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Course: World History Project - 1750 to the Present > Unit 2

Lesson 3: Revolutions Around the World | 2.2
Arts and humanities
World History Project - 1750 to the Present
Liberal and National Revolutions
Revolutions Around the World | 2.2
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BEFORE YOU WATCH: Tea, Taxes, and the American Revolution

Google Classroom
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
  1. How did the Seven Years’ War help cause the American Revolution?
  2. Britain fought the expensive Seven Years’ War to defend their American colonies and went to war against the revolutionaries in an attempt to keep them under British rule. Why were the colonies so valuable to Britain?
  3. What methods did the colonists use to protest British policies?
  4. Who did the revolution benefit the most? Who benefited the least?
  5. What does John Green think was the most important change produced by the American Revolution? Was it revolutionary?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
  1. John Green lists a lot of different factors that led to the revolution. Make a list of what you think were the three most important causes. Are the items on your list political causes or material causes?
  2. John Green says that, after the Revolution, Americans “came to view themselves as equal to each other.” Do you agree? When viewed through the communities frame, was the American Revolution revolutionary?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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