And Now We Are A Country

This week we concluded our study of The American Revolution by reading about the contributions of Deborah Sampson and the Black Regiment. Our textbook spends little time talking about the contributions of women and minorities so our extra reading allowed us to explore these neglected perspectives. Many of you actively participated by asking questions, making connections, and citing the text to support your point of view. Great job – I was really impressed! We will be using accountable talk activities in the future so if you had trouble entering into the discussion, start thinking about what you need to do to prepare for our next round table.

History in our own Backyard

This afternoon I took a drive out to Patriot’s Park in Portsmouth and took some pictures of the Memorial commemorating the contributions of the Black Regiment. As I followed along West Main Road, there were numerous blue markers for the Washington-Rochambeau Route. Rochambeau landed in Newport and then in 1781 marched his troops to Yorktown to help Washington defeat Cornwallis.

Treaty of Paris 1783

As good historians, you checked multiple sources and asked questions to learn more about the Treaty due to the brevity of our text on this important document. In addition to finding the provisions of the Treaty, many of you encountered roadblocks along the way: an incomplete index, a text that was silent on the topic, and finally multiple treaties with the same name. This is a lesson all good researchers learn at some point – that asking what seems to be an easy question often requires making complex decisions to find an answer.

We identified the four most important provisions:

• Acknowledgment of independence
• Recognition of the Mississippi River as the western most boundary
• Navigation rights of the Mississippi River
• Fishing rights off the coast of Canada

With the signing of the Treaty, the size of the country was doubled and its access to an important water route for transportation and commerce was secured on paper. Future conflicts lay ahead to protect these provisions but that is a story to come.

Final Assessment for the Revolution

This week you will be taking your final assessment for the American Revolution. The assessment will be in two parts: an in class objective activity and a take home which will ask you to respond to two out of four open ended questions about the war. You will have some class time to prepare for the assessments. Make sure to review your text, the worksheets in your folder, and of course the trusty blog. Sit down with a friend or parent and tell them the story of the American Revolution. If you find you can talk about the big picture events and respond to questions, you have mastered the most important concepts.

Common Problems and Issues

When responding to any type of historical questions, students often to forget to give details or examples. A response should be as complete as possible. If you can give examples or illustrate your point, your response is more effective. Vague answers usually do not earn full credit. If a location is asked for, provide the name of the colony or state and a nearby city. For example, the last major battle of the Revolution was in Yorktown, Virginia. If you are asked to provide a distinguishing feature of a battle, you have to look beyond the winning or losing side and say what that victory meant. Saratoga was an important victory because it brought the French into the conflict as allies to the colonists.

Current Events

On Tuesday we will have current events. For this assignment we will be focusing on stories from the Business section or stories about the economy. This past week, pollsters have identified the economy as the number one issue on the minds of voters. As our first states of Iowa and New Hampshire get ready to cast their ballots they will be asking the candidates more questions about plans to grow our economy. The stock market has been on a slide for the past few weeks, the price of gas is over $3 a gallon, and fewer quality jobs are being created. Voters will want to know how the candidates propose to deal with these challenges.

Friendly Reminders

It is important to turn your work in on time. On time means you are ready to hand in your work when it is called for in class. Many times the homework is then used for an in class activity, such as current events. We cannot take class time to go to lockers or print out summaries. We all struggle with technology and the myriad of possible break downs (no paper, no ink, etc.) that can occur, so plan accordingly and please be ready with your work at the beginning of each class period.

Battle Reports

Battle of Bunker Hill:

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Battle of Trenton

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Battle of Saratoga

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"The World Turned Upside Down"

This week you presented your power point presentations on four key battles of The American Revolution and the encampment at Valley Forge. As good historians you need to ask yourselves why we study these particular battles from an eight-year war: What makes this battle significant, how did it change the course of the war, or why do I need to know about this event? Historians are constantly asking questions, using multiple sources, deliberating and debating and then forming conclusions.

The first major battle of The American Revolution took place just outside Boston in June 1775. As our group presenters explained, this battle could be described as a victory for the Colonists as well as the British. The British ultimately won the hill but at a great cost. The Colonists ran out ammunition and has to suurender the land but they had won a great morale victory. This short battle with deadly consequences for the British showed that the Colonists had the will to win.

Battle of Trenton has been memoralized in the painting of Washington crossing the Delaware River that was used in our student power point. While it was a quick battle with few caualities, it showed that Washington would go to any length to win a battle and earn the continued trust and loyalty of his soldiers. The British were also weary of the fighting and used Hessians, hired soldiers known as mercenaries, from Germany to help fight the Colonists.

Saratoga, located in upsate New York, was a clear victory for the Colonists and showed the world that the Colonists could win this war. After this victory, the French joined the Colonists, bringing men, supplies, money and most importantly a trained and efficient navy.


Washington's winter encampment in Pennsylvania, was a lesson in perseverance. Soldiers endured a bitter winter with few supplies. People living in the area said you knew where the soldiers had been by tracking the bloody footprints in the snow. To maintain discipline during this difficult time, Washington turned to a Prussian officer, Baron von Steuben.


Von Steuben believed in the priniciples of the war, "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," and volunteered to train the soldiers and make them into an effective fighting force.

Battle of Yorktown:

The last major battle of the Revolution occured at Yorktown, Virginia. British General Cornwallis marched his troops to the end of the Yorktown Peninsula to meet up with the British navy which was scheduled to transport the troops to New York. Cornwallis's troops had been fighting small battles along the east coast and were exhausted. The Colonists, led by Rhode Islander Nathanael Greene and a young French officer, the Marquis de Lafayette, successfully pursued the British and forced them into a position where Washington could attack by land and the French Navy could block their escape route via the water. On October 19, 1791, after eight long years, Cornwallis surrendered his army to Washington and the French.

According to a primary source letter, the British military band played a tune called "The World Turned Upside Down" on the day of the surrender. The world would never be the same after the Colonists defeated the most powerful country in the world, seeking independence and a new government based on the will of the people. The Colonists were going to prove that a country could be successful by granting the people, not the King or the nobility, the power to decide.


On Monday you will have your "quiz" on the battles and Valley Forge. Tor prepare for the quiz, you should review the slides, the links I have provided, and your text. In order to focus your review ask yourself what you would ask on the quiz. What is the key information you need to know to demonstrate your understanding of the battles? Maybe you could quiz a fellow student. Always focus on why you need to know the information. How did the battle or experience at Valley Forge change the Revolution?

A Word About Technology:

This is the first time that MHS has tried using "slide share" so we still have to work out some of the technological challenges. It appears that only 3 of the 5 shows appeared on "slide share." On Monday I will check on the other slide shows. I also ran into problems posting the shows as the HTML code was not accepted so again I will check on Monday what we can do to overcome this glitch. In the meantime you can go directly to slide share to view your shows.

It was a great effort by all and we will continue to work towards a smooth posting.


Current Events:

So much is happening in the world: presidential candidates are pulling out all the stops with celebrity endorsements, efforts are underway to bring a peace plan to Israel and Palestine, and more citizens are starting to focus on the enormous debt our country has built up and its implications for our future economy. Make sure you have a one paragraph summary of the article and then a second paragraph explaining why you selected the event, its link to history and why you think it is important for everyone to know about the topic or event.Current events are due on Monday.

Coming Attractions:

Next week we will have the opportunity to do our first "accountable talk" activity. We will be reading about the role of women in the Revolutionary War and the role of Black Americans. If you noticed, our text only casually mentions the role of these groups in the War, so we will pause and focus on their significant contributions to the victory of the Colonists. We will divide the class into two sections, mark up the supplementary readings, and then conduct our round table discussion. When we do an accountable talk activity every student is responsible for contributing. You will be given a focus question to help start the discussion and a list of accountable talk prompts to help you frame your contribution. Each student will do a self evaluation and an evaluation of one other student. You may know this activity as a "fish bowl" discussion. It should be great fun as this is an opportunity to add your own unique perspective on the readings and ask questions!

A Word About Revisions:

Doing revisions gives you the opportunity to go back and do an assignment over in order to meet standard. The rubrics we use clearly outline what needs to be done to meet standard. If you did not understand a concept or needed extra guidance, then the option to revise allows you to make the improvements and thus earn more points. Revisions are due the next day. It is best for you to do the revisions immediately while the lesson and content are fresh in your mind. Being on time is one of the every day skills we are practising this year.

Interterm Week:

Next week interterm grades are due. On Wednesday we will update the status of assignment sheet with the battle reports, reflections, quiz and current events. Some of you have made great improvements since first quarter and I offer my congratulations. If you find you are still struggling, let's put together a corrective action plan. What do you need to do in order to be successful in class? Do you need to review the agenda each evening? Do you need to reread the text? Do you need to develop an outline or power notes on the topics we are covering? Do you need to come in early and meet with me to review assignments? Everyone should be successful in this class if you follow a plan.


"A Day that will Live in Infamy"

On Friday, December 7, we took a moment to remember Pearl Harbor and President Roosevelt's now famous description of that event. As historians, we should also note what leaders on the other side had to say. Here is the view expressed by Japan's Admiral Yamamoto after the attack on Pearl Harbor: "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant."


As a country we take the time to remember and honor those who defended our freedom. At the same time, this anniversary gives us an opportunity to learn from history so mistakes of the past are not repeated.

To Your Battle Stations

Using your quantitative and analytical skills, you designed a chart this week showing the advantages and disadvantages of the Colonists and the British as they entered the American Revolution. We can’t help but wonder if Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin made the same list in 1776, yet knowing the cause was just, forged ahead in the name of Liberty! Using charts allows you to organize information and to look for similarities and differences.

Battle Groups

This week you also had the opportunity to practice your habits of mind as you worked in your battle groups. In order to put together an effective presentation, you had to communicate, negotiate, and organize. Just as the colonists fought with pride and conviction, I know that you will take pride in your presentations this coming week.

In addition to the facts and significance of the battles, please take a moment and look at the artists’ renditions of these moments in history. Just as the photos we see from Iraq evoke a strong emotional response, the great paintings of the Revolution captured the spirit and challenges of the times. Today, David R. Wagner, a painter from Connecticut, is working on an ambitious project depicting the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary War Route. Some of the paintings were displayed at the Colony House in Newport in the summer of 2006, and I had the good fortune of meeting the artist at a Naval War College commemoration of the French landing in Newport on July 11, 1778 (see blog for July 9, 2005).

Keep in mind that your slides help the audience understand the battle and they help you in your oral presentation. The slides should not be read to the class, but explained. Slides should appear clean, uncluttered and easy to read. Animation and other gimmicks should be used sparingly as they tend to take our attention away from the substance of the presentation. Once your slides are finished, take time to practice the presentation. Students who are working on Capstone know that ample time must be set aside to go over the presentation so it is smooth and you feel confident delivering it.

“Common Sense” and “The Declaration”

While the Founders were meeting in Philadelphia, the man on the street was reading “Common Sense,” a best seller in 1776. In easy to understand terms, Thomas Paine outlined compelling reasons why the colonists should separate from England. Paine went even further to argue that the people should rule themselves:

“Of more worth is one honest man to society, and in sight of God,
than all the crowned ruffians that ever lived.”

Your “Common Sense” assignment used the strategy of marking up the text. This strategy allows you to read more deeply and to read for understanding. By locating unfamiliar vocabulary, making connections, and asking questions, you become more active readers. This strategy can be used in all content areas and is especially useful when you take standardized exams such as the SATs or the state tests.

We also used this strategy when we read The Declaration of Independence. You did a great job rewriting the Preamble. You may want to return to your text book and read your author’s interpretation of the document.

In addition, think about what it meant for these men to sign a document that announced to the world that the colonies were breaking with England, the most powerful empire of its time.
Did our Founders commit treason? Would you be willing to sign your name to a document that could lead to your death? What were these people thinking as they went up against the British Empire?

Some of you struggled with the “quiz” on these documents. Think about how you prepared for the quiz: did you write down the questions that were listed on the board? Did you review your worksheets on the documents? Did you explain the importance and substance of the documents to someone? And finally, did you reread your text?

Revisions are due on Tuesday.

Happy Birthday Gilbert!

On Monday, December 3, we celebrate the birthday of one of America’s greatest painters, Gilbert Stuart. He is well known to many Rhode Islanders because he was born in Saunderstown. His most famous painting is probably in your wallet... he painted the portrait of George Washington that is used on the one dollar bill.

A Compliment

While you were leaving the library on Friday, Mrs. McIntosh commented that you were a polite and hard working group. She was impressed with your diligence and your ability to stay on task. It is nice to hear such comments and I wanted to pass them on to you. Keep up the good work!