Summary
In this lesson, students will learn about how conflict can often lead to change by examining the ideology of Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine. Students will begin the lesson by considering Patrick Henry’s famous quote, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” Additionally, students will also think critically about what would cause them to rebel against their own governments during the discussion activity. Next, students will analyze two primary sources, Patrick Henry's speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses and Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" pamphlet to understand the colonial resistance to British rule and how these primary sources influenced the American Revolution. Students will conclude this lesson by applying what they have learned to complete a RAFT writing activity.
Essential Question(s)
How does conflict create change? How did the speeches and writings of patriots influence the call for revolution?
Snapshot
Engage
Students consider Patrick Henry's famous quote, "Give me liberty or give me death!" and participate in a brief discussion activity about what things would make students want to rebel against their government.
Explore
Students watch a short video about Patrick Henry's speech to identify why he wanted to revolt against Great Britain.
Explain
Students compare the ideals of Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine to better understand how these two individuals made the case for revolution and independence from Britain in different ways.
Extend
Students discuss how conflict creates change with a partner before reflecting on how they see conflict and change in the world today.
Evaluate
Students choose a RAFT activity to demonstrate and apply their understanding of the primary source documents.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Inside Out handout (attached; one per student)
Common Sense Excerpt handout (attached; one per student)
Patrick Henry Speech Excerpt handout (optional; attached; one per student)
Give, Get, Reflect handout (attached; one per student)
RAFT Activity (attached; one per student)
Paper
Highlighters
Engage
15 Minute(s)
Use the attached Lesson Slides to facilitate this lesson. Advance to slide 2, which shows a very famous quote in American history.
Patrick Henry said, "Give me liberty or give me death!" at the 2nd Virginia Convention of the colony of Virginia on March 20, 1775. Virginia, like other colonies, was debating whether to submit more official complaints to Britain about its laws and tariffs. Henry, considered a radical by moderate Virginians, was asking Virginia to form a militia prepared to fight British regulars if needed. To prove his point, he told the assembly that he would rather die than lose his liberty under the tyranny of Britain.
Ask students to think about the quote. Give them 2–3 minutes to consider their responses. Have a few students share out their thoughts with the rest of the class.
Display slides 3–5 and go over the lesson title, essential questions, and learning objectives for this lesson. Tell students that we will look at how two patriots, Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine, contributed to the journey toward revolution in the American colonies.
Move to slide 6 and introduce the class in a Commit and Toss strategy. Ask students to take out a half sheet of notebook paper. Move to slide 7 and show the question: "What would you be willing to fight and die for?" Allow a few minutes for students to write a response. Move to slide 8 and tell students to stand up, crumple their notebook paper, and toss it across of the room. When everyone has tossed their paper, have students pick up someone else's paper. Call on students to read some of the responses.
Explore
15 Minute(s)
Display slide 9 and distribute the attached Inside Out handout. Explain the Inside Out strategy and tell students that they will be watching Patrick Henry deliver his speech to the 2nd Virginia Convention.
Transition to slide 10 and show the video of Henry’s speech. As they watch the video, ask them to jot down any reasons that Henry gives the Virginia delegates to fight British rule in the innermost circle on the handout.
After the video display slide 11, have students pair up and discuss what they wrote down in the innermost circle as Henry's reasons for fighting British rule. Ask students to add to their list any new reasons that they learn from the conversation with their partner to the middle circle.
Before moving on to the next activity, have partners share some of the reasons for fighting British rule that they found either in the video or written speech.
Explain
25 Minute(s)
Pass out the Common Sense excerpts and two highlighters of different colors to each student. Tell partners they are now going to compare Patrick Henry's reasons for rebellion and resistance with Thomas Paine's writing in the Common Sense Excerpt handout.
Henry had called for open resistance to British authority and was willing to go to war to claim independence for the colonies. Point out that Common Sense was published almost ten months after Patrick Henry's speech. The Continental Army had been formed and battles were occurring between the army and British regulars. While colonists were supportive of resistance and rebellion, they were not in agreement for total independence from Britain. Many hoped that England would come to its senses. Paine's "Common Sense" was intended to persuade them that independence was necessary to avoid further conflict and end the war.
Display slide 12 and ask partners to use the Categorical Highlighting strategy as they read through the Common Sense excerpt. Have students highlight reasons that were similar to Henry’s in one color and reasons that were different in another color.
Next, move to slide 13 and instruct student to add Paine’s reasons that were different than Henry’s to the outermost circle of the Inside Out handout.
Next, on slide 14, ask partners to write a summary at the bottom of the Inside Out handout about how Henry and Paine tried to persuade colonists to fight British rule. Have them share how both men influenced the colonists to continue on their journey toward independence from England.
Extend
20 Minute(s)
Pass out a copy of the attached Give, Get, Reflect handout to each student. Display slide 15 and introduce students to the Give, Get, Reflect strategy. Instruct students to answer following question:
"How did the speeches and writings of patriots influence the call for revolution?"
Display slide 16. Ask students to write their thoughts in the “Give” column. Then, tell students to exchange their paper with one of their peers and have them write their thoughts in the other student's “Get” column. Use the 3 minute timer on the slide to time the exchange, and then repeat this process two more times.
Have students return to their desks and read the responses in their “Get” column. Then, ask students to write down their thoughts about the question after reviewing other responses in the “Reflect” column. Directions are on slide 17 as well.
Move to slide 18. Ask for several volunteers to share their thoughts about the colonists revolting against the British and hold a brief class discussion. Ask students to think about the ways in which conflict can lead to lasting change. Consider discussing the following questions:
How does conflict create change?
How do you think people influence public opinion in the world today?
In what ways can you influence change within your community?
Evaluate
25 Minute(s)
Display slide 19 and pass out the attached RAFT handout. Read aloud and explain the Roles, Audience, Format, and Topic (RAFT) choices for the RAFT activity. Ask students to each pick one of the four writing formats (letter, speech, illustration, or news report) and place themselves in the role of the writer. On a blank sheet of paper, students will write about the topic shown and to the audience described on the handout.
Students are to use their Inside Out handout, the Give, Get, Reflect handout, and highlighted excerpts as information to support their writing.
Resources
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Patrick Henry by Thomas Sully, 1815 [WWW Document], 2020. The American Revolution Institute. https://www.americanrevolutioninstitute.org/asset/patrick-henry-by-thomas-sully-1815/
Historic St. John’s Church. 240th anniversary of Patrick Henry's liberty or death speech (2015) [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbghWFMLyiA
K20 Center. (Sept. 21, 2021). 3 minute timer [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iISP02KPau0
K20 Center. (n.d.). Categorical highlighting. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/192
K20 Center. (n.d.). Commit and toss. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/119
K20 Center. (n.d.). Give, get, reflect. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/2184
K20 Center. (n.d.) Inside out. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/93
K20 Center. (n.d.). RAFT. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/158
Henry, P. (1775). Patrick Henry, give me liberty or give me death [Text]. 18th century documents collection. Avalon project: Yale Law School. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/patrick.asp
Paine, T. (1776). Common sense manuscript. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. http://gilderlehrman.pastperfect-online.com/33267cgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=407F8541-C845-4A05-B1CD-201253887840;type=301