2.
Due to “unjust” legislation implemented by
Parliament, the American colonists believed that they should
be free from “British oppression.” Such tension ultimately
resulted in the American War for Independence. Today, we
are going to travel back in time to observe the key battles of
the American Revolution. Image that you are a colonial
journalist reporting on the scene of such a battle. What do
you see? Where are you located? What do you feel or smell?
Who are the key players involved in this historical event?
These are a few of the questions you will need to keep in
mind as you prepare your article for the Colonial Gazette.
• Examples of a colonial newspaper article:
3. In order to properly inform the good people of Boston about
a particular battle, you must first:
1. Choose a specific battle from the following possibilities:
• Battle of Lexington and Concord
• Battle of Brandywine
• Battle of Yorktown
2. Gather the following information on your selected battle:
• Why did the battle occur?
• Who were the major generals involved?
• When did the battle take place?
• Where was the battle located?
• What were the effects/outcomes of the battle?
3. Include your gathered information in a one page article
for the Colonial Gazette.
4. In order to complete your research and effectively
compose your colonial newspaper article, you will need to
utilize the websites and materials provided below. As you
uncover facts regarding your selected battle, you will need to
carefully document essential information so that you include
all necessary details in your eye witness account.
1. Battle of Lexington and Concord:
• Video Description
• Documents
• Maps:
• Background Information
• Leaders and Strategies
• Effects/Outcomes
2. Battle of Brandywine
• Video Description
• Documents
• Maps
• Background Information
• Leaders and Strategies
• Effects/Outcomes
5. 3. Battle of Yorktown
• Video Description
• Documents
• Maps
• Background Information
• Leaders and Strategies
• Effects and Outcomes
Once you have completed your research for this project,
you will utilize the template provided to create your one page
article for the Colonial Gazette (which must be written from the
perspective of a colonial journalist).
*Templates for colonial newspaper
6. The students will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
10 points
7 points
5 points
Description
and Structure
Student wrote
the article from
a colonist’s
perspective,
included all
required
information,
and provided 810 facts
regarding
selected battle.
Student met the
minimum
requirement of
5-7 facts
regarding
chosen battle.
Student failed
to meet
requirements.
(Portions of
article were
incomplete.)
Aesthetics/
Organization
Information
was presented
in an organized
fashion and
visual aids were
utilized.
Information
was somewhat
organized.
Information
lacked
organization.
7. Despite early conflicts and tension, the American colonists
were able to unite under a common cause. Under the leadership of
General George Washington, American soldiers prevailed against
astounding odds. Thus, the final victory at the Battle of Yorktown
resulted in American independence.
Additional Reading/Activities:
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/static/neh/interactives/amer
icanrevolution/
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/revwartimeline.htm
http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/educ/exhibits/treaty/treaty.html
http://mrnussbaum.com/amflash/
