Objectives:
- Identify bodies of representative government in colonial America.
- Hypothesize how the experience of self-government was a factor in the American Revolution.
Scene 1 — Engage
Student Activity
Students read an introduction explaining that although England officially governed the colonies, colonists created local governments to run their settlements. They review the lesson objectives and examine an image of the signing of the Mayflower Compact. Students then respond to a word cloud prompt by listing areas of activity they think are responsibilities of a government.
Teacher Moves
Present the overview and objectives of the experience. Use sample responses (such as laws, taxes, security, safety, and welfare) to deepen the discussion of government responsibilities. Introduce and define the term self-government, explaining that it is a system in which citizens rule themselves and control their own affairs without outside control, and preview that students will study the Mayflower Compact and representative government as early examples.
Scene 2 — Explore
Student Activity
Students examine a painting of Pocahontas at the court of King James and discuss what it shows about monarchy. They read explanatory text comparing monarchy and representative government, including how monarchs gain and use power versus how citizens elect representatives. Students answer a multiple-choice question identifying examples of monarchies, then post to a collaborative wall explaining how a student council is a form of representative government.
Teacher Moves
Guide students in analyzing the painting, identifying King James I, Pocahontas, and John Rolfe, and connecting the image to the idea of monarchy and divine right. Clarify the differences between monarchy and representative government and review student responses to the poll and wall. Emphasize that in many modern monarchies the monarch’s role is mostly ceremonial while elected representative bodies hold real power.
Scene 3 — Explain
Student Activity
Students view an image of Patrick Henry before the Virginia House of Burgesses and read about the Virginia Colony’s development of the House of Burgesses as the first representative government in the American colonies. They also read about the Mayflower Compact as an agreement to form a government based on fair laws, the good of the colony, and majority rule. Students then post to a teacher-view wall explaining how both the House of Burgesses and the Mayflower Compact are examples of early representative governments in the colonies.
Teacher Moves
Clarify key terms such as burgess and municipality and highlight how colonists in Virginia and Plymouth elected leaders and created laws for the common good. Review student wall responses, select strong or illustrative examples to share with the class, and use them to reinforce how both the House of Burgesses and the Mayflower Compact embodied representative principles.
Scene 4 — Elaborate
Student Activity
Students read about the long-standing British monarchy, the limits placed on royal power within Britain, and the lack of such limits in the colonies. They learn that friction grew between the monarch and colonists as colonial self-government expanded. Students then post to a collaborative wall developing a hypothesis about the relationship between the British monarchy, early representative governments in the colonies, and the coming American Revolution, and respond to at least two classmates with questions or positive comments.
Teacher Moves
Define hypothesis as an educated guess based on limited evidence and clarify that students are not expected to provide a complete explanation yet. Encourage students to draw on what they have learned about monarchy, self-government, and colonial experiences to form reasonable predictions. Monitor the discussion, prompting students to elaborate on their ideas and explaining that these hypotheses will be revisited and refined as they learn more about the events leading to the American Revolution.
Scene 5 — Evaluate
Student Activity
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher Moves
Facilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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