Set of Primary Sources with Scaffolding Questions:

Document A: (Woodcut: Join or Die by Benjamin Franklin, 1754)

Title
Join or Die
Summary
Benjamin Franklin's warning to the British colonies in America
"join or die" exhorting them to unite against the French and the
Natives, shows a segmented snake, "S.C., N.C., V., M., R.,
N.J., N.Y., [and] N.E."

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.

http://www.loc.gov/item/2002695523/
2.

How do you think this source relates to the

American Colonist involvement in the French &
Indian War?
Based on your inferences from this picture, why
might the American Colonist have felt they
should not have been taxed after the French &
Indian War?
Compare to pg. 30-31 in Story & Other Sources

Document B: (Photograph: A New Way to Pay the National Debt, 1786)

Title
A new way to pay the national-debt / design'd by Helagabalis ;
executed by Sejanus.
Summary
Cartoon shows King George III and Queen Charlotte standing
before the Treasury, moneybags under their arms, their pockets
overflowing and bursting with coins (funds from the Treasury to
cover Royal debts), William Pitt, his pockets full of coins, hands
the king another moneybag taken from an overflowing
wheelbarrow; the Prince of Wales, George IV, stands to the
right looking destitute; a quadriplegic sits on the ground to the
left with an overturned and empty hat between the stubs of his
legs, which are fitted with prostheses.

http://www.loc.gov/item/2001695207/

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.
2.

How is this picture reflective of King Georges

financial concerns?
What does this portray about the actual
financial needs of the king?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

Document C: (Image: "Boston tea-party." Three cargoes of tea destroyed. Dec.

16, 1773. 1903)
Title
"Boston tea-party." Three cargoes of tea destroyed. Dec. 16,
1773
Created / Published
c1903.
Notes
- G6078 U.S. Copyright Office.
- Reproduction based on engraving by D. Berger, 1784, after
D. Chodowiecki.

http://www.loc.gov/item/2002719851/

- No. 8.
- This record contains unverified, old data from caption card.

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.

2.

What does this image depict about the feelings

of the colonist during the time period of preRevolutionary British/ American Colonial
conflict?
What inferences can you make from this
picture?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

Document D: (Stamp: One Penny Stamp Used under Stamp Act of 1765)
Summary

One penny stamp used under the Stamp Act of 1765

Observe / Reflect / Question
1.
2.

Link

What stands out to you about this image?

Do you think Americans at the time still felt like
they were attached to the Royal Crown, why or
why not?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

Document E: (Government Document: The Stamp Act. London, 1765)

Summary
The Stamp Act, which taxed Americans for stamps imprinted on a wide
variety of legal and official documents, was the first measure passed by
the British parliament to arouse widespread antagonism in the thirteen
colonies. Taking effect on November 1, 1765, it was considered by both
British and American leaders as a precedent-setting measure because
of the important point it established, the right of parliament to lay an
internal tax upon the colonies.

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.
2.

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/british/brit2.html#obj0

What stands out to you about this image?

Do you think American Colonists at the time
still felt like they were attached to the Royal
Crown, why or why not?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

Document F: (Print: The Stamp Act Denounced, 1913)

Title
The Stamp Act denounced
Summary
1765. People in street condemning the Stamp Act.

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.
2.

What does this image depict about the feelings

of the colonists about the Stamp Act?
What inferences can you make from this
picture?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

http://www.loc.gov/item/2006679820/

Document G: (Image: Treason!!! / designed & etch'd by Rd. Newton. 1798 )

Title
Treason!!! / designed & etch'd by Rd. Newton.
Summary
A stout, smiling John Bull directs a blast from his rear-end
toward a poster of King George III tacked to a wall. The image
of the king looks suprised. On the left, the head of William Pitt
exclaims, "That is Treason Johnny".

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.
2.

http://www.loc.gov/item/2001695080/

From your inferences, what do you think

treason means?
Why might the King have felt some of the
colonists in America were acting as treasons at
the time of British/American Colonial Conflict
leading up to the Revolution?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

Document H: (Audio: God Save the King)

Title
God Save the King audio recording- British Crown national/
royal anthem

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.

2.

Through the story, you hear that God, Save

the King was sang and people prayed for the
King. How would you infer that many people
felt about the king based on this song?
Towards the end of the story people were
praying for the King, why do you think they
were concerned for his well-being?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

God Save the King.m4a

Document I: (Speech: The King's speech to both houses of Parliament, on the

30th of November, 1774. Together with their addresses to his Majesty. [Boston:
Printed by Mills & Hicks? 1775].)
Title
The Kings speech to both houses of Parliament, on the 30th of
November, 1774. Together with their addresses to his Majesty.
[Boston: Printed by Mills & Hicks? 1775].
Contributor Names
Gt. Brit. Sovereigns 1760-1820 (George III).
Created / Published
Boston, 1775.

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.

2.

http://www.loc.gov/resource/rbpe.0370410
0/

What does this image depict about the feelings

of King George III during the time period of
British/ American Colonial conflict?
Do you think the King had a great deal of
power? [Hint: Does it seem the Form of
Government was an Absolute or Constitutional
Monarchy?]
Compare to Story & Other Sources

Document J: (Map: An Accurate map of the present seat of war between GreatBritain and her colonies in North America. 1776)
Title
An Accurate map of the present seat of war between GreatBritain and her colonies in North America.

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.
2.

Which features of the map do you notice first?

What inferences would you make about the
relationship between Britain and the Colonies at
the time the map was printed?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

http://www.loc.gov/item/gm71005459/

Document K: (Map: Treaty Map, 1782)

Summary
Called by a distinguished scholar, "the most famous map in the history of
American diplomacy," this map has been variously called "Mitchell's
Map," "the Red-lined Map," and "King George's Map." It was the map
used by the British and American peace negotiators in Paris in the fall of
1782 to delineate the boundaries of the original territory that became the
United States.

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.
2.

https://www.loc.gov/item/74693178/

Which features of the map do you notice first?

What inferences would you make about the
relationship between Britain and the Colonies at
the time the map was printed?
Compare to Story & Other Sources (particularly
other Map Source)

Document L: (Correspondence: The Declaration of Independence, 1776)

Title
Thomas Jefferson, June 1776, Rough Draft of the Declaration
of Independence

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.
2.

Which phrases clarify the colonists reasons for

wanting to break away from Great Britain?
What is the purpose of this correspondence?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

http://www.loc.gov/item/mtjbib000156/

Document M: (Government Document: February 1782 House of Commons Vote

Effectively Concedes American Independence
Summary
Depicts Parliaments 1782 vote to begin peace with America.

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.
2.
3.

Did all of British Parliament think it was a good

idea to make peace with America?
What inferences can you make from this
document?
Does the vote go along with what King George
III wanted on pg. 44-45 of the story?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

http://www.shipofstate.com/newspapers/1
782warvote/1782warvote.htm

Document N: (Letter from John Adams, Minister to Britain, to John Jay,

Secretary of State, reporting on his audience with the King, June 2, 1785, page
479)
Title
Letter from John Adams, Minister to Britain, to John Jay,
Secretary of State, reporting on his audience with the King,
Juen 2, 1785, page 479
Excerpt to Provide Students:

Observe / Reflect / Question

1.

https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/eyewitne
ss/html.php?section=19

2.

How does this correspondence reflect how time

influences historical conflict?
What reasons would John Adams have to be
going to Britain during this time?
Compare to Story & Other Sources

Document O: (Drawing: America: A Prophecy. London: William Blake, 1793)

Title
America: A Prophecy by William Blake, 1793
Summary
The loss of America was troubling to many Britons, among them poet
and artist William Blake (1757-1827). Blake related the American
Revolution to the French Revolution, during which this drawing was
made, and believed the two events might portend some sort of cosmic
upheaval. Here, England's angel, Albion, mourns the loss of America
which, in Blakes's view, has made a giant breach in the fabric of Britain's
well-being.

Observe / Reflect / Question

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/british/images/
vc61.jpg

1.
2.

How did many Britons feel about losing the

American Colonies?
Compare the feelings portrayed in the picture
here to the feelings of King George III at the
end of the story.
Compare to Story & Other Sources

Citations

Books
Cant You Make Them Listen, King George? (Jean Fritz, 1987)
Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/item/2001695207/
http://www.loc.gov/item/2006679820/
http://www.loc.gov/item/2002719851/
http://www.loc.gov/item/2002695523/
http://www.loc.gov/item/gm71005459/
http://www.loc.gov/item/2001695080/
http://www.loc.gov/item/mtjbib000156/
https://www.loc.gov/item/74693178/
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/british/images/vc61.jpg

National Archives
https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/eyewitness/html.php?section=19
Other Online Resources

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIu7HLTDLEI