For Teachers » Core Concepts

CONCEPT 5

Between 1763 and 1776, individuals encouraged other individuals, towns encouraged other towns and colonies encouraged other colonies to join in united resistance to Britain.

What’s the most effective way to get a movement going; to build a coalition of like-minded individuals or groups that will work together for change?

As individuals and groups decide on a course of action, they seek to enlist others to join them. How does such a process work? Students should understand how resistance to Britain was furthered by colonists who acted individually and in groups to persuade others to join the cause, using new and existing political and communications networks, direct personal appeals, symbolic action, and, on occasion, physical intimidation.

GOALS:

individuals and interest groups made efforts to encourage friends, family and neighbors to join the cause of the revolution
town councils and other local leaders appealed to their citizens to aid fellow towns and communities
colonies overcame regional differences to work in unity
the thirteen American colonies appealed to other British colonies to unite with them against King and Parliament

OBJECTIVES:

identifying pertinent documents:
- finding at least two documents from the Coming of the American Revolution website
- explaining how they illustrate this goal
interpreting the documents
- conducting a Document Analysis (see Document Analysis Worksheet)
- answering Questions to Consider (writing and discussion prompts) at bottom of each document description
investigating the significance and interconnections of the documents
- following one or more of the Further Exploration research assignments and project suggestions at bottom of each document description
- drawing conclusions backed by evidence from documents and introductory essays
answering the following Framing Questions (drawn directly from the stated Goals above) based on those conclusions and that evidence collected from the documents:
- How did individuals and groups encourage others to join the cause?
- How did towns unite with other towns?
- What regional differences had to be overcome so the colonies could work together effectively? How did they overcome these differences?
- What other British colonies were approached and why?

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Documents

The Coming of the American Revolution: 1764 to 1776

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For Teachers » Core Concepts

CONCEPT 5

GOALS:

OBJECTIVES:

Documents

The Sugar Act

Becoming the richest people upon earth

"Americus (in the New-York Papers) writes ..."Article from page 2 of The Massachusetts Gazette and Boston News-Letter, number 3150, 5 July 1764

The Stamp Act

A Call for a Unified Response

"From the Providence Gazette Extraordinary. The following is said to be a copy of the Resolutions of the Congress held at New-York ..."Article from page 3 of The Massachusetts Gazette, number 0, 20 March 1766

An Effigy Swings and a House Crumbles

Letter from Cyrus Baldwin to Loammi Baldwin, 15 August 1765

The Art of Persuasion

"From the New-York Gazette of Nov. 7. To the Printer ..."Article from page 1 of The Boston Post-Boy & Advertiser, Number 431, 18 November 1765.

The Formation of the Sons of Liberty

"Liberty and no Stamp-Act"

"By several Vessels from Charlestown, South Carolina ..."Article from page 2 of the Supplement to the Massachusetts Gazette, 21 November 1765. (The two-page supplement was published the same day as the four-page The Massachusetts Gazette, Number 0.)

Under the Liberty Tree

St-p! St-p! St-p! No: Tuesday-Morning, December 17, 1765

"Conducted to the General Satisfaction of the Publick"

Letter from Henry Bass to Samuel P. Savage, 19 December 1765

The Badge of Slavery

"Boston, February 24. Last Week was taken up ..."Article from page 3 of The Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal, number 569, 24 February 1766

"Certain Mutual and Reciprocal Agreements"

Letter from the Sons of Liberty to John Adams, 5 February 1766

"Sensations of Freedom"

The Townshend Acts

"the excessive use of foreign superfluities"

At a Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston, legally assembled at Faneuil-Hall, on Wednesday the 28th of October 1767

"Ladies of the first quality"

"We hear that there was held two or three evenings ago, an assembly of Ladies ..."Article from page 2 of The Massachusetts Gazette Extraordinary, Number 3351, 24 December 1767

"to a sister colony"

"A Circulatory Letter, directed to the Speakers of the respective Houses of Representatives and Burgesses on this Continent ... February 11, 1768"Published letter from the Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, Boston: Green and Russell, [1767-1768]

"Deprived of the Councils of a General Assembly"

Boston, September 14, 1768. Gentlemen, You are already too well acquainted with the melancholly [sic] and very alarming circumstances to which this province, as well as America in general, is now reduced ...[Boston, 1768]

Non-Consumption and Non-importation

"Save your Money and Save your Country"

"Messi'rs Green & Russell. Please to insert the following, and you'll oblige one of your constant Readers."Article from page 2 of The Boston Post-Boy & Advertiser, Number 535, 16 November 1767

The Politics of Tea

"Messieurs Edes & Gill, Please to insert the following, Tea! How I shudder at thy fatal Stream!"Article from page 1 of The Boston-Gazette, & Country Journal, Number 698, 15 August 1768

Made in America

"March. 30. It was early conceived by the most sagacious and knowing Nations ..."Article from page 1 of The Essex Gazette, Volume 1, Number 44, 23-30 May 1769

The Formation of the Committees of Correspondence

"A Committee is Born"

Letter from Samuel Adams to James Warren, 4 November 1772

"Saviors of America"

Letter from Thomas Young to Hugh Hughes, 21 December 1772

The "patriotic Province of Virginia"

Boston, April 9, 1773: Sir, The Committee of Correspondence of this Town have received the following intelligence ...Boston, 1773Circular letter "signed by direction of the Committee for Correspondence in Boston, William Cooper, town clerk ..."

The Boston Tea Party

The Tea is Coming

"Philadelphia, September 29. Extract of a letter from London, August 4 ..."Article from page 3 of The Massachusetts Gazette; and the Boston Post-Boy and Advertiser, Number 842, 4-11 October 1773

"You are … Political Bombadiers"

"The following was dispersed in Hand Bills among the worthy Citizens of Philadelphia ..."Article from page 2 of The Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal, Number 968, 25 October 1773

The Body Speaks

Boston, December 1, 1773. At a meeting of the people ...

Beware an Unwelcome Visit

New York Celebrates Boston’s Indians

"Boston, January 3, 1774. The Express that went from hence ..."Article from page 3 of The Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal, Number 978, 3 January 1774

The Coercive Acts

"we suffer in the common cause"

Gentlemen, The evils which we have long foreseen are now come upon this town and province ...

At a Town Meeting in Braintree

"Thursday, June 30. Boston. Whereas scruples have arisen ..."Article from page 3 of the Massachusetts Spy, Number 178, 30 June 1774

An Abundance of Goodwill

Letter from Titus Hosmer of the Committee of Correspondence for Middletown, Connecticut, to the Boston Committee of Donations (copy in letterbook volume 2), 17 October 1774, pages 81-83

Depend on the Virginians

Letter from William Black of the Committee of Correspondence, James River County, Virginia, to the Boston Committee of Donations (copy in letterbook volume 2), 22 December 1774, pages 94-95

The First Continental Congress

Bankrupt Britain and Save America

"The Association &c."From Extracts from the votes and proceedings of the American Continental Congress: held at Philadelphia on the 5th of September 1774. Published by order of the Congress.Philadelphia: Printed by William and Thomas Bradford, 1774.

"Your own Salvation … Depends upon Yourselves"

Lexington and Concord

Bloody Butchery

A Bloody Butchery, by the British Troops; or the Runaway Fight of the Regulars

"Defend our Wives & Children"

In Congress, at Watertown, April 30, 1775 : Gentlemen, the barbarous murders on our innocent brethren on Wednesday the 19th...

"Americus (in the New-York Papers) writes ..."
Article from page 2 of The Massachusetts Gazette and Boston News-Letter, number 3150, 5 July 1764

"From the Providence Gazette Extraordinary. The following is said to be a copy of the Resolutions of the Congress held at New-York ..."
Article from page 3 of The Massachusetts Gazette, number 0, 20 March 1766

"From the New-York Gazette of Nov. 7. To the Printer ..."
Article from page 1 of The Boston Post-Boy & Advertiser, Number 431, 18 November 1765.

"By several Vessels from Charlestown, South Carolina ..."
Article from page 2 of the Supplement to the Massachusetts Gazette, 21 November 1765. (The two-page supplement was published the same day as the four-page The Massachusetts Gazette, Number 0.)

"Boston, February 24. Last Week was taken up ..."
Article from page 3 of The Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal, number 569, 24 February 1766

"We hear that there was held two or three evenings ago, an assembly of Ladies ..."
Article from page 2 of The Massachusetts Gazette Extraordinary, Number 3351, 24 December 1767

"A Circulatory Letter, directed to the Speakers of the respective Houses of Representatives and Burgesses on this Continent ... February 11, 1768"
Published letter from the Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, Boston: Green and Russell, [1767-1768]

Boston, September 14, 1768. Gentlemen, You are already too well acquainted with the melancholly [sic] and very alarming circumstances to which this province, as well as America in general, is now reduced ...
[Boston, 1768]

"Messi'rs Green & Russell. Please to insert the following, and you'll oblige one of your constant Readers."
Article from page 2 of The Boston Post-Boy & Advertiser, Number 535, 16 November 1767

"Messieurs Edes & Gill, Please to insert the following, Tea! How I shudder at thy fatal Stream!"
Article from page 1 of The Boston-Gazette, & Country Journal, Number 698, 15 August 1768

"March. 30. It was early conceived by the most sagacious and knowing Nations ..."
Article from page 1 of The Essex Gazette, Volume 1, Number 44, 23-30 May 1769

Boston, April 9, 1773: Sir, The Committee of Correspondence of this Town have received the following intelligence ...
Boston, 1773
Circular letter "signed by direction of the Committee for Correspondence in Boston, William Cooper, town clerk ..."

"Philadelphia, September 29. Extract of a letter from London, August 4 ..."
Article from page 3 of The Massachusetts Gazette; and the Boston Post-Boy and Advertiser, Number 842, 4-11 October 1773

"The following was dispersed in Hand Bills among the worthy Citizens of Philadelphia ..."
Article from page 2 of The Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal, Number 968, 25 October 1773

"Boston, January 3, 1774. The Express that went from hence ..."
Article from page 3 of The Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal, Number 978, 3 January 1774

"Thursday, June 30. Boston. Whereas scruples have arisen ..."
Article from page 3 of the Massachusetts Spy, Number 178, 30 June 1774

"The Association &c."
From Extracts from the votes and proceedings of the American Continental Congress: held at Philadelphia on the 5th of September 1774. Published by order of the Congress.
Philadelphia: Printed by William and Thomas Bradford, 1774.

"Philadelphia, June 14. In Congress, May 26, 1775. To the Oppressed Inhabitants of Canada."
Article from page 2 of The New-England Chronicle: or, The Essex Gazette, Volume VII, Number 361, 22-29 June 1775

"Thursday, May 9, 1776"
Pages 264-270 from A Journal of the Honorable House of Representatives. At a Great and General Court or Assembly for the Colony of Massachusetts-Bay..., [Watertown, Mass.: printed by Benjamin Edes, 1776].