Causes of the American Revolution

Causes of the American Revolution

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to explain the causes of the American Revolution.

Introduce the learning objective and set expectations for the rest of the lesson.

What do you already know about the events leading up to the American Revolution?

The French and Indian War

The French and Indian War was fought between the British and the French from 1754-1763. It was expensive and led to increased taxes on the colonists.

Explain the impact of the French and Indian War on the British government's finances and the resulting taxes on the colonists.

The Stamp Act

The Stamp Act was passed in 1765 and required colonists to purchase special stamped paper for legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards.

Explain the purpose of the Stamp Act and the colonists' reaction to it.

The Townshend Acts

The Townshend Acts were passed in 1767 and placed taxes on imported goods such as glass, lead, paint, and tea.

Explain the purpose of the Townshend Acts and the colonists' reaction to them.

The Boston Massacre

The Boston Massacre occurred in 1770 when British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists, killing 5 people.

Explain the events leading up to the Boston Massacre and the colonists' reaction to it.

The Tea Act

The Tea Act was passed in 1773 and gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies.

Explain the purpose of the Tea Act and the colonists' reaction to it, including the Boston Tea Party.

The Intolerable Acts

The Intolerable Acts were passed in 1774 and included the Boston Port Act, which closed the port of Boston until the colonists paid for the tea destroyed in the Boston Tea Party.

Explain the purpose of the Intolerable Acts and the colonists' reaction to them.

The First Continental Congress

The First Continental Congress was held in 1774 in response to the Intolerable Acts and called for a boycott of British goods.

Explain the purpose and outcomes of the First Continental Congress and how it set the stage for the American Revolution.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.