The Coercive Acts and the Road to Revolution

Explore how the Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts) galvanized American colonists, sparking unity and resistance in the lead-up to the American Revolution. Through video clips, guided questions, and a cause-and-effect note catcher, students analyze both British and colonial perspectives. Students build key historical thinking skills by examining multiple view points and tracing cause and effect. They also consider how names used for historical events reveal perspectives and values. Students can synthesize what they’ve learned using extension activities like recording podcasts, writing headlines, or creating propaganda posters.

About the Author:
Passionate about fostering critical thinking, media literacy, and informed citizenship, Mary Kate Lonergan spent 16 years teaching middle and high school social studies before taking her current role, where she serves as the Social Studies Curriculum Specialist at Fayetteville-Manlius Central Schools. She emphasizes media literacy as a core element of the social studies curriculum. Lonergan is a KQED Media Literacy Innovator, acts as a Teacher Collaborator and consultant with Ithaca College’s Project Look Sharp, and served as a mentor-coach with the Media Education Lab’s MediaEd Institute. As a PBS certified media literacy educator, Lonergan has developed social studies and media literacy centered lesson plans featured on PBS LearningMedia, including other Ken Burns films.