Analyze ideological and economic origins of the American Revolution; understand how constitutional government has developed in the United States; understand how social, political, and economic developments shaped events during North American colonial settlement.

The idea that Parliament did not have a right to legislate for the colonies would be the battle cry of rebellious Americans throughout the years leading up to the American Revolution. The British levied a series of taxes on the colonists to make up for debt from the French and Indian War and to pay for the cost of colonial administration, which heightened colonial resentment. The Stamp Act taxed legal papers and newspapers, among other products. The Quartering Act required colonists to provide British soldiers with food, shelter, and transportation. The Townshend Acts curtailed colonial trade. Social unrest swept through the colonies, as frustration grew over taxation without representation. Boycotts on British goods ensued, and clashes between colonists and British soldiers culminated in the Boston Massacre. Although Parliament repealed many of the taxes in April 1770, it retained the Tea Tax as a symbol of British rights. Defiant colonists responded by dumping tea into Boston Harbor. As punishment, the British imposed a series of harsh new acts. It became increasingly clear that the fight over self-governance was leading to war.

• CA  Historical Interpretation: 4 10.2: 3; 11.1: 2; 12.2: 2
• TX  113.32(1): b; 113.35(2): a, b
• FL  SS.A.4.4: 2; SS.C.2.4: 1,3
• NCSS  II(HS): c; VI(HS) a-c; X(HS): a

2 class periods

• Activity Sheet, The American Revolution
• Timeline, Chronology of the American Revolution 
• Graphic Organizer, 3-Column Table
• Persuasive Essay Rubric

Use the instructions below to guide students in writing a Persuasive Essay.

What were the political, economic, and social causes of the American Revolution?

Analyze Students will write an analytical essay about the political, economic, and social causes of the American Revolution.

Have students research the topics using the provided links. Encourage them to use the suggested graphic organizer as they read the articles.

In 1773, a group of Bostonians dressed as Mohawk Indians protested the British Tea Tax by dumping 350 chests of tea into the water.

To start students thinking about the causes of the American Revolution, have them examine the picture.

Key questions students should answer are:

• What is the reaction of the colonists who are watching the Boston Tea Party from the dock?
• What does this tell you about the feelings of the colonists toward the British before the Revolution?

Distribute the Student Activity sheet. Have students read the articles and use the 3-Column Table to take notes. Tell students to consider the following topics when conducting their research.

• Impact of French and Indian War on Britain
• Proclamation of 1763
• Taxes, Townshend Acts, Tea Tax, Quartering Acts
• Taxation without Representation
• Unstable British Parliament
• Colonial Government
• Colonial Economy and Trade
• Social Climate, Literature in Colonial America
• Colonial Rebellion, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party

Remind students to consider the array of political philosophies among the colonists, the separate colonial governments, and the ways in which the actions of the British helped to create unity among Americans.

Use the Analytical Essay Rubric to assess students’ performance.

Have students reflect on their performance and use the list of expectations to judge how well they met the criteria.

Ask students: What piece of British legislation was most instrumental in causing the colonists to revolt?

Newspaper Article Have students use Daily Life through History to conduct research and write a newspaper article about The Boston Tea Party.

Critical Thinking: APPLY