Oklahoma Academic Standard 3. The student will examine the foundations of the American nation established during the Revolutionary Era.

Objective 5.3.1 Examine the causes and effects of significant events leading to armed conflict between the thirteen American colonies and Great Britain including:

A   French and Indian War

B.  Proclamation of 1763

C.  Sugar and Stamp Acts

D.  Townshend Act

E.  colonial arguments regarding taxation and rightful representation in Parliament

F.  boycotts of British goods and the efforts of the Committees of Correspondence 

In a Nutshell

This objective requires students to understand the rationale behind increased taxation of the colonists and the justification for colonial resistance. The British government was rightfully determined that the American colonies should pay a share of the war debt. Therefore, several policies and acts of Parliament were passed to raise revenue. However, it is important for students to comprehend that colonists resisted changes in taxation on the grounds that they lacked representation in Parliament.

Teacher Action 

Student Action 

• Assist students in explaining multiple causes and effects of events and developments of the past, such as the evolving British policies which impacted colonial economies. 

• Aid students to compare the experiences that form other’s points of view about civic issues, such as the perspectives of colonists versus British Parliament toward the issue of taxation. 

• Provide students with frequent opportunities to describe the similarities and differences between multiple historical primary sources and their relationships to historical events. 

• Examine the purposes of government and laws by analyzing arguments regarding colonial representation in British government.

• Create and explore essential questions that are important to others, as well as enduring across the social studies, such as “Why is self-determination a basic human right?” 

• Use information from multiple print or digital sources (e.g. timelines, maps, graphs, political cartoons, images) to answer a question. 

Key Concepts 

Misconceptions 

• taxation, tariff, representation in Parliament, political rights of British citizens

• boycott, protest, civil disobedience

• restrictions on westward expansion 

• Many students may find it challenging to consider the British viewpoint toward recouping costs incurred from the French and Indian War. 

• Most students will have limited prior knowledge regarding the lengthy series of actions and reactions between British rule and colonists over perceived rights of British citizens. 

• Some students may assume that colonists resisted British rule due to high taxes; when, in fact, the lack of representation in Parliament was the primary grievance.  

Instructional Resources