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Summary and Objective
Students will understand that people can engage in political and economic life through protests and boycotts, as women did during the revolutionary era. This lesson fits best in the middle of a unit on American colonists' grievances against Great Britain leading up to the Revolution. Students could already have prior knowledge of events such as the Stamp and Tea Acts, or this could be an introductory lesson leading up to more in depth study of these topics. The goals of the activity are to engage the students with the concept of taxation and its extreme forms, expose students to ways that women were involved in political life in the revolutionary era, and facilitate their interpretation of primary documents.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
Announce that there is a new rule in the class. Hand out one piece of paper per student and list the following: You may only use paper supplied by me. You will be taxed on all paper and documents (like hall passes). You have to use rare blue coins to pay these taxes. If you disobey, you will be tried in courts where no juries are present and convictions are probable.
Step 2.
Ask students to write a list of grievances to the Parliament of ________ (insert teacher's name here). What is your opinion about this rule? Be persuasive.
Step 3.
Discuss students' grievances. At this point you can choose to continue the "new rule" facade or come clean.
Step 4.
Show the students an overhead projection of the cartoon, "A Society of Patriotic Ladies, 1775". (See website link below.) Do not show them them the text above the cartoon yet. Ask them to report out all the details they observe. Then ask them to interpret the message(s) of the cartoon.
Step 5.
Uncover the description of the cartoon on the historymatters website and read together. Define boycott if necessary. Discuss why these women are portrayed the way they are. (The artist used various stereotypical images of women in an attempt to ridicule their participation in political issues). Why would an English cartoonist depict American women in this way?
Step 6.
Hand out copies of "Address to the Ladies" poem from the Hampshire Gazette newspaper. Explain that this version of the poem was published in 1787 but it was originally published in 1769 as colonists' frustrations were growing with British taxation. In groups of 2-4, have students read the whole poem and assign them one stanza to rewrite in different words. (This could be simply rewriting in their own words or rewriting in a certain modern style). Then have each group present their rewritten stanzas to the class.
Step 7.
Discuss why people would give up so much, referring to the cartoon and the poem, for a political or economic goal. Discuss what sacrifices students would be willing to make today for certain political or economic goals.
Step 8.
For homework, students can write poems or letters or draw a cartoon advocating a boycott or protest today for a cause in which they believe.
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