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Unit Opener: What is Historical Fiction?

Choose Your Own Adventure: For this unit, you will have the chance to create your own piece of Historical Fiction. In case you aren't familiar with that term, creative individuals throughout Hollywood, the video game industry, and the book industry make BILLIONS of dollars creating made-up characters and events and inserting them into real-life historical events. Whether you know it or not, you're probably already familiar with historical fiction. Take a look at some examples below.

Directions (Part 1): For this Unit, you'll be writing a book (yep, a whole book!) about a fictional character that exists in the chaotic, transformative time period shown in the trailers above. Your book will tell a unique story about a character all your own, while incorporating the major historical events that led to the American Revolution. Your story is truly going to be YOUR STORY. Your teacher will introduce some plot twists and help make your story fit into the events that shaped our country, but the characters, the action, and the heart of your story lies within you.

The Road to Independence: A Video Timeline

The colonies didn't declare independence from Great Britain over night. It took many events and more than ten years of tensions between the colonists and their King to cause the separation. Throughout the modules below, you will be introduced to a number of these key events, as well as some of the important figures who contributed to this conflict. You will need to understand what these events were and how these people played a role, so you can incorporate it all into your story. Watch the video to the right to begin building an understanding of what these events are all about. You may want to come back to this video throughout your research. As an added resource, use the Conflict in the Colonies Timeline (under the video)  as an assistant. Then, continue to MOD 1 and start writing.

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Conflict in the Colonies Timeline
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• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6

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Chapter 1: A New Life in Ohio

Directions: Good characters are the best part of any story. Readers need to like some characters and cheer them on as they go through ups and downs, and readers also need to have characters that they don't like. What kind of characters do you want? Will your story revolve around one main character from beginning to end, or will multiple main characters tag in and out? Maybe the main character in the beginning of the book will die or be captured in the beginning, and a new character will take over. It's all up to you.

First, you need to develop your main character, and you'll begin to do this in Chapter 1. From here on out, we'll call your main character "MC". You can decide if MC is a "he" or "she". You can also decide what MC's family is like. Is the family big or small?  Are they a farming family or do they practice a trade?  Do they belong to a particular religion? Also, what are MC's interests?  Does MC have a boyfriend/girlfriend?  Some of these choices will depend on what colony your character is from, and some are just up to your imagination. You can also determine MC's age, but know this: the entire story will take place between 1760 and 1790, so MC has to be born by 1750 at the very latest.

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• Chapter 1 is mostly about MC describing his/her home colony, which he/she moved away from at a very young age. Obviously MC can't really remember this place, but perhaps MC has heard stories about "home" from a parent or an older sibling. Tell your readers about what MC's home colony was like, including what his / her parents did for work, but also things like geography and climate. (Would you want to read a story that said, "The climate back home was cold in the winter and warm in the summer," or would you prefer something along the lines of, "Tommy still talks about the long, cold winters back home, but laughs in describing the excitement on Susie's face the first time that she was allowed to run outside and play in the snow"? Make your story a story.

• MC's family decided to leave the home colony sometime between 1751 and 1753, and moved to the Ohio River Valley (Basin). Why?  Were they farmers seeking open land?  Were they a band of hunters and traders? Were they missionaries seeking to spread their religion in the frontier? It's up to you. However, by the end of the chapter, you need to HINT at the fact that moving there might have been a bad idea. End your chapter with a cliffhanger, dropping a major bomb that your family is in the midst of a war! (Who's at war? What side is MC on? What's this all about?? Don't worry just yet. We'll answer all those questions in Chapter 2.)
  

Chapter 2: War on the Frontier

Directions (Part 1): So let's look back at Chapter 1... We each have the beginning of a story involving a young man or woman—"MC"—who has moved west, past the Appalachian Mountains, to the Ohio River Valley. It's the early 1760s, and MC finds himself/herself in the middle of a mess. This new land in the Midwest part of America was supposed to provide good land and good farming, and most importantly, the sense of opportunity that comes with both. Unfortunately, more opportunity for the colonists means less opportunity for the Native Americans who have been living there for generations. Of course there's more to every story, and this particular story involves powerful allies on each side.

For Chapter 2, you will have to research the French and Indian War, and along the way, you'll have to make a number of choices regarding MC.  First, let's highlight some specific questions you'll have to answer in your research. Using the resources available to you, answer the questions below and record them on your paper. (These are the basics; feel free to dive in further.)

Questions:

1. This war featured the French and Indians on one side, fighting against the British military and British colonists (Americans). What was the motivation for each of the four groups to fight in the war?
2. Why was this war important in the life and career of George Washington?
3. What was the result of the war for each of the four groups involved? (French, Indians, British soldiers, British-American colonists)
4. What was the Proclamation of 1763? Why was it made? How did colonists react to it?

(1) Before the U.S. was even a thought, Washington served as a British soldier and fought in the French and Indian War.

(2) Before the Treaty of Paris - Britain and France both claimed control of the Ohio River Basin. The French and Indian War was fought over this land.

(3) After the Treaty of Paris - France lost the war and was forced to give all land east of the Mississippi River to the British.

(4) The Proclamation of 1763, prohibited settlement west of the Appalachians. This forced those living in the Ohio River Basin to move back to the colonies.

Directions (Part 2): These questions and answers will help you outline and then write the content of Chapter 2. Make sure the following points are included:

• Explain how MC feels about this conflict. Does MC side with the other colonists or with the "Indians"? Is this a tough choice or a clear decision?
• MC must describe the war, both in generalities and specifics. He/she can fight or watch from the sidelines, but MC must give a firsthand account.
• MC must meet and interact with George Washington in some way.
• MC must have a reaction to the Proclamation of 1763.
• The chapter must end with MC moving to Boston, Massachusetts. You can explain if MC is happy or unhappy with this move, but the reason for the move must be clear. (If you prefer, you can use foreshadowing to an imply an impending move at the beginning of Chapter 3.)

Chapter. 3: No Taxation Without Representation!

Directions (Part 1): In Chapter 2, MC was driven from the Ohio River Valley thanks to King George III's Proclamation of 1763. Chapter 3 will introduce readers to MC's new home: Boston, Massachusetts. Boston is the biggest and most important city in Colonial America, and is home to all of the major events that led to the Revolutionary War. As you may have guessed, that's what Chapter 3 is all about...

Questions:

1. What was life like in colonial Boston?
2. What was the Sugar Act? 
3. What was the Stamp Act? 
4. What was the Quartering Act? 
5. What were the Townshend Acts? 
6. How did all of these acts affect life in Boston?
7. What did citizens of Boston do to show their disapproval of these acts?

(1) The Stamp Act, passed in 1765, forced colonists to buy stamps for paper products. This law had an impact on nearly every colonist

(2) Sam Adams and the Sons of Liberty organized boycotts to protest the new taxes. Some of these patriots even went to far as to attack tax collectors.

(3) British soldiers were sent to Boston to keep the peace. The Quartering Act, passed in 1765, forced the colonists to house and supply these soldiers.

(4) The Townshend Acts, passed in 1767, placed taxes on things like lead, paint and tea. After more protests, all of the taxes (except for tea) were repealed.

Directions (Part 2): In this chapter, MC will be one of the many citizens of Boston that is subjected to the new laws and taxes enacted by the British Parliament. You, however, will have to decide how MC feels about these laws and taxes. Do they infuriate you? Are you going to fight against them and disobey the crown? Or are you sympathetic to the British government? Do you defend their laws and taxes and remain loyal to the king? This  major decision is entirely up to you, and it very well may affect the rest of your story.

• Describe life in Boston. City life is assuredly quite different than life on a farm out west, but it is not taxis, skyscrapers, and Starbucks. Be true to the time period in which our story takes place. 
• Soon after MC arrives in Boston, the Sugar Act goes into effect. A year later, the Stamp Act and Quartering Act follow. Two years after that comes the Townshend Acts. Discussing these acts in length would most likely make your story rather boring, however the colonists' reaction to them, including protests and boycotts, can make for a pretty exciting story. 
• At the end of the chapter, you will again write a cliffhanger that will excite your readers into flipping the page and breathlessly beginning Chapter 4 to find out what happens next. Use foreshadowing to imply that Bostonians are so angry that something bad (and even bloody) could soon take place.

Chapter 4: A Bloody Massacre?

Directions (Part 1):  In Chapter 3, MC moved to Boston, which presented a number of lifestyle changes. Obviously being in a big city was new and different, but the end of the French and Indian War also meant a lot of new laws and taxes that frustrated American colonists. These laws and taxes had the greatest effect in Boston, which meant that citizens of Boston were the most frustrated. In Chapter 4, MC will witness and/or participate in the "Bloody Massacre", which we now call the Boston Massacre. 

In writing this chapter, you might just write about the actual events of that hour and that day. You may also choose to write about the week, or even the month that followed the event. It's up to you. 

Questions:

1. What happened in the Boston Massacre?
2. What did Paul Revere's depiction show? Was it accurate?
3. What was John Adams' role in this event?

(1) Patriots used the event as an opportunity to rally support around their cause. This poster by Paul Revere, presents a biased point of view on "The Bloody Massacre".

(2) Posters, processions and obituaries were all forms of propaganda used to rally support around the Patriot cause.

(3) This modern version of Boston Massacre propaganda outlines one only perspective on the event.

(4) A Boston lawyer named John Adams defended the soldiers and convinced the jury that they acted in self- defense.

Directions (Part 2): By 1770, the tensions in Boston had hit a boiling point. On the cold night of March 5, 1770, a British sentry, donned in his red coat, took his post just outside the customs house. As a crowd gathered in the square, it soon became clear that the night would not end well. Why was this crowd there, and what were they doing? In this chapter, MC will be on the scene during "The Bloody Massacre". This chapter is action-packed, and your audience wants to hear all about what happened from YOU, a witness to history. Make sure to include the following in this chapter:

• Describe the scene at "The Bloody Massacre" (make sure to refer to it as the Bloody Massacre, NOT the Boston Massacre). MC can participate in this event, or simply watch from afar, but he/she must at least be a witness to it. It's entirely up to you. Some questions to consider:
  • Did MC have any "run-ins" with the Redcoats?
  • Was the protest that led to the Boston Massacre planned? Did MC know of the plans?
  • Does MC believe that the colonists antagonized the Redcoats? Who deserves the blame for what happened?
  • And most importantly, where was MC during the Boston Massacre? Was MC right in the middle of it? Did he/she yell and scream? Throw rocks? Get shot? 
• MC must meet and interact with Sam Adams and John Adams in some way.
• MC must take a position on who he/she believes is at fault for "The Bloody Massacre". 

Chapter 5: Tea Time in Boston!

Directions (Part 1): NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION! PROTESTS AND VIOLENCE IN THE STREETS! A BLOODY MASSACRE!... BOSTON WAS A CITY IN TURMOIL!

Following the Boston Massacre, it was clear that there was a growing divide between the colonists. On one side, we had those who considered themselves loyal to the Crown, despite the recent events. (We now call these people Loyalists.) On the other side, we had those who increasingly began to talk of declaring independence from Great Britain. (We now call these people Patriots.) In Chapter 6, this divide grows even further, with yet another law, and another protest. Only this time, the protest was a little different.

Much like the last chapter, in writing Chapter 5, you might just write about the actual events of that hour or that day. You may also choose to write about the week, or even the month that led up to or followed the event. It's up to you. 
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Questions:

1. What was tarring and feathering? 
2. What did the Tea Act do, and why were people upset about it? 
3. Who planned the Boston Tea Party, and what did they do?

(1) Most of the Townshend Act had been repealed, but the tax on tea remained. Tax collectors collected the duty on tea at the risk of being tarred and feathered.

(2) On top of the tax on tea, King George III and Parliament passed the Tea Act, which forced colonists to buy taxed tea from the British East India Company.

(3) In an act of protest, members of the Sons of Liberty, dressed as indians, boarded tea ships in Boston Harbor and dumped 90,000 pounds of tea overboard.

(4) Patriots praised the Sons of Liberty for the Boston Tea Party, but loyalists considered it a criminal act of vandalism.

Directions (Part 2): The Tea Act has the colonists all up in arms again. Everyday, MC is hearing talks of protests, and more and more people are joining in on the Tea boycott.  Last week, MC even saw a mob tar and feather a tax collector, who was trying to collect tea duty, on a few ships that came into port. The ship owner won't pay it, and now there have been whispers amongst the Sons of Liberty... something about dumping the tea overboard. What were they planning and why? In this chapter, MC will describe his/her experience at the Boston Tea Party. For this chapter, make sure to include the following:

• Describe MC's experience with the tar and feathering mob from last week. MC can participate in this event, or simply watch from afar, but he/she must at least be a witness to it. It's entirely up to you.

• Describe the scene at the Boston Tea Party. Again, MC can participate in this event, or simply watch from afar, but he/she must at least be a witness to it. It's entirely up to you. Was MC right in the middle of it? Did he/she participate? Dump tea? Attack soldiers?
• Describe why the Sons of Liberty did this and whether MC thinks it was justified. ​Does MC believe that the Boston Tea Party was vandalism, or does MC believe it to be a justified act of protest against an unfair law?

Chapter 6: The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Directions (Part 1): Finally, we have reached the conclusion to your story. So far, MC has seen and done quite a bit. We saw our first glimpse of war in the Ohio River Valley as the English soldiers and colonists united against the French and Indians. The King's Proclamation of 1763 sent us back to the east coast, where we ended up seeing and understanding the frustration felt by Boston citizens over undemocratic laws and taxes. This tension erupted in the form of the Boston Massacre, where citizens rioted and goaded the Redcoats to fire at them. Most recently, MC has witnessed an unprecedented act of disobedience and vandalism in the Boston Tea Party.

At this point, the King has had enough of Boston. He wasn't going to allow these transgressions to continue. In direct response to the Boston Tea Party, British Parliament passes the Coercive Acts. (Colonists nickname them the Intolerable Acts because they simply cannot tolerate them.)


These "Intolerable Acts" were specifically meant to punish the citizens of Massachusetts, but citizens throughout the thirteen colonies could empathize. Soon after, representatives from each colony met in Philadelphia at the First Continental Congress. Representing Massachusetts, John Adams and Samuel Adams explained the severity of the situation to the other representatives, and together, the Congress demanded that the British government repeal the Intolerable Acts and allow the colonies to tax and govern themselves. They also determined that the colonies would form militias to protect themselves against any potential British force.

You can probably guess that war is brewing. You might also remember the story of Paul Revere from elementary school. You might not guess that a lot of that story is completely wrong. The basic story, however, is correct: Paul Revere did set out to warn the Minutemen (as the Massachusetts militia members were nicknamed) that "the British were coming". This allowed the Minutemen to gather their resources (including weapons) and stare down the British Redcoats at Lexington, and again at Concord...

As the Redcoats marched toward Lexington, they were surprised to find that seventy-seven Minutemen were ready for them, armed and waiting. To this day, no one knows who fired first, but that "shot heard 'round the world" resulted in a battle that killed eight colonists. As the Redcoats chased the Minutemen to the nearby town of Concord, they were again surprised by a much larger group of colonists. The Redcoats quickly decided to retreat back to Boston, but by the time they returned, almost 300 had been killed or wounded. The American Revolution had started. We were now at war.

Questions:

1. How did colonists feel about the Intolerable Acts?
2. Who attended the First Continental Congress?
3. What was the story of "the Midnight Ride" of Paul Revere? How was the reality different?
4. What were the Battles of Lexington and/or Concord? Who fired the first shot?

Directions (Part 2): 

• Describe the Intolerable Acts, and the mood of Boston during that time. How did MC feel about them?
• Describe the result of the First Continental Congress. It's up to you to decide if MC participates in some way or simply learns of its outcome from afar.
• Describe "the Midnight Ride". Again, you must determine how involved MC was in its planning and/or its execution.
• Describe the Battle of Lexington and Concord. It's up to you to decide if MC fought there or simply witnessed it. Describe the first shot, and if you'd like, you can share with your audience who shot it. Maybe it was MC...
• End the story. Will it end with a cliffhanger leading to a sequel? (Perhaps the famous "shot" is the last scene...) Will it provide resolution? Will it simply imply an impending all-out war, or will it include an epilogue that describes the result of the war and the newfound American independence?