American Revolution
Session 1: Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine

Materials

• Excerpts from the speeches and/or writings of Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine
• Teacher-generated “Guided Reading Outlines” handout (see Attachment A for handout with answers included)

Instructional Activities

1. Discuss with students the impact of Enlightenment ideas. Explain that the main ideas of John Locke, such as the belief that all human beings are created equal with certain unalienable rights, were influential to such colonial patriots as Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. Tell students that they will examine excerpts from the speeches and/or writings of Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry that illustrate these enlightenment ideas and that argue for self-government and independence from Britain.
   
   
2. Give each student a blank “Guided Reading Outlines” handout without answers included (see Attachment B). An excerpt of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense can be found at <http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/> by clicking on For Teachers — Classroom Handouts and Fact Sheets — Toward Revolution.” Patrick Henry’s Speech to the Virginia Convention can be found at <http://theamericanrevolution.org/ipeople/phenry/phenryspeech.asp>.
   
   
3. Have the students read the excerpts individually or aloud as a class and complete the outlines. Some of the language may be difficult for students to understand, so have them look up some of the more difficult vocabulary words. After they have completed the readings and the outlines, help them identify some of the main ideas.
   
   
4. Have students use the information from the readings and from their textbook to write a persuasive editorial for the local newspaper explaining why colonists should support the battle for independence. Show students examples of current editorials from the local paper to help them understand the format and purpose of an editorial.