Reasons for Independence

What led to the

Creation of the United States?

CRM 1.3 Lesson 1:

Reasons for Independence

BELL WORK

Make a list of people,
ideas, events, or
reasons that you think
may have led to the
creation of the United
States.

Open Ended

What are some people, ideas, events or reasons you think led up to the creation of the United States? (Just give a guess!)

Introduction

The country that we live in today was not always not always considered to be the United States of America. During today’s lesson we will begin to answer the question of, What led to the creation of the United States?

Establishment of Colonial America

Impact of French and Indian War

Proclamation of 1763

Taxation without Representation

Multiple Choice

Which of the following means the same thing as British?

• English

• European

• American

• Asian

Hotspot

Where are the English/British in this picture?

Hotspot

Where are the Colonies and Colonists in this picture?

Draw

Highlight the important information in this passage:

Poll

What was the British action in establishing Colonial America?

• The British government granted permission for settlement and did not interfere in the American colonists affairs.

• The British government granted permission for settlement and was involved with daily life in the colonies.

• The British government did not allow settlements to be created in America.

Poll

What was the Colonial Response to Britain's actions?

• The colonies were automatically their own country and could do whatever they wanted.

• The colonies belonged to Britain. However, the 13 colonies established their own governments and did not want interference from the British government. 

• The colonies belonged to Britain and wanted the British to govern the colonies.

Draw

Highlight the important information:

Poll

What was the British action in the French and Indian War?

• The British fights a war and gives the money it won to the colonists.

• The British fights a war and is able to fund the war on it's own.

• The British fights and wins a war, but needs money and begins taxing the colonies without their consent.

Poll

What was the Colonial Response to Britain's actions?

• • The American colonist were angered by the taxes due to the fact that they did not have representation in the British Parliament

• • The American colonists were happy to help Britain by paying taxes.

• • The American colonist were indifferent towards having to pay taxes for this war.

Draw

Highlight the important information:

Poll

What was the British action in the Proclamation of 1763?

• • Britain passes a law that forbid the American colonists from expanding into western lands

• • Britain passes a law that encouraged the American colonists to expand into western lands

• • Britain passes a law that forbid the American colonists from trading with other countries

Poll

What was the Colonial Response to Britain's actions?

• • The American colonists did not care about the Proclamation of 1763.

• • The American colonists were understanding of the proclamation and agreed it was for the best.

• • The American colonists were angered by the policy and viewed it as a violation of their individual rights.

Draw

Highlight the important information:

Poll

What was the British action in the Stamp Act?

• • Britain passes the Stamp Act and then agrees to take it back when the American colonists are angry

• • Britain passes the Stamp Act then

    Britain ignores the American colonists

• • Britain passes the Stamp Act and then agrees to give the colonists representation in Parliament

Poll

What was the Colonial Response to Britain's actions?

• • The colonists boycott or refuse to use goods

  The colonists protest and petition (ask for change) the British Parliament.

• • The colonists pay the taxes without taking any other actions.

• • The colonists are angry about the taxes but pay them anyway

Multiple Choice

• British eliminate all taxes on colonists

• Colonists vote to elect new member of Parliament

• British ignore colonist petitions and grievances

• Colonist send troops to Britain in protest

Key Takeaways

❏

Britain passes a law
that forbid the
American colonists
from expanding into
western lands

★

To prevent future conflicts with France and the Natives the British government
passed a law, the Proclamation of 1763 that prevented the colonist from going on to
western lands.

British Actions:

Colonial Response:

❏

The American colonist
were angered by the
policy and viewed it as
a violation of their
individual rights.

CAUSE

EFFECT

Key Takeaways

❏

Britain passes the
Stamp Act

❏

Britain ignores the
American colonists

★

The British government needs money and creates a series of taxes.

★

The Stamp Act (Law) is passed and places an expensive tax on official documents,
newspapers, and pamphlets.

British Actions:

Colonial Response:

❏

The colonists boycott
or refuse to use goods

❏

The colonists protest
and petition (ask for
change) the British
Parliament.

EFFECT

CAUSE

Before proceeding,

be certain to:

MINERS Strategy

Monitor Student

Performance

Provide

Clarity/Enrichment

Formative Assessment

Which event best completes the diagram of
the road to the Declaration of Independence?

British increase
taxes on colonists

Colonists reject

taxes passed

without

representation
?

Declaration of
Independence

A.

British eliminate all taxes on colonists

B.

Colonists vote to elect new member of Parliament

C.

British ignore colonist petitions and grievances

D.

Colonist send troops to Britain in protest

WHat LEd to the

Creation of the UNited

States?

CRM 1.3 Lesson 1:

Reasons for Independence Day 2

RESOURCE(S)

Reasons for Independence Day 2

LESSON FLOW

• The lesson begins by establishing a

procedure for bellwork.
3-5 minutes

• Teachers will facilitate a guided

release of learning. Students should
be able to recognize the themes that
formed the basis of the American
colonists’ desire for independence.
35-40 minutes

• The lesson ends with a formative

assessment to measure student
proficiency.
3-5 minutes

Set a timer

MINERS Strategy

Provide a response

mechanism

Monitor in order to
provide clarity or

enrichment

Before proceeding,

be certain to:

Bell Ringer

How did colonists respond to the majority of
English policies?

A. Requested a new king
B. Protesting and boycotting
C. Voted against the policies
D. Followed and respected them

Brief Review

Establishment of Colonial America

ImPact of French and Indian War

Proclamation of 1763

Taxation without Representation

Recap

What Led to the Creation of the United States?

Remember, the country that we live in today was not always considered
the United States of America. During today’s lesson we will continue to
examine reasons for colonial independence.

Limitations on Individual Rights

The Boston Massacre and Tea Party

The Intolerable Acts

Declaration of independence

Before proceeding, be

certain to:

Organize Students

for Success

Model Task
Expectations

Target Students

and Provide

Support

Monitor Student

Performance

Student Processing

❏

Read the passage

❏

Highlight or underline
critical content

❏

Determine British actions

❏

Determine Colonial
response

Directions

Limitations on Individual Rights

Key Takeaways

❏Declaratory Act- Britain
is in charge of the colonies.

❏Quartering Act- forces
soldiers into colonist
homes

❏Townshend Act- taxes
popular resources

❏Tea Act- tax on tea

★
British government passes more laws intended to tax and limit
the freedoms of the colonists.

British Actions:

Colonial Response:

❏

The colonists become
frustrated and begin
to become more
organized to better
protest against the
British

CAUSE

EFFECT

❏

Read the passage

❏

Highlight or underline
critical content

❏

Determine British actions

❏

Determine Colonial
response

Directions

Colonial Protests

Key Takeaways

❏

Boston Massacre

❏

Create harsh new
laws to punish tea
protest.

★

The colonists protest to show their frustrations with the British government

★

A protest becomes violent in the event known as the Boston Massacre

★

Colonist protest against the Tea Act by destroying tea, The Boston Tea Party

British Actions:

Colonial Response:

❏

Colonial protests grow
stronger and more
bold.

❏

Destroy tea to protest
taxes.

CAUSE

EFFECT

❏

Read the passage

❏

Highlight or underline
critical content

❏

Determine British actions

❏

Determine Colonial
response

Directions

The INtolerable Acts

Key Takeaways

❏

The British
government passed
the Coercive Acts to
punish the colonist.

★

The British government was angered by the destruction of tea, during the Boston Tea
Party.

★

Introduce new laws called the Coercive Acts, these policies were harsh. The colonist
would rename the law, the Intolerable Acts, as they could not tolerate any more
violations from the British Parliament.

British Actions:

Colonial Response:

❏

The colonist determine
that the laws are
intolerable and declare
separation from Britain,
by the writing the
Declaration of
Independence.

EFFECT

CAUSE

The British Parliament created a
series of taxes in order to pay off a
debt from the French and Indian
War. The colonists were angered by
the tax laws as they did not have a
voice in the British government.

Reasons for Independence

Taxation without
Representation

Limitations on
Individual RIghts

The British Parliament passed laws
that the colonist felt limited their
individual freedoms. The colonists
viewed these policies as a violation
of the social contract.

1776

On July 4 the Thirteen

Colonies became the

independent United States of

America. This was made
official with signing of the

Declaration of
Independence.

Before proceeding, be

certain to:

Organize Students

for Success

Model Task
Expectations

Target Students

and Provide

Support

Monitor Student

Performance

It was a conflict with Great Britain and 13 of its
colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. In
addition, it is also known as the United States War
of Independence and the Revolutionary War

❏

Identify the correct
theme or reason for
independence by
sorting the British
policies.

Directions

Student ProcessinG

Before proceeding,

be certain to:

Monitor Student

Performance

Provide

Clarity/Enrichment

Provide a response

mechanism

Set a timer

Formative Assessment

Explain the British policies that formed

the basis of the American colonists’

desire for independence.