DO NOW 1 Locate Boston Concord Lexington 2

DO NOW: 1) Locate: • Boston • Concord • Lexington 2) Name some major historical events that have occurred in Boston before the Revolution.

AIM: How did rising tensions between Britain and the American colonies finally lead to the start of the American Revolution?

BACKGROUND INFORMATION • Patriot Movement Against the British – headed by Samuel Adams and John Hancock • Americans had guns and ammunition storage in Concord, a city just outside of Boston • The British, led by General Thomas Gage sent 700 troops to Concord to capture the American weapon supply. • British troops were also sent to arrest Adams and Hancock.

BEFORE THE BRITISH COULD MAKE THEIR MOVE…. …. THE COLONISTS FOUND OUT ABOUT THE BRITISH PLAN!

PAUL REVERE & “THE MIDNIGHT RUN” • Dr. Joseph Warren learned of he British plans. • Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Dr. Samuel Prescott were sent out to observe British movements and alert the colonists if the British were moving. • Paul Revere had the orders that if he saw the British coming he would hang lanterns in the Old North Church steeple: • 1 if by land • 2 if by sea • Paul Revere hung up 2 lanterns as he saw the British crossing Boston Harbor. • To alert all of the colonists, the three men rode around Lexington exclaiming, “THE BRITISH ARE COMING!”

COLONIST REACTION • Samuel Adams and John Hancock were able to escape in time. • The colonists organized a militia known as Minutemen. • They were called Minutemen because they needed to be prepared to fight on a minutes notice. • The first shots fired between the Americans and British was on April 18, 1775.

LEXINGTON • British troops met by 75 armed Minutemen headed by Captain Jonas Parker. • Seeing that they were outnumbered, the Minutemen began to retreat. • ALL OF A SUDDEN…A SHOT RANG OUT! • This led to more shooting and casualties: • 8 Minutemen dead • 10 Minutemen injured • 1 British soldier dead

CONCORD • 700 British soldiers vs. about 400 in militia (colonial military) • Colonists manage to hide a large amount of weapons • British set fire to remaining weapons in Concord. • Colonists push back British advances and the British retreat (head back) to Boston. • Along the way the British are attacked by bands of minutemen and other Colonists • By the time the British reach Boston there are: • 73 British dead • 174 wounded

“TEA PARTY” ACTIVITY • Picture this: – The class is transported back to 1775 in Boston, Massachusetts. • The Battle of Concord and Lexington just occurred and no one is sure who fired the first shot. – We have all been invited to a tea party hosted by some member of society. – Our goals at the tea party are to mingle with the invited guests and figure out who fired the first shot. • Every person in the class has a nametag of the person who they are going to be portraying. Attached to the nametag is that person’s account of the events of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. • Everyone will go around the room and interview various eyewitness; some colonial and some British soldiers. • You Must interview 3 different people; make sure you have at least one colonist and one British soldier’s interview. • As you interview your eyewitnesses, fill out the handout called, ““Tea Party” – Battle of Lexington and Concord Interviews”. DO NOT LOSE THIS PAPER BECAUSE YOU WILL NEED IT FOR YOUR HOMEWORK TONIGHT!!

A poet named Ralph Waldo Emerson proclaimed that the first shots of the Revolutionary War were "the shots heard around the world. " • What does this mean?

SUMMARY

HOMEWORK • Choose a perspective for this activity: either British or American. • Your job is to create the front page of a newspaper (either British or American) from the days following the battles of Lexington and Concord. • Your page should include: – An interesting headline – A picture of your take on the events – A short caption (a paragraph or so) explaining what is in your picture – These can AND SHOULD be biased towards your perspective! • After completing the article, on the backside of the handout, complete the questions for the political cartoon.