PowerPoint with Embedded Video Clips and Teacher Notes:

• Throughout the PowerPoints bolded phrases are there to help students determine

what to write in their graphic organizer.

• Ask the students to look at the dates and determine how long the American

Revolutionary War lasted? Answer: 8 Years

• Explain that for the first year the colonists had not decided yet to formally separate from

England, many believed that they could still reconcile their differences with England and

remain a part of the British Empire. This is why the formal date of the creation of

America does not come until 1776, when we formal declare our independence.

• After explaining the above, show the video clip – will work without internet access

(Length is 01:57) After the video, explain that you can use this as a memory device that

can help them remember the date of the creation of America. If you add 1+7+7+6 (the

year of America’s independence) it adds to 21, hence the 21 gun salute. (Note: this is by

coincidence and was not intended, but still a great way to link something that students

might know to the date of America’s creation.)

1

• Highlight that the colonies had already begun to meet in the First Continental Congress

to determine how they would represent their interest to the King and the Parliament.

Since the colonies had been used to looking out for their own needs since England had

been involved at home and in other parts of the world with different conflicts.

• In attendance was Patrick Henry who year later would give a speech declaring, “Give me

liberty or give me death!”. This was a sort of rallying cry for the American Revolution and

convinced Virginia colony to provide troops to the first continental army.

2

• Highlight that it was this congress aka the war congress that really managed the

Revolutionary War and later would be target by the British when they occupy

Philadelphia, the meeting place of the Continental Congress.

• Explain the importance of the three things they accomplished:

• George Washington given command would later help his popularity in becoming

named the first president. Even though congress many times fought with

Washington over finances for his army. The DBQ assignment the students will do

highlights this conflict.

• Declaration of Independence – means that there is no going back and that we

are “in it, to win it” and with its signing in 1776, we officially declare ourselves

the United States of America.

• Articles of Confederation – Helped to organize, coordinate, and guide the

American colonies during the Revolutionary War, but had many flaws which

would lead to the creation and adoption of the U.S. Constitution after the war

was over.

• For more info on 2nd Continental Congress go to: http://classroom.synonym.com/goals-

were-accomplished-second-continental-congress-15222.html

3

• You can explain to students that this document is the ultimate breakup note.

America no longer wants to be a part of the British Empire.

• For instance:

• If you have ever had to breakup with someone and the other person

wants to know what caused the break-up. (Reasons)

• Has it ever been difficult for you because you like that person? (Many

Americans still thought it was possible to fix things with England)

• Has that person ever turned violent when they did not get their way?

(England attacks America)

4

Video Clip – Will work without internet access (Length is 05:53)

• As the students watch video have them look for two things:

• What is the make-up of the people in congress (gender, race, etc.)? Answer: Old,

white, male, wealthy. Explain that they were looking out for their own interests.

(Some students might ask about all the guys wearing wigs…. The short answer is

that it was a sign of wealth. For more info:

http://www.constitutionfacts.com/founders-library/founders-fashion/

• How many colonies decided to support the Declaration of Independence?

Answer: 12, New York abstained or did not cast a vote because they had not

been given directions from their colony’s legislator what to do. You may want to

highlight that the man who walks in during the vote was named Caesar Rodney

and he had rode 70 miles through a thunderstorm on the night of July 1, 1776,

arriving in Philadelphia "in his boots and spurs" on July 2, just as the voting was

beginning in order to break a tie between the other two delegates from

Delaware in voting yes for the Declaration of Independence.

5

• Ask students call out the names that they can actually read and circle them on the

smartboard if you are able.

• Some interesting facts you can share with students are:

• Slavery and Jefferson: Jefferson was quite unhappy about some of the edits

made to his original draft of the Declaration of Independence. He had originally

included language condemning the British promotion of the slave trade (even

though Jefferson himself was a slave owner). This criticism of the slave trade

was removed in spite of Jefferson’s objections.

• Popular Story about John Hancock: The story, entirely unfounded, is that on

signing the Declaration, Hancock commented, "The British ministry can read that

name without spectacles; let them double their reward." An alternate story, also

unfounded has him saying, "There, I guess King George will be able to read

that!" He was the first to sign and he did so in an entirely blank space.

• Signed on July 2nd by only John Hancock and Charles Thomson (President and

Secretary of Continental Congress)

• Made public July 4th, publically read for the first time on July 8th, but not signed

until August 2nd by some, but not all the signers.

• July 4th Fact: In 1826, both Jefferson and Adams died on the 50th Anniversary of

the signing. (Jefferson died about 5 hours before Adams)

• Fair Copy – The original document signed on July 2nd, no one knows where it is.

6

• 200 Dunlap Broadsides – These copies were made by a publisher John Dunlap.

Only 26 are known, one found in 1989 inside a painting at a flea market. Was

bought for $4 and sold at auction for $8 million.

6

• Explain that for the signers this was an act of treason. For more information go to:

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/pricepaid.asp Some highlights from

this site: Five signers were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they

died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the

Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died

from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. Nine of the signers of the

Declaration died before the American Revolution ended in 1783.

7

There are animations on this slide to help with the answers below.

• Ask the students:

• Count how many major battles did the Patriots win (blue dots)

• Count how many major battles did the British win (red dots)

• Explain that determine what is a major battle is sometimes difficult for

historians, so on this map you have 7 patriot victories and 9 British victories, but

it was closer to 13 patriot victories and 14 British victories in a war that lasted

eight years.

8

• Highlight the challenge that the American colonies faced by declaring independence

from one of the largest empires in the world.

9

Video Clip – Will work without internet access (Length is 03:31)

• Highlight that while fighting in rows was necessary in Europe do to terrain and weapons

of the time, fighting in pitched battles against the stronger and more numerous British

forces was not usually very successful.

10

• Highlight that even though Lexington and Concord is the beginning of the American

Revolution, Bunker Hill is considered the first major pitched battle between the colonists

and the British.

• The British were trying to break the siege of Boston and capture the colonist’s cannons

that were position within firing range of the British forces in Boston.

• Explain the story of Col. William Prescott’s order to reserve fire and aim low because

powder was scarce. Reputedly Israel Putnam passed on the order in these words: "Men,

you are all marksmen—don't one of you fire until you see the white of their eyes." The

British won the battle, but the patriots' stubborn resistance at Bunker Hill became a

symbol of American resolve.

11

• Explain that after Boston, the British captured New York and began a push toward

capturing Philadelphia where the continental congress was located. Washington with his

limited resource held series of actions/organized retreat to protect Philadelphia. Many

in congress were starting to question Washington’s leadership, since he refused to

engage in any pitch battles with the British. Trenton was necessary in order to help

morale and to silence his critics in congress.

• For information on the Hessians: http://www.mountvernon.org/research-

collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/hessians/

12

Video Clip – Will work without internet access (Length is 01:36)

• Highlight that changing the tactics to guerilla warfare aka “hit and run” tactics always

helps a smaller force harass and wear down a larger force.

13

• Remind the students that they should always know the beginning, middle, and end of all major wars and highlight that Saratoga is the turning point of America Revolution because with the victory the French decided to help the colonies fight the British.

• Explain to the students that the Battle of Saratoga takes place in New York state where the overconfident British are slowing moving to open up and maintain a link with the British forces in Canada. Because of the British slow progress, the colonists under General Gage are given time to prepare and to support him, General George Washington sent Benedict Arnold , his best infantry commander (who later switch sides and becamean infamous traitor in American history); and Colonel Daniel Morgan and his crack regiment of Virginia riflemen; and two brigades of Continentals. After the battle General Gage gets all the credit and many in the continental congress want to replace Washington with Gage as the commander of the continental army.

• Explain that the Green Mountain boys served under Ethan Allen and used guerilla warfare. They were some of the Continental Armies best soldiers. For more info: http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_greenmountain.html

• Explain that the French needed to see that the colonies could win against their age old enemy Britain, before they would be willing to commit money, supplies, and men to help the colonists. Ironically, the very French King that supports the American Revolution will lose his own head 16 years later during the French Revolution.

14

• Highlight that despite the belief that it was the cold that made Valley Forge so miserable, it was really the constant change in temperature that would lead to mud, filth, and disease.

• Baron Von Stuben is a very interesting person, for more info: http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/served/steuben.html

• Highlights: Washington accepted his offer to volunteer, without pay for the time, Steuben did not speak English, but his French was such that he could communicate with some of the officers. Steuben began with a "model company," a group of 100 chosen men and trained them...they in turn successively worked outward into each brigade. Steuben's eclectic personality greatly enhanced his mystique. He trained the soldiers, who at this point were greatly lacking in proper clothing themselves, in full military dress uniform, swearing and yelling at them up and down in German and French. When that was no longer successful, he recruited Captain Benjamin Walker, his French speaking aid to curse at them FOR HIM in English. At night Steuben would write down his drills in French, then they would be translated into English. They would later be the foundation for the first American military training manual Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States or nickname the Blue Book.

• Explain that it was the very hardships that the soldiers faced is what helped to bind them into a fighting force. (For example, think of an awful trip that you might have been on with friends or family, after it is over, even though you may never want to experience it again, it is something that is talk about as something that has helped you to become closer to the other people that were involved.)

15

Have students refer to the resource in their book (insert page numbers later)

Teacher should do the following with the students to begin the assignment using the

Valley Forge: DBQ - Teacher Key:

• Complete the Hook Exercise with the students, included on the slide above.

• Read the Background Essay out loud to the students as they complete the background

essay questions.

• Once you have complete the two activities have the students read through the

documents and then answer the question on the front of the DBQ: If you had been a

soldier in Washington’s Army, would you have quit?

16

Video Clip – Will work without internet access (Length is 01:28)

• Use to highly how important Steuben was, but also to redirect students back to you

after the assignment.

17

• Remind the students that they should always know the beginning, middle, and end of all

major wars and highlight that Yorktown is considered the end of the American

Revolution, because all the major British forces in North America (with the except of

Canada) are defeated.

• Explain that the colonist chase Cornwallis and trap him in Yorktown, where he is

awaiting ships to take his soldiers away for the colonist’s surrounding him and land them

somewhere in North America to continue the fight. But this plan fails when the French

navy arrives just in time to drive off the British ships and trap Cornwallis in Yorktown

where he is forced to surrender.

18

Video Clip – Will work without internet access (Length is 03:38)

• Highlight the story of Cornwallis not wanting to surrender directly to Washington.

• Highlight that the Treaty of Paris does not take place until 1783, two years after the

Siege of Yorktown

19

• For key facts on Washington’s life: http://www.mountvernon.org/george-

washington/key-facts/ Some important ones:

• He lost every battle in which he had direct command during the Revolutionary

War, but he was able to always rally his soldiers

• He did not have any children, he was believed to be sterile (cant have kids) so

some thought it might be a good reason to elect him the first president (he

could not have heirs to take over like a king)

• His home, Mt Vernon, was a stopping point for many with influence and power

after the war and through his hospitality he was able to remain involved in

politics without it looking like he was actively seeking the presidency or power.

• He was the only president to be elected unanimously, not by popular vote, but

by electorate vote.

20

Have students refer to the resource in their book (insert page numbers later)

21