This section focuses on the various forces that contributed to the rise of the independence movements, the similar and different paths that the movements followed and the immediate effects of independence in the region. It explores the political, intellectual and military contributions of their leaders and the sometimes contradictory views that shaped the emergence of the new nations.
Objective 2.1: Independence movements in the Americas: political, economic, social and religious causes; the influence of Enlightenment ideas; the role of foreign intervention; conflicts and issues leading to war
Objective 2.2: Political, intellectual and military contributions of leaders to the process of independence: Washington, Bolivar and San Martin
Objective 2.3: United States: processes leading to the Declaration of Independence; influence of ideas; nature of the declaration; military campaigns/battles and their impact on the outcome
Objective 2.4: Latin America: characteristics of the independence processes; reasons for the similarities and differences in two Latin American countries; military campaigns/battles and their impact on the outcome
Objective 2.5: Attitude of the United States towards Latin American independence; nature of, and reasons for, the
Monroe Doctrine
Objective 2.6: Impact of independence on the economies and societies of the Americas: economic cost of the wars of independence; the establishment of new trade relations; impact on different social groups—specifically indigenous peoples, African Americans, Creoles
Essential Questions:
1. Were there any indications pre-1763 that North Americans wanted independence?
2. What caused the American Revolution?
3. What caused the American War of Independence?
4. What were the main causes of unrest in Latin America?
5. Which side of the American War for Independence had the greater advantages in 1776?
6. Why did Britain not win the American War for Independence in 1776–77?
7. To what extent did French and Spanish intervention have an impact on the American War for Independence?
8. Did Britain lose or America win the War of Independence?
9. How did the situation in Europe (1807– 12) affect developments in Latin America?
10. Why did Spain lose its American empire after 1816?
11. Why were Spain’s American colonies able to win independence?
12. How did Brazil achieve independence?
13. What was George Washington’s contribution to the American Revolution?
14. How important was John Adams to the process of independence?
15. Why was Thomas Jefferson important to the process of independence?
16. What was Bolívar’s contribution to the Wars of Liberation?
17. How important were San Martín and O’Higgins in the independence of Chile & Peru?
18. Which man had the greatest impact: George Washington or Simón Bolívar?
19. What role did the US and Britain play in Latin American independence in the early 1800s?
20. How important was the Monroe Doctrine in US relations with Latin America?
21. Why did Britain recognize South American independence ahead European powers?
22. What role did Britain play in the establishment of Brazilian independence?
23. What was the social, economic and political impact of the American Revolution?
24. How revolutionary was the (North) American Revolution?
25. What was the social, economic and political impact of the Wars of Liberation?
Vocab—Key concepts, events, and people (think about the local context [WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE] and the broad context [HOW/WHY] as related to the unit of study):
Alexander Hamilton Anti-Federalists Articles of Confederation
Authoritarian Benjamin Franklin Bourbon Reforms
Cash crop Caudillismo Charter
Colonial aristocracy Colony Committees of Correspondence
Conquistadores Constituent assembly Constitutional monarchy
Continental army Corporate colonies Coup d’etat
Creoles East India Company Enlightenment
Federalists Ferdinand VII Free birth
Free trade French and Indian War General Charles Cornwallis
George Washington Grito de Dolores Hacienda
Hessians House of Burgesses Inquisition
James Madison John Adams John Dickinson
John Locke Jose de San Martin Juntas
King George III Liberalism Louisiana Purchase
Loyalist Manumission laws Mercantilism
Middle Colonies Miguel Hidalgo Minutemen
Mita Monroe Doctrine Nationalism
Nativism Nortwest Ordinance Oligarchy
Pan-Americanism Patriot Pontiac’s Rebellion
Proprietary colonies Protective tariff Republicanism
Royal paternalism Samuel Adams Sedition Acts
Self-determination Shays’ rebellion Simon Bolivar
Sons of Liberty Stamp Act crisis Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Paine Tories Toussaint Louverture
Treaty of Paris (1763) Treaty of Paris (1783) Yeoman farmers
Day / Date / Reading Due / Assignment Due / In-Class Topic1 / 11/2 (A) & 11/3 (B) / ------/ ------/ Rise of independence movements in the Americas
2 / 11/4 (A) & 11/7 (B) / Persons of a Mean and Vile Condition by Howard Zinn / ------/ Rise of independence movements in the Americas
3 / 11/9 (A) & 11/10 (B) / ------/ Outline for IA: Section Two - Submit to Google Classroom / Writing Lab: Section 2
4 / 11/14 (A) & 11/15 (B) / ------/ ------/ Processes leading to and of the American Revolution
5 / 11/16 (A) & 11/17 (B) / Tyranny is Tyranny by Howard Zinn / ------/ Processes leading to and of the American Revolution
6 / 11/18 (A) & 11/21 (B) / ------/ ------/ Processes leading to and of the American Revolution
7 / 11/22 (A) & 11/28 (B) / ------/ ------/ Writing Lab: Section 2
8 / 11/29 (A) & 11/30 (B) / Declaration in Global Perspective by David Armitage / ------/ Characteristics of the independence processes in Latin America
9 / 12/1 (A) & 12/2* (B) / ------/ Draft of IA: Section Two - Submit to Google Classroom* / Characteristics of the independence processes in Latin America
10 / 12/5 (A) & 12/6 (B) / ------/ ------/ Writing Lab: Section 3
11 / 12/7 (A) & 12/8 (B) / ------/ Group Presentations: Latin American Independence Movements / Characteristics of the independence processes in Latin America
12 / 12/9 (A) & 12/12 (B) / ------/ ------/ Attitude of the United States towards Latin American independence
13 / 12/13 (A) & 12/14 (B) / ------/ ------/ Attitude of the United States towards Latin American independence
14 / 12/15 (A) & 12/16* (B) / ------/ Draft of IA Section Three – Submit to Google Classroom* / Political, intellectual, and military contributions of leaders to the process of independence
15 / 12/19 (A) & 12/20 (B) / Were the Founding Fathers Democratic Reformers? / ------/ Political, intellectual, and military contributions of leaders to the process of independence
16 / 12/21 (A) & 1/4 (B) / ------/ ------/ Political, intellectual, and military contributions of leaders to the process of independence
17 / 1/5 (A) & 1/6 (B) / Impact of the Revolution on Women and African Americans: Guided Readings / ------/ Impact of independence on the economies and societies of the Americas
18 / 1/9 (A) & 1/10 (B) / ------/ ------/ UNIT REVIEW
19 / 1/11 (A) & 1/12 (B) / ------/ ------/ UNIT EXAM