Concepts:
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Parliament, national politics, legislature, national ideology, town meeting, national diplomacy, colonial legislature, citizen's army, intercolonial congresses, self-government, independence, alliance, national political framework, separation of powers, national political community, checks and balances, constitutional convention, popular ratification, Loyalists, confederation, rapprochement, federalist, republican, anti-federalist |
There is probably no better reasons to study this period of American history than that expressed in the opening paragraph of Bernstein's CROSSROADS Essay IV:
"If, as is often said, history is the study of change over time, then the American Revolution is an ideal case study for historical understanding."
The abundance of methodological issues and opportunities available in authentic documents for students to peruse provides excellent pedagogical content. Better than any other, this period allows American students to study their past from the perspective of many players. This period also enables students to study the past through several legitimate routes, each providing valuable insight into "the nature, causative mechanisms, and extent of historical change."
To the Teacher:
Recall that the high school CROSSROADS curriculum builds upon the content and concepts developed at the middle school level. Consequently, whether your students have studied CROSSROADS at the middle school level or not, you are advised to review that curriculum carefully before beginning this unit. One suggestion is to begin this unit with a diagnostic test to determine the achievement level of the students relative to the historical period.
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
A Crossroads Resource:
Roots of the Constitution: Expert Group Worksheet
Lesson 4
Teacher Note on Role Playing
Lesson 5