they have any information and escalate your anger when students do not respond. Finally, tell them that
you are all going into the hall, and each of them will open their lockers for you to search. Make them
believe that you mean business. (If students do not have lockers, teachers can substitute the threat, such
as tell students that all of their book bags will be searched.)
8. Finally, let students know that you have made up this scenario. Have students reflect back on their feelings
by asking how they felt about the idea of being forced to open their lockers/book bags for a search, even
when they were innocent. As students debrief, explain that during colonial times, many merchants were
constantly put in the same situation as British tax collectors presented writs of assistance (search
warrants) to go through their businesses. This was another factor in causing American hostility towards the
British.
Creating Political Cartoons
9. Tell students that they will apply their knowledge of the causes of the Revolutionary War by creating a
political cartoon based on a tax, law, or event from yesterday’s handout. It is important students know the
difference between a regular cartoon and a political cartoon so that they do not create simple drawings;
rather they create cartoons representing opinion, irony, commentary, etc. Make sure to discuss the
definition and characteristics of political cartoons, and use examples to enforce this (see attached
Revolutionary War Political Cartoons). As you project these examples, ask:
• What do you see? (Students should simply point out all symbols, characters, objects, text, etc. that
they notice. Try to keep them from jumping to interpretation until all pieces of the cartoon are pointed
out.)
• What do you think? What message is the artist trying to convey? What do the symbols represent?
• What techniques has the artist used and why? (exaggeration, caricatures, humor, sarcasm, etc.)
• If you were an American Patriot, would you agree with the cartoonist? Why?
• If you were a Loyalist, would you agree with the cartoonist? Why?
10. Hand out the attached Revolutionary Cartoon Assignment Sheet and discuss your expectations. Encourage
students to ask questions about the assignment. Remind them to create a political cartoon, and not a
simple drawing. Let students know when their cartoon is due and that it will be shared with the class on
that date.
11. Upon completion of the cartoons, number and display the students’ work around the room and give them
the opportunity to “tour” the classroom, interpreting the meaning behind each political cartoon.
• Review class expectations before allowing students to travel around the room to viewed the displayed
work (i.e. remind students to be respectful, positive, and safe as they move throughout the
classroom.)
• Instruct students to travel with notebook paper, noting the number of each cartoon they view and
taking notes on what they see and like, and what their fellow student artist might be trying to convey.
• Once students have viewed the cartoons, have the class participate in a feedback session and
discussion of the various political cartoons. This will serve as a great way to review the causes of the
Revolutionary War.
➢ Alternative assignment: Another option for a culminating assignment is to assign students a topic from the
handout and have them create a headline poster. Finished posters should have four components:
• a headline statement that summarizes the event (it should be catchy, short and does not just list the
event)
• summary of the event (at least 4 bullet points)
• summary of how the colonists reacted to the event (at least 2 bullet points)
• visual images-the poster should be eye catchy, neat and have at least one visual