Week of Sept. 8-12, 2k25

Welcome to the Road to the 

American Revolution!

The Road to the American Revolution has arrived!  

We have an American Revolution essay to write & some Second Continental Congress work to do!  PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY!

American Revolution Unit Q's -- Quiz grade!

1. Are you surprised that life in the colonies was better than those living back in England?  Why do you think this? (opinionated)

2. By 1750, where did most colonists live?  Why do you think the colonists lived so close to the ocean?

3. In the 1750s, What were four things the colonists had in common?  Try to put the answers in your own words.

4. Watch the French & Indian War BrainPop  CLICK ME TO WATCH THE BRAINPOP and answer the following Q:  What nations fought in the war & what were they fighting over?

5. During the war, Benjamin Franklin had an idea & what was that idea? What was the Albany Plan of Union & did it work?...Be ready to look at the Join, or Die flag.

6. The Proclamation of 1763 was similar to a president writing an executive order.  What was the proclamation made by King George III after the French & Indian War?

7. How did the British government decide to pay for the French & Indian war debt & why did they the feel this was the best way for paying the war debt?

8. What was the purpose of the Sugar Act & were the measures effective?

9. Why did British Parliament pass the:

1. Stamp Act

2. Quartering Act

3. Townshend Acts

4. Tea Act

5. Intolerable Acts

10. How did the colonists respond to the passage of these taxes by Great Britain?  Do you think their actions are justified?  Why/why not?

11. Who were the Sons of Liberty and how were they some of the leading advocates for the colonists during the Revolution?

American Revolution Essay Details

Here is a video showing you how to write the American Revolution Essay in case you need it!

Second Continental Congress Information:  This research will be done both in and outside of class.  You need to do the following:  Read carefully! Second Continental Congress Doc

All 56 Signers...Click me!

Here is how you will use ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/  – You may ask ChatGPT the following Q’s and you may use that information in your paragraph.  If you do not understand something from ChatGPT, you need to ask Mr. Barry!  It’s part of the job description!  Ask ME!  You will also use the content from the page

ChatGPT Q’s:

1. Can you tell me how the average colonist felt about Great Britain in 1765 and explain it to an 8th grader? 
2. Can you provide a brief biography of (Delegate name) of (Name of colony)?
3. Explain to a middle school student how (Delegate name) of (Name of colony) felt about writing and signing the Declaration of Independence.
4. Can you explain to an 8th grader how (Delegate name) of (Name of colony) was important in the Second Continental Congress?
5. Which region of the colonies was most against declaring independence from Great Britain in 1776?
6. How did the (Name of colony) feel about the Second Continental Congress' desire to write a Declaration of Independence?
7. Did the 13 colonies want to declare independence from Great Britain in 1775? 

Q’s answered in a minimum of one paragraph! → QUIZ Grade! Huzzah!

1. What is your name, what colony are you from, how old are you in 1775, and name one of your occupations/jobs.
2. What are two important things you think other delegates should know about your colony?
3. Is your colony mostly patriotic, loyal, or moderate – Based on the maps, colonial history summaries & your findings.
4. Do you feel like your colony should have more or less of a say in the meeting? Why is this? (inference-based!)
5. Do you (your delegate) believe the colonists should remain loyal to Great Britain? – This is an inference-based Q that you should answer based on our discussions & your readings about the colonists and your delegateWhat do you think would be the best way to fix the problems between Great Britain and the 13 colonies? Come up with one solution to best repair the relationship between Great Britain and the 13 colonies. How do you think your delegate contributed to the Second Cont. Congress?

Week of Sept. 2-5, 2k25

Colonial Slavery Quiz Friday Sept. 5 

Colonial & American Slavery Unit

1. What is slavery? (Define it and explain what it means)
2. What European nation introduced “race-based” slavery in the 1400s? Why/how did they do this?
3. Why were Africans specifically chosen to be slaves? What did some Africans do to help Europeans with the slave trade?
4. What is mercantilism?
5. What was the name of the route slaves endured from Africa to the West Indies/North America? Explain this in significant detail. How did those aboard the ship dehumanize the Africans aboard the ship?
6. Approximately how long did it take for ships to sail from Africa to North America?
7. What was the difference between a “loose” and “tight” packer? What were the benefits of both methods? Which method do you think was more effective/profitable?
8. Approximately how many Africans were torn from their homelands and sold into slavery? Why don’t we know the exact number? Where did most slaves end up in the Americas?
9. The first Africans were brought to which colony?
10. What were some of the jobs of slaves (what did they do) in the American colonies? What types of jobs are these? Do they have anything in common with each other?
11. Why do you think slaves revolted? How do you think they revolted? Why do you think revolts would/would not be successful?
12. Opinion: What do you think was the hardest thing Africans struggled with?
13. Who was Nat Turner, and how did he change the history of American slavery?
14. What impact/effects do you think slavery had on America until it was outlawed in 1865? (opinionated
15. What was the most important crop grown in the colonies/West Indies that demanded the most slave labor? Why was this the case?
16. (opinionated) What do you think were the biggest contributions & impact of slave labor in the colonies & United States?
17. How did all of the colonies/nations benefit from slave labor? (Gotta think…Not easy)

Atlantic Slave Trade video

Middle Passage video

Slave Auction video

Slave Rebellion video

Nat Turner video

Nat Turner - Birth of a Nation trailer

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HW Assignment due Monday, Sept. 8

We're now entering the Road to the American Revolution unit, which culminates with the Second Continental Congress on Oct. 1, Huzzah!  Please read through the American Revolution doc & answer the following Q's by Monday, Sept. 8

1. Are you surprised that life in the colonies was better than those living back in England?  Why do you think this? (opinionated)
2. By 1750, where did most colonists live?  Why do you think the colonists lived so close to the ocean?
3. In the 1750s, What were four things the colonists had in common?  Try to put the answers in your own words.
4. Watch the French & Indian War BrainPop  CLICK ME TO WATCH THE BRAINPOP and answer the following Q:  What nations fought in the war & what were they fighting over?
5. During the war, Benjamin Franklin had an idea & what was that idea? What was the Albany Plan of Union & did it work?...Be ready to look at the Join, or Die flag.
6. The Proclamation of 1763 was similar to a president writing an executive order.  What was the proclamation made by King George III after the French & Indian War?
7. How did the British government decide to pay for the French & Indian war debt & why did they the feel this was the best way for paying the war debt?

Week of Aug. 25-29, 2k25

Colonies Test on Monday, Aug. 25!

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Colonial & American Slavery Unit

1. What is slavery? (Define it and explain what it means)  

2. What European nation introduced “race-based” slavery in the 1400s?  Why/how did they do this?

3. Why were Africans specifically chosen to be slaves?  What did some Africans do to help Europeans with the slave trade?

4. What is mercantilism?

5. What was the name of the route slaves endured from Africa to the West Indies/North America? Explain this in significant detail.  How did those aboard the ship dehumanize the Africans aboard the ship?

6. Approximately how long did it take for ships to sail from Africa to North America?

7. What was the difference between a “loose” and “tight” packer?  What were the benefits of both methods? Which method do you think was more effective/profitable?

8. Approximately how many Africans were torn from their homelands and sold into slavery?  Why don’t we know the exact number?  Where did most slaves end up in the Americas?

9. The first Africans were brought to which colony?

10. What were some of the jobs of slaves (what did they do) in the American colonies?  What types of jobs are these?  Do they have anything in common with each other?

11. Why do you think slaves revolted?  How do you think they revolted?  Why do you think revolts would/would not be successful?

12. Opinion:  What do you think was the hardest thing Africans struggled with?

13. Who was Nat Turner, and how did he change the history of American slavery?

14. What impact/effects  do you think slavery had on America until it was outlawed in 1865? (opinionated)

15. What was the most important crop grown in the colonies/West Indies that demanded the most slave labor?  Why was this the case?

16. (opinionated) What do you think were the biggest contributions & impact of slave labor in the colonies & United States?

17. How did all of the colonies/nations benefit from slave labor?  (Gotta think…Not easy)

Atlantic Slave Trade video

Middle Passage video

Slave Auction video

Slave Rebellion video

Nat Turner video

Nat Turner - Birth of a Nation trailer

Week 2: Aug. 18-22, 2k25

Monday - Aug. 18 - National Parks project due!

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Colonies Test on Monday, Aug. 25

Unit Q’s -- You may not type your answers.  Sorry!   You do not need to write the Q’s nor answer in complete sentences.  If I cannot understand your answer, it is wrong and you will be docked points.  This will be graded in 5 point increments based on accuracy & detail. 

Q's 1-9 Due Monday - Aug. 18

Q's 10-18 - Due by Day 3

Q's 19-23 - Due Friday

1. Remember the Columbian Exchange?  Do you remember the biggest impact of Christopher Columbus' voyages (we learned this last year!)...What was Europe’s most important good/item/thing introduced to the native world?  Why was it this good/item/thing?

2. Why is land the greatest resource then & now and how is it important, even to everyday people?

3. Check out the two maps of the Native American tribe locations.  Notice how the map does not have physical borders.  Why do you think this was the case?  Do you think physical identifiable borders were important at the time & do you personally think they are important?  How do you think tribes were able to state their territorial status over other tribes?  Approximately how many natives lived in the Americas prior to 1491?

4. What is a colony? … Not in the doc….Don’t google the definition!  Try to define it as you think.

5. Provide three reasons why a nation would want to set up colonies  (opinionated!)

6. Which colony was the "lost" colony and what happened to it?  Why do you think it failed? How do you think Europe responded to hearing the news of this?  

7. What were some difficulties the Jamestown colonists faced in their first few years?  What do you think was the hardest thing for the colonists?  What do you think was one thing that was easy for those first colonists? Who were some of the first people who went to Jamestown?  What two people (occupations) would you take to start a colony?

8. English settlers drew pictures of the Native Americans to bring back to Europe.  Do you think this an accurate illustration of what the Natives looked like? (Page 9)  Why were the Natives illustrated as this? 

9. Who was Peter Stuyvesant and what colony was he the leader of?

10. Who were the settlers of the Plymouth & Massachusetts Bay colonies & what was their purpose for moving to the colonies?

11. After reading the paragraph with the quote: “land, English settlers believed, was the basis of liberty”  what do you think this message meant to the average Englishman?

12. Provide three pros and two cons of European colonization from the POV of Europe.  (kinda an opinion)

13. What might be 2 pros & cons of European colonization from the indigenous people’s POV? (kinda an opinion)

14. List the New England colonies, the Middle colonies & the Southern colonies.

15. What group of people were brought to Jamestown, VA in 1619?  Why were they brought to Jamestown?  How do you think their presence changed the colony?  

16. What does the 1662 colonial law state about slaves in Jamestown/Virginia?

17. What was the main reason for settling the Southern Colonies?

18. In three columns, provide at least three ways the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies made money?  Provide three examples per region. Which group of colonies do you think was the most urban and the most rural?

The following Q’s are inference-based questions.  You have to answer these Q’s the best you can based on what you have read in the Doc.  The answers are not in the doc.  Take an educated guess!

19. Did more people live in cities or on farms? (You have to guess this one)  Why do you think this?

20. How do you think knowledge & news spread throughout the colonies?  (You have to guess this one)

21. What do you think was the most important part of colonial life? (aside from surviving..You have to guess this one)

22. Do you think most colonists were formally educated? Why/Why not? (opinionated)

23. The colonies grew tremendously from 1607—1750s from 50,000 to just over one million. What impact do you think this had on the colonies/colonists? Provide two examples.

24. Do you think life was better in the colonies or in Europe?  “Better” is a relative word, but do you believe life was better for those who lived in the colonies or in Europe?  Explain why you feel this way.