"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.
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.
posted by "1776 and More" at 6:45 AM
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