Stephanie Jimenez

March 20, 2016

Area B

BOSTON TEA PARTY- Loyalist vs. Patriots

Objectives: know a little knowledge of Boston Tea Party

Have a little knowledge of Colonial America
Imagination

Content Standards: Grade: 5th

5.5 Students explain the causes of the American Revolution.

1. Understand how political, religious, and economic ideas and interests brought
about the Revolution (e.g., resistance to imperial policy, the Stamp Act, the
Townshend Acts, taxes on tea, Coercive Acts).

Materials:
Pencils/pens for each student
Paper for each student
Chalkboard/whiteboard or large sheet of paper and writing utensil

Description:
Before you begin your activity read this to your class:
Today, we are going to pretend we are in Massachusetts over two hundred years ago. You
are a person living in one of the Colonies in the time before the American Revolutionary
War. You probably live in a house built from wood- maybe you even built it yourself. You
probably have a job- you might be a farmer, a blacksmith, a shopkeeper, a shipbuilder, or
a trader. Think for a minute about who you might be.

You and the others in your town live a pretty calm life. But recently, things have started
to feel a little chaotic. There have been several laws passed by your rulers in Britain that
raise the taxes on things you use every day, like stamps and tea. Many people in the town
have been angry about these changes, while others have been defending the British
policies. Youve also started to notice people quietly distributing pamphlets around town
that talk about fighting for your rights.

One day, you are on your way to your place of work in town, and you notice the town
center is buzzing with people today. They all seem to be headed toward a signboard in the
middle of town, so you follow. You hear whisperings on the way like we have to let the
tea come! and he cannot allow the ships to dock here! and we should rebel! You get
closer to the sign and push your way through the crowd. You finally are able to glimpse a
proclamation that has been posted to the board. It reads:

Here ye, here ye! All citizens of Boston are called to a town meeting this night to discuss
the incoming ships of tea. Representatives of Governor Hutchinson shall be present so all
who have grievances may report them. Do not let your rights be dismissed; represent
yourself and your fellow countrymen against King George and his taxes!

You push your way back out through the crowd, and move on to work wondering
whether you should attend or not.

After reading that short story as students the following questions:

What does it tell us about what is going on in the town?
What town are we in?
Why has this meeting been called? (What is the problem at hand?)
What is tea? Why was it important to the Colonists?
Who can tell us the names of the two big groups of people on each side of this issue?
(Loyalists & Patriots)
Why might someone go to the meeting? Who might support each side of the issue? (make
list on each side of chart)

While students are coming up with ideas on perspectives, write a comparison chart on the
board of the Patriots and Loyalists different views on the tea import. When
brainstorming types of people who might have attended the meeting, write them on each
side of the chart depending on whether they would likely be a Patriot, a Loyalist, or both.
If students have little or no prior knowledge, the teacher may supplement their comments
with explanation of the Townsend Acts and the East India Trading Company. Ideas for the
chart include:

Loyalists
We should follow the laws of the King
Britain has repealed many of the taxes that they had originally established
We dont have the power to change the law nor do we want to
Britain has sent soldiers to protect us, so they must care
Patriots
Taxed without elected representative in government
The taxes only apply to the Colonies
Cost of living is rising
Governor should stand up for the Colonists, but he isnt
The soldiers are ruining our houses and taking our things- Britain should leave us alone

Then, tell your class:

Now, I want you to look at this chart for a minute and choose one of these people you
would like to play for the rest of class. (Cite specific examples) When I say go, you are
going to walk back to your seat while thinking about what your character might think
about the Tea Act and the town meeting coming up. Go.
In role, invite all the Loyalists to sit on one side of the classroom in the desks/chairs and
the Patriots to sit on the other side. Teacher introduces him/herself as Sam Jones,
employee in the household of His Honor Governor Hutchinson. In role, reiterate the most
important issues going on in town the taxes on tea and other items, the angered citizens,
the pamphlets and ask for student questions and opinions. As you know, I am Sam
Jones, assistant butler in the household of His Honor Governor Hutchinson, and I am here
to preside over this meeting. Governor Hutchinson has been hearing about issues around
the tea taxes and imports here in Boston, and I am just here to report back to him. What
has been going on in town? Why did you all come here tonight?

Possible In-Role Coaching/Questioning:

To Patriots Side:
I know there were some questions about the taxes, but the Governor is working hard to
make sure they stay as they are. What else can you ask of him?
I personally know the government is very powerful. What could you do to stop the
ships?
Why does this matter to us?
To Loyalists Side:
I know you all stand by the Governor and the King, but are the taxes not affecting you?
How are you dealing with the higher costs of tea and stamps?
Why do you think we should allow the ships here?
I know many of you are very new to the Colonies. Were you having these issues in
England? What do you think we could do to make the town climate better?

Follow-up Activities:
Journal
Know that you know a little more about your character You have gone home after work
the same day the notice was posted in town. The meeting is later that night; your brain is
buzzing with all that happened today. You open your journal and begin to write. Youve
decided to go to the town meeting to share your opinion on what is happening. Maybe
you write about why you want to go, or what you think about the issues going on in town.
Maybe you write about the growing anger between the Patriots and the Loyalists and how
it is affecting you or your family. Or you might want to include your feelings about the
town meeting, how it went?

Assessment:
Question their knowledge
So what happened? Did any of the predictions we made in our town hall meeting
actually happen?
Who can remind us of the different activities we did today?
What kinds of arguments were made on each side in the town hall meeting?
Analyze
Why do you think this was so important to the people of Boston? Why did they decide
to throw out the tea?
What do you think the Loyalists thought about the Tea Party? The Patriots? What was
the main conflict between them?