washington’s leadership Valley Forge.

SSUSH4d

  1. How did geography impact the Battles of Trenton, Saratoga and Yorktown?

SSUSH4e

  1. What role did women, American Indians, and enslaved and free Blacks in the war?

SSUSH4f

  1. Explain the results of the Treaty of Paris, 1783 for colonists, the British, and the Spanish.

SSUSH5b

  1. How did the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and Shays’ Rebellion lead to a call for a stronger central government?

SSUSH5c

  1. What was the Constitutional Convention? Why was it held? Where was it held?
  2. How many branches of government exist under the Constitution? What are they?
  3. What in the Constitution divides power between the three branches of government? What is limited government?
  4. What was the Virginia Plan? What group of states favored it? Why?
  5. What was the New Jersey Plan? What group of states favored it? Why?
  6. What was the Great (Connecticut) Compromise? What are the parts of it? How is representation in the House of Representatives determined? How is representation in the Senate determined?
  7. What was the 3/5 Compromise?

SSUSH5d

  1. What kind of people were Anti-federalists? They believed who should have the power in government? What were their arguments against ratification of the Constitution?
  2. What kind of people were Federalists? Who did they believe should have the power in government? What were their arguments for ratifying the Constitution without the Bill of Rights?
  3. What were The Federalist Papers? Who wrote them? For what purpose?

SSUSH5e

  1. What was added to the Constitution to gain Anti-federalist support? Why?
  2. Who does the Bill of Rights protect? How?

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