8th Grade Project Based Common Assessment

(American Revolution – Civil War)

2015-2016

Week 1: Identifying Sources

Cause and Effect (TH Activity)

Cause and Effect (TH Activity)

Primary Sources: Asking Questions (TPS Activity)

Primary Source Analysis/Finding Themes (TPS Activity)

Defending Historical Themes (Modified TPS Act.)

Week 2: Historical Hypothesis

Create a historical hypothesis

Construct written argument

Writing Writing Writing

Interaction with primary and secondary sources over the course of 2-3 weeks.

Looking for Cause and Effect: H.2.e Analyze causes and effects of major conflicts from the origins of the

American Revolution through Reconstruction (DOK 1-3)

Purpose: Historical thinkers use chronology to organize time. Students will be able to analyze sources

from cause and effect.

2 Groups: Group A and Group B

Individually, students will read through a source for key people and events

Students will then partner up with their source partner and establish the 5 W’s (Who, What, Why,

Where, When)

Source Partner A will then group up with the Source Partner B to form a Cause and Effect Group and

present their findings

As a Cause and Effect Group, students will establish the connection between the two sources arguing for

which one caused the other and defend their answer.

Historical Themes: H.2.a Determine and explain the historical context of key people and events from the

origins of American Revolution through Reconstruction including the examination of different

perspectives (DOK1-2)

Purpose: Historical thinkers analyze patterns and themes throughout time.

Students will identify one of the three historical themes studied over the year from a primary/secondary

source analysis and defend that identified theme using evidence from the sources.

Discuss as a whole class historical themes which have been discussed throughout the year.

Students will a primary source and follow the process of historical analysis.

Students move about the room to create groups of primary sources based on historical themes

and discuss/justify their connections based on the themes. Present on a chart paper,

whiteboards, or Promethean Board.

Final Project: Historical Hypothesis CO H.1.d Construct a written historical argument on the use or

understanding of primary or secondary sources.

Purpose: Historical thinkers use primary and secondary sources to evaluate and create historical

hypotheses.

Students will use multiple sources to construct a historical hypothesis and defend it.

Students will select a source set of one of the two historical themes addressed throughout the school

year:

Students will formulate a historical hypothesis and must use three sources to defend their stance.

Students will construct a written historical argument in a 5 paragraph essay which defends their

hypothesis.

Central Historical Questions

Is separation patriotic?

To what extend was the Civil War an extension of the

American Revolution?

Should the South have been treated as a hostile nation or

as states in rebellion?

Historical Documents

Document A

Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert (stop) the storm which is now

coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated (argued), we have supplicated

(pleaded); we have prostrated (to throw oneself at someone’s feet) ourselves before

the throne…

Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produce additional violence

and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned with

contempt, from the foot of the throne…

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate (defend) the matter. Gentlemen may cry, “Peace, Peace!”

– but there is no peace. The war is actually begun!

I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me

death!

Source: Patrick Henry, Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death” speech (1775)

Document B

Source: Thomas Paine Advocates the “Common Sense” of Independence, 1776

As much hath been said of the advantages of reconciliation (), which, like an

agreeable dream, hath passed away and left us as we were, it is but right, that

we should examine the contrary side of the argument, and to inquire into some

of the many injuries () which these colonies sustain, and always will sustain, by

being connected with, and dependant on Great-Britain…

… for I answer roundly, that America would have flourished () as much, and

probably much more, had no European power had anything to do with her…

It has lately been asserted (stated) in parliament, that the colonies have no

relation to each other but through the parent country, i.e. that Pennsylvania and

the Jerseys, and so on for the rest, are sister colonies by the way of England; this

is certainly a very round-about way of proving relationship…

But Britain in the parent country, say some. Then the more shame upon her

conduct. Even brutes (bullies) do not devour their young, nor savages make war

upon their families…

It is the true interest of America to steer clear of European contentions, which

ever she can do, while by her dependence on Britain…

… there is something very absurd (strange), in supposing a continent to be

perpetually (forever) governed by an island… and as England and America, with

respect to each other, reverses the common order of nature, it is evident they

belong to different systems; England to Europe, America to itself…

Document C

Source: Declaration of Independence 1776

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to

dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to

assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which

the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them…

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they

are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these

are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights,

Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the

consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes

destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and

to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and

organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect

their Safety and Happiness.

… it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide

new Guards for their future security.

Document D

Source: Philip Dawe, The Bostonian’s Paying the Excise-man, or Tarring &

Feathering, October 24 1774

Engraving attributed to Philip Dawe, with hand-coloring. Shows the Boston

Tea Party in the background, a ”Liberty Tree” with a paper ”Stamp Act”

affixed upside-down, with five unsavory Bostonians forcibly pouring a pot of

tea into the mouth of a tarred and feathered tea excise collector. Dawe is a

British engraver

Document E

Source: Dr. Sylvester Gardiner, letter to his son in law, 9 May 1776

A Boston physician and Loyalist describing his love of country and sense of

danger before leaving Massachusetts for Canada.

I found I could not stay in Boston and trust my person [i.e., physical safety]

with a set of lawless rebels whose actions have disgraced human nature and

who have treated all the King’s Loyal Subjects that have fallen into their

hands with great cruelty and for no other crime than for their Loyalty to the

best of Kings and a peaceable Submission to the best constituted

Government on Earth. I don’t believe there ever was a people in any age or

part of the World that enjoy’d so much liberty as the people of America did

under the mild indulgent Government (God bless it) of England and never

was a people under a worser state of tyranny than they are at present.

Document F

Source: Articles of Confederation, 1781

Article II. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every

power, jurisdiction (authority), and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly

(clearly) delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.

Article III. The said states hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with

each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual

and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered

to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty,

trade, or any other pretense whatever.

Document F

Source: James Madison, Federalist Papers No.10, 1787.

Factions and Their Remedy

To the People of the State of New York:

Among the numerous advantages promised by a well-constructed Union,

none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency (trend) to break

and control violence of faction. The friend of popular governments, never finds

himself so much alarmed for their character and fate, as when he contemplates

(plans) their propensity (inclination) to this dangerous vice (evil)…

By a faction I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a

majority or minority of the whole, who are united and actuated (motivated) by

some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other

citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate (collective) interests of the

community.

Document G

Source: Thomas Jefferson, The Kentucky Resolutions of 1798.

Thomas Jefferson Advances the Power of the States, 1798

1. Resolved, That the several States composing the United States of America,

are not united on the principle of unlimited submission (obedience) to their

general government; but that, by a compact (agreement) under the style

and title of a Constitution for the United States, and of amendments thereto

(to that), they constituted a general government for special purposes –

delegated to that government certain definite powers, reserving, each State

to itself, the residuary (remainder) mass of right to their own self-

government; and that whensoever the general government assumes

undelegated (to assigned) powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of

no force.

Document H

Source: Georgia Senator Robert Toombs Compares Session with the

American Revolution, 1860.

….But we are told that secession would destroy the fairest fabric of liberty the

world ever saw, and that we are the most prosperous (well-off) people in the

world under it…. The arguments I now hear in favor of the Northern connection

are identical in substance, and almost in the same words as those which were

used in 1775 and 1776 to sustain the British connection. We won liberty,

sovereignty, and independence by the American Revolution – we endeavored

(tried) to secure and perpetuate (continue) these blessings by means of our

Constitution.

We are said to be a happy and prosperous people. We have been, because we

have hitherto maintained our ancient rights and liberties – we will be until we

surrender them. They are in danger; come, freemen, to the rescue. If we are

prosperous, it is due to God, ourselves, and the wisdom of our State government.

We have as executive, legislative, and judicial department at home, possessing

and entitled to the confidence of the people.

Document I

Source: Republican Party Platform of 1860

2. That the maintenance of the principles promulgated (communicated) in the Declaration

of Independence and embodied (made into practice) in the Federal Constitution, "That all

men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable

rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these

rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the

consent of the governed," is essential to the preservation of our Republican institutions;

and that the Federal Constitution, the Rights of the States, and the Union of the States

must and shall be preserved.

3. That to the Union of the States this nation owes its unprecedented (never experienced

before) increase in population, its surprising development of material resources, its rapid

augmentation (growth) of wealth, its happiness at home and its honor abroad; and we

hold in abhorrence (hatred) all schemes for disunion, come from whatever source they

may. …and we denounce (look down on) those threats of disunion, in case of a popular

overthrow of their ascendency (power) as denying the vital principles of a free

government, and as an avowal (confession) of contemplated treason, which it is the

imperative duty of an outraged people sternly to rebuke (scold) and forever silence.

Document J

Source: President Abraham Lincoln’s arguments against secession

First Inaugural Address March 4, 1861

Physically speaking, we cannot separate. We cannot remove our respective sections

from each other nor build an impassable wall between them. A husband and wife

may be divorced and go out of the presence and beyond the reach of each other; but

the different parts of our country cannot do this.

First Inaugural Address March 4, 1861

I hold that, in contemplation (observation) of universal law, and of the Constitution,

the union of these States is perpetual....It follows....that no State, upon its own mere

motion, can lawfully get out of the Union…

Message to Congress in Special Session July 4, 1861

The States have their status in the Union, and they have no other legal status. If they

break from this they can only do so against law and by revolution.

Message to Congress in Special Session July 4, 1861

The principle [secession] itself is one of disintegration, and upon which no

government can possibly endure.

Indianapolis, Indiana February 11, 1861

In all trying positions in which I shall be placed, and doubtless I shall be placed in

many such, my reliance will be upon...the people of the United States; and I wish you

to remember, now and forever, that it is your business, and not mine, that if the

union of these States and the liberties of these people shall be lost, it is but little to

any one man of fifty-two years of age, but a great deal to the thirty millions of people

who inhabit these United States, and to their posterity in all coming time.

Document K

Source: Jacob Dallas, Harpers Weekly September 1, 1860

“Young America Rising at the Ballot- Box and Strangling the Serpents Disunion and

Secession”

Note: In this Harper’s Weekly cartoon "Young America" may denote the younger

generation of Americans in general who are urged to rise up and halt the

unraveling of the union.

Document L

Source: Currier & Ives 1861

Hercules of the Union, slaying the great dragon of secession

Note: Gen. Winfield Scott, shown as the mythical Hercules slaying the many-headed

dragon or hydra, here symbolizing the secession of the Confederate states. At left

stands Scott, wielding a great club "Liberty and Union," about to strike the beast. The

hydra has seven heads, each representing a prominent Southern leader. The neck of

each Southerner depicted is labeled with a vice or crime associated with him. They are

(from top to bottom): Hatred and Blasphemy (Confederate secretary of state Robert

Toombs), Lying (vice president Alexander Stephens), Piracy (president Jefferson Davis),

Perjury (army commander P. G. T. Beauregard), Treason (United States general David E.

Twiggs who in February 1861 turned over nineteen federal army posts under his

command in Texas to the South), Extortion (South Carolina governor Francis W.

Pickens), and Robbery (James Buchanan's secretary of war John B. Floyd, accused of

supplying federal arms and supplies to the South).

Document M

Source: A political cartoon, drawn circa 1861, depicts southern secession. The cartoon

shows Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana as men riding donkeys, following

South Carolina’s lead toward a cliff. The rider carrying the Georgia flag rides down a hill,

saying, “We have some doubts about ‘the end’ of that road and think it expedient to

deviate a little.”

South Carolina rides a pig and reaches a butterfly “Secession Humbug,” saying,

“We go the whole hog. — Old Hickory [Andrew Jackson] is dead, and now we’ll

have it.” Florida, just behind South Carolina, shouts, “Go it Carolina! we are the

boys to ‘wreck’ the Union.” Next follows Alabama, who declares, “We go it

blind, Cotton is King!’” Mississippi says, “Down with the Union! Missippi

‘repudiates her bonds.’” The last rider is Louisiana, who says, “Go it boys! We’ll

soon taste the ’sweets’ of secession,” a reference to the state’s domination of

the sugar trade.

The reference to Jackson refers to the nullification crisis of the 1830s, in which

South Carolina threatened to secede if President Jackson tried to enforce

federal tariffs in the state.