Causes of the American Revolution: Lesson 1b

I. General Information:
Grade Level: 5th
Discipline: Social Studies
Unit Topic: Causes of the American Revolution
Time Frame: one 50 minute periods
Text: George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer
Other Materials: Digital History about the Finances of the French and Indian War
(http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/teachers/lesson_plans/pdfs/unit1_6.pdf located on page 3
25), French and Indian War Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=mphUZDdMpZA),
George Washington by Cheryl Harness

II. Essential Understanding/Questions:

What were the factors leading up to the American Revolution?
How did the French and Indian war cause tensions between the colonists and King
George III?

III. Standards/Indicators:
Maryland Content Standard:
Standard 5.0 History
Topic C. Conflict between Ideas and Institutions
Indicator 1. Analyze the causes of the American Revolution
Objective a. Identify and sequence key events between the French and Indian War and the
American Revolution

Common Core ELA Standards for Grade 5:

R3: Analyze how and why individuals, events and ideas develop and interact over the
course of the text Explain the relationship or interactions between two or more individuals,
events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific
information in the text.
RI6 Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and
differences in the point of view they represent.
W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. Write narratives to
develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and
clear event sequences.

IV. Lesson Objectives:

Students will be able to use multiple sources to answer questions.
Students will be able to name the cost of the French and Indian War as one of the causes
of the American Revolution.
Students will be able to write a journal entry with at least one learned fact.

V. Evaluation/Assessment:
Assessment of Objectives
 Causes of the American Revolution: Lesson 1b

KWL chart about the American Revolution

Colonist Journal

VI. Procedures:
Introduction
Ask the students if there is anything we want to add to the KWL chart.
Show the video on the French and Indian War- Explain that this war was part of Great
Britain's Seven Years War against the French. This war helped everyone know who
George Washington and King George III were. Ask for some facts about the two men.

Teaching/Activities
1 Read George vs. George pages 10-11
2 Explain that war and long wars cost a lot of money. Ask the students how much they
believe the French and Indian war cost, remind them about uniforms, weapons, and other
basic supplies.
3 Read the Digital History about how much just the French and Indian war cost Great
Britain.
4 Ask the students how they think the problem could be solved? Write proposals up on the
board.
5 Read from George Washington pages 8-9 to get more understanding about F&I
6 Read George vs. George pages 13 & 15 about life in colonies and Great Britain
7 Have the students engage in a discussion about:
a. How Great Britain/King George might have felt about the money & war
b. How the colonists may have felt about the war

Closure
Depending on how the first days journals went, the teacher will guide the class in how to
best create a journal entry by guided writing a journal entry from King George III about
the cost of the war.
Todays prompt: How do you feel about the end of the French and Indian war?
Today students can choose to journal in the point of view of George Washington, a
colonist or an Englishman. Remind students that they must support any opinion with fact.
To close, read the first paragraph on page 18 of George vs. George.

References:

Harness, C. (2000) George Washington. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.

King, R. [Randy King]. (2010, August 11).The French and Indian War 1754-1763. [video file].
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=mphUZDdMpZA

Landenburg, T. (2007) Digital History: Finances of the French and Indian War retrieved from
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/teachers/lesson_plans/pdfs/unit1_6.pdf

Schanzer, R. (2004) George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides.
Washington, D.C: National Geographic.