Introduction
The 13 American Colonies have each sent representatives to a very urgent
convention! Benjamin Franklin will be there. Thomas Jefferson and Thomas
Payne will also be there. The English King and his soldiers are getting out
of hand. At this convention the representatives will decide whether or not to
go to war with the Mother Country.
Task
The votes are in! America will be fighting for her freedom! However, there is
one slight problem - all the colonists are not convinced that war is the best
solution. Many colonists are loyal to the King. It will be your job to
convince these loyalists to support the American War of Independence. You will
report to your friends, family, and neighbors what you saw and heard at the
convention, and convince them to support the war.
This report will be in the form of a letter to the editor of a major colonial
newspaper.
Role
Today is July 7, 1776. You are a Patriot - that is you support the war for
American independence.
You have just returned from the "Independence Convention."
At this convention, America's independence from Great Britain was discussed
at length. By an overwhelming majority, the representatives voted to go to
war with the royal army of Great Britain.
Loyalists, or Tories - those colonists who support Great Britain and the
King - oppose a fight with the royal army. Many of these Tories live and work
in your hometown and surrounding farms.
Click on General Washington to investigate the lives of several Patriots. 
Process
View the following websites and complete the investigation sheet. The links
located below the questions will assist you in answering those questions. To
open these links please right click on the link and choose "Open in New
Window." This will allow you to easily return to the webquest.
Rights
1. According to the Virginia Declaration of Rights, what is the
responsibility and duties of government?
The Virginia
Declaration of Rights
Boston Massacre � Two Accounts
2. How many people were killed �on the spot� during the Boston Massacre?
3. How many died later as a result of the Massacre?
4. According to Captain Thomas Preston, why did the soldiers feel threatened
at the time of the Boston Massacre?
American Point
of View
British Point
of View
A Sequence of Events
5. When was the first direct tax levied against the colonists?
6. What act created this tax?
7. Why were the colonists so angry with this?
8. When were the Coercive Acts passed?
9. What was the colonists' response to these acts?
10. What are five events that occurred prior to July 4,1776 that indicate
there is already a war being fought? These events should be used in your
final product.
Prelude to Revolution � a timeline
Conflict and Revolution � a timeline
The Declaration of Independence
11. What are the four rights listed in the Declaration of Independence?
12. List five "facts" discussed in the Declaration of Independence regarding
the King's misuse of power. These should be used in your final product as
examples to why America should go to war.
13. What does the Declaration of Independence seek?
Declaration of
Independence
You must now write a letter to a major colonial newspaper to convince your
friends, family, neighbors, and fellow countrymen to support the war of
American Independence. This presentation must contain the following elements:
Background information � why fight a war?
You must include:
Five facts regarding the King�s misuse of power
Five events that show the Colonies are already at war with Great Britain
Three examples of economical oppression of the colonists by the British
Purpose for the war � what is to be gained?
You must include:
Five demands of the Declaration of Independence
Other information:
What information did you find that will help in your argument?