15-minute lesson plan
The American Revolution, 1775–1783
How did thirteen colonies break away from the most powerful empire in the world, and who gained freedom when they did?
Students will be able to
- explain how British taxes and laws after the French and Indian War led colonists to resist and then go to war.
- describe the main ideas of the Declaration of Independence, including natural rights and the consent of the governed.
- explain why Saratoga was a turning point and how help from France led to victory at Yorktown.
Texas standards
- Explain the significance of 1776, the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. 8.1(B)
- Analyze causes of the Revolution, including the Intolerable Acts, the Stamp Act, lack of representation in Parliament and British policies after the French and Indian War. 8.4(A)
- Explain the issues around declaring independence, Lexington and Concord, Saratoga, Valley Forge, Yorktown and the Treaty of Paris of 1783. 8.4(C)
Exit ticket, question 1
Why did Parliament start taxing the American colonies after the French and Indian War?
- To pay off the large debt from the war
- To punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party
- To pay for the Continental Army
- To buy land from Native nations