Empowering Global Citizens

Activity 5.2.4

Growing Discontent: An Exploration of the Causes of
the American War of Independence

(Note that the recommended approach is to have the students use the sourc—
es to determine the causes of the war.)

Through reading texts, primary sources, and other historical documents
and sources of information, students create a time line of events leading
up to the American War of Independence. From this activity, they should
develop a sense of the several causes of the war. The teacher should split
the class into four groups. Each group should create a tableau for one of
the causes of the war. The tableau should include objects that represent the
particular cause of the war. Each group should explain its tableau to the
class. The tableaux can include the students themselves if they want to get
into character. Assign the following main causes of the war to the students:
taxation, representation, a reaction against acts seen as unjust, and a will for
independence (self—rule).

Resources

' http://Www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/
° http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free—lesson—plans/

the—american—revolution—causes.cfin

Optional Activity
The Printing Press: A Closer Look

In this activity, students use a scaled time line to show how quickly history
changed after the development of literacy (Visual and written) and, more
importantly to the Revolution, after the invention of the printing press. The
following points in time are given to the students:

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