UEH Seminar Topic:American History in a Global Context

UEH Seminar Topic:American History in a Global Context

Title:Thirteen or Twenty-Six: How many colonies were involved in the American Revolution?

Author: Ben Hanchett

Grade Levels: Grade 10 (American History I Curriculum)

Time Frame: 2 Days

Links to Massachusetts History and Social Studies Frameworks

USI.1 Explain the political and economic factors that contributed to the American Revolution.

A. the impact on the colonies of the French and Indian War, including how the war led to an overhaul of British imperial policy from 1763 to 1775

Essential Objectives

Students will understand the valuable relationship between the North American colonies and the British Caribbean and their relationship to imperial policy

Essential Questions

How did the relationship between the North American colonies and British Caribbean become profitable and why did their relationship flounder?

Procedure

Day 1

(45-60 minutes):Students will be given a map of British North America and the Caribbean. They will be instructed to label all of the British, French and Spanish colonies on the map. Once they have completed the map, students will be broken up into six groups. Each group will have roughly five minutes to look at each document and record as much information as possible about the goods that were traded and speculate their value. Students will be looking at the ship Hannah log courtesy of the Beverly Historical Society. Some documents are hard to see but inevitably students will be able to decipher most of the information.

Homework: Students will fill-in a chart a regarding the various acts that were passed by the British Government regarding the North American colonies. Also may need to finish the map if they could not finish in class.

Day 2

(45-60 minutes):We will come together as a class and look at the remaining log documents from the ship Hannah. After about twenty minutes, students and teacher will discuss how profitable they believe the relationship between the North American colonies and the Caribbean were based on the documents reviewed from the Beverly Historical Society? Secondly, students and teacher will at the various acts and go over their meaning and consequences for the colonies. At this point, the overarching issue of how the colonies separated because of different political and economic interests and how this eventually leads to the North American colonies revolting and the British Caribbean colonies stay loyal to the crown.

Homework: Students will write a one page reaction to why the relationship soured between the North American colonies and the British Caribbean colonies based upon our discussion of the various acts passed by parliament and how they affected the two different regions in terms of politics, their economy and defense.

Links to UEH Seminar

This lesson is connected to the American history in a Global Context institute in a variety of ways. I have used six documents from the Beverly Historical society that are directly linked to Essex history, Massachusetts and the theme of the institute. I have also incorporated some of my own personal notes taken from the key note speaker on Day I of the institute which will enhance my knowledge and the discussion I will have in class with my students.

Assessment

Student achievement will be based on their ability to write a coherent essay on the acts of parliament and how they impacted the North American colonies in a transnational context. They will also be evaluated through their discussion and a test.

Primary Documents Used

Courtesy of Beverly Historical Society

Ship Hannah log

These documents will serve as evidence of the profitable relationship between Essex County and the West Indies.

Local Resources Used

Beverly Historical Society

Salem Customs House