Contextualization

The American Revolution, also known as the American Revolutionary War, was a crucial historical event for the formation of the contemporary world as we know it. This event was the revolt of the thirteen British colonies in America against the Kingdom of Great Britain. This revolution not only culminated in the creation of the United States of America in 1776, but was also of great importance and influence for other independence movements around the world, including that of our own country, Brazil.

The conflicts began in 1765 and were triggered by a series of British laws that imposed high taxes on the colonies, without giving them representation in the British parliament. This generated a feeling of revolt, embraced by the famous slogan “No taxation without representation”. In addition, Enlightenment ideas brought from Europe questioned absolutism and defended freedom, equality, fraternity, the right to property, and other principles that were fundamental to the independence process.

In turn, the independence of the English America has direct implications on the modern world, not only with the formation of one of the most powerful countries today - the United States of America - but also in the political and social structure that was forged and that is now widely adopted by several nations: the democratic republican system. Furthermore, American independence was one of the first colonial wars of independence of the modern period, inspiring similar movements around the world.

Resources for deepening and basis for debates:

• Book: O mundo contemporâneo by Demétrio Magnoli and Regina Araujo.
• Documentary: "A Revolução Americana" by History Channel (in Portuguese).
• Article: The American Revolution and the formation of the United States by UOL Educação.

Practical Activity

Activity title: Re-enacting the American Revolution

Project goal

This project aims to provide students with a deeper and more engaging understanding of the American Revolution, developing their research skills, historical analysis, critical thinking, and teamwork.

Detailed description of the project

Throughout this project, students will work in groups of 3-5 members. Each group will be responsible for researching and presenting an integral aspect of the American Revolution, including the socioeconomic context, key events, main figures, the influence of Enlightenment ideas, and the consequences of independence.

Students will be challenged to visually recreate their part of the story through a play, model, video, digital animation, or any other means of expression they prefer. In addition, they must present a detailed written report of the process and the conclusions they reached.

Materials needed

• Computers with internet access for research
• Materials for the chosen creative expression (e.g., art supplies for models, camera for videos, etc.)

Detailed step-by-step instructions for carrying out the activity

1. Form groups of 3-5 students and assign each group an aspect of the American Revolution to research and represent.
2. Give students adequate time to research their topic, consulting a variety of sources and taking detailed notes.
3. Encourage groups to discuss their findings and effectively plan how they will visually recreate them.
4. Students should work together to create their visual representation, using the materials and approach of their choice.
5. After completing these steps, each group should present their visual piece and explain the creative process and what they learned along the way.
6. Finally, each group should write a detailed report of all stages of the project, including research, creation, and key findings.

Project deliverables

1. Visual representation of the studied aspect of the American Revolution
2. Detailed written report

In the report, students should include an introduction defining their aspect of the American Revolution and explaining why it is important, a detailed discussion of what they learned from the research, an explanation of the creative process, an analysis of the results, and a conclusion on what they achieved with this project.

Students should also include a bibliography highlighting the sources they used in the research. These documents should be well-formatted with a header and footer, and follow the citation and referencing rules. The report should complement the visual expression, providing details and insights that the visual piece may not convey.