American Revolution

The American Revolution

Directions:

● Read through each slide carefully
● Complete the activity packet as you explore each slide
● Inspect the pictures and provided videos
● Explore the outside links when included
● Create your own slides throughout the activity to

demonstrate your knowledge

The American Revolution Part One: Causes

Must Know Word

Parliament: The British Government

Watch the Beanbody Histories The American Revolution
Part One: Causes

After the video, you should be able to:

● name at least five actions of Parliament that led to
the American Revolution.

● explain what the “Stamp Act” was and why it
angered the colonists.

● recount the events of “The Boston Massacre” and
“The Boston Tea Party.

Reasons It Began

Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3

One of the reasons the Another reason the The Final reason The
American Revolution began is American Revolution began American Revolution began
That the British were making is that The British taxed The is that when The Colonists
new laws without input from the Colonists to pay for soldiers sent Representatives to talk
Colonists. Examples of these in The Seven Years’ War, or to King George III he ignored
are The Sugar Act, The The French Indian War. them.
Currency Act, The Quartering
Act, and The Stamp Act.

The Boston Massacre

The Boston Massacre began when The Colonists protested against the new laws being made by The
British Government. A group that participated was The Sons of Liberty. During the protest a fight broke out
and many Colonists were shot and killed. This Incident became known as The Boston Massacre. This
event occurred on March 5, 1770. The event began when a group of British Soldiers opened fire at a rally
(Protest) and shot a group of American Colonists. Before the Boston Massacre the British instituted a
number of new taxes on The Colonists. The Colonists believed this was a violation of rights. They felt the
exact same way when The British imposed the Stamp Act. The Colonists began to rally and The British
brought soldiers to keep order within the people. About 50 Colonists were there, a Colonist through an
object striking Captain Thomas Preston, to which he responded by opening fire into the crowd in which he
killed 3 Colonists and wounded 2 others who which later died of their wounds. This united the Patriots by
showing signs of good faith.

The Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was not a big party in which people were drinking tea, although it involved tea. It was a
protest by The Colonists to The British Government. They staged this protest to tell the British they did not
want to drink just tea. In this protest they intercepted three of the British ships in which contained boxes of
tea. They threw the boxes of the ship. Even though the Colonists dressed up as Mohawk Indians. This had no
effect The British knew the Colonists had done this.

The Intolerable Acts

The Intolerable Acts were 5 laws that were passed by The British Government. They were called the
Intolerable Acts because the Americans could not stand these laws. The word Tolerable means you can
stand something, adding the prefix in means you can’t so Intolerable means you can’t stand something.
The Colonists reacted to The Intolerable Acts is by pushing them to think about starting a war for freedom.
The Intolerable Acts were:

1. The Boston Port Act
2. The Massachusetts Act
3. The Administration of Justice
4. The Quartering Act
5. The Quebec Act

The American Revolution Part Two: The War Begins

Watch the Beanbody Histories The American Revolution Part
Two: The War Begins

After the video, you should be able to:

● recount beginning battles of the war like Lexington and
Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill.

● tell the importance of Thomas Paine's “Common Sense”.
● name at least five major battles of the war and tell who

won them and why.
● discuss why George Washington was so qualified to lead

the Continental Army.
● explain how Washington was able to overcome the

strength of Britain’s military.
● tell why America’s alliance with France was so important to

winning the war.

The Battle of Lexington and Concord

The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the start of The Revolutionary War. The Battle of Lexington was
a small fight, you shouldn’t call it a battle, the reason they call it a battle is because it started The
Revolutionary War. The Colonists started this battle by accidentally firing a gunshot into the crowd, this
caused The British to fire killing many colonists. The rest of The Colonists reatreated. The Battle of Concord
happened after The Colonists retreated from The Battle of Lexington. The British marched into the city of
Concord, Massachusetts. They Colonists moved to the outskirts of Concord . The found the Colonists
militias ammunition and weapons stash. The Colonists observed The Redcoats from the North Bridge. Soon
many of The Colonists militiamen had come making them stronger. The Colonists were encouraged by this
battle because after these battles The Colonists made The Redcoats retreat.

The Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill
took place on 2 hills in which
the Redcoats wanted to
capture to bombard the
Americans.

The British leader for this
was General William Howe
and The Americans were
lead by Israel Putnam

The winners of the battle
were The British.

This Battle was important to
the Colonists because the
British had to pay many
fees for soldiers who
passed in battle this
showed the Colonists they
could stand up to the
Redcoats.

Thomas Paine was an ordinary man, he wasn’t a soldier yet he still
impacted the Revolutionary War in a big way. He grew up as a
Christian. Thomas Paiine believed in religion..
Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, it told or put forth an
argument saying The 13 Colonies should break free of the
British rule.

Thomas Paine

The American Revolution Part Three:
Battles and Strategies

Watch the Beanbody Histories The American
Revolution Part Three: Battles and Strategies

After the video, you should be able to:

● name at least five major battles of the war and
tell who won them and why.

● discuss why George Washington was so
qualified to lead the Continental Army.

● explain how Washington was able to overcome
the strength of Britain’s military.

● tell why America’s alliance with France was so
important to winning the war.

George Washington Commander in Chief

George Washington was the perfect person to be the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army
because of his experience in The Seven Years’ War or French Indian War as Chief Colonial Aid to General
Braddock Commander of the Redcoats. Washington also had 2 horses shot from under him and 4 bullets
were found in his jacket. The Indians thought he was bulletproof. They had 4 more wide open shots a him
and missed. He later became Commander of The Virginia Regiment.

George Washington

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin played an important role in the creation of The United States of America because he
was the founder of The Pennsylvania Gazette, and then became Pennsylvania’s Representative in the
Second Continental Congress. He also was one of the 5 men who drafted the Declaration of
Independence. While Thomas Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence Benjamin
Franklin had an influence in the final copy. He also helped secure the Treaty of Paris. He also went to the
Constitutional Convention where the 4 founding fathers signed 3 important documents this included The
Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Treaty of Paris. This is how Benjamin Franklin
played an important role in the creation of the United States of America.

Benjamin Franklin

The Battle of Yorktown

This battle was important because the colonists made the british surrender and consider a peace treaty.
Imaging that, how a small army led by George Washington made a large powerful army surrender. That
was a big deal to the colonists. The build up to the battle was caused by many british soldiers always
reatreating. Another thing is that the French had defeated the british Navy clearing the area around
Yorktown. Many the Area was now surrounded the British had to figure a way out. They needed to do it
badly soon the colonists would march into Yorktown. Finally after a long hard fought battle the Colonists
made the Redcoats surrender.