Sparking Rebellion Reading Guide Scaffold 1 American Revolution • Guided Background Reading
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Seeds of Conflict: Background & Evidence
Read the foundational accounts of two pivotal events. Annotate the British actions (causes) and colonial reactions (effects) to prepare for your graphic organizer.
Task: Underline British action • Box Colonial reaction
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Event 1: The Stamp Act (1765)
Target: Direct Taxation
Following the expensive French and Indian War, Great Britain was left with staggering debt. In March 1765, the British Parliament enacted the Stamp Act , the first direct tax on American colonists. The law required colonists to purchase an official embossed royal stamp on printed materials—including legal contracts, newspapers, licenses, and playing cards.
Because colonists elected no representatives to Parliament, they declared the tax illegal tyranny under the rallying cry, "No taxation without representation!" In response, colonists launched fierce protests , organized consumer boycotts against British merchants, and formed groups like the Sons of Liberty.
Text Evidence Checks
What specific action did Parliament take?
Name two ways colonists protested the act:
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Event 2: The Boston Massacre (1770)
Target: Military Escalation
To enforce colonial compliance and protect customs commissioners, Great Britain stationed thousands of soldiers in Boston. Hostility between Bostonians and British soldiers mounted daily over jobs and curfew checks. On March 5, 1770, an angry crowd confronted a British sentry outside the Boston Customs House, shouting insults and throwing snowballs and rocks.
In the confusion, British soldiers fired into the unarmed crowd, killing five colonists, including Crispus Attucks. Colonial leaders quickly publicized the incident as the Boston Massacre . Paul Revere produced a dramatic engraving depicting soldiers ruthlessly firing on defenseless citizens, causing colonists to become deeply distrustful of royal authorities.
Text Evidence Checks
Why was friction high between soldiers & colonists?
How did Paul Revere’s portrayal spread distrust?
Bridge to Scaffold 2: Cause & Effect Connection
Synthesize Before Mapping
In 1–2 sentences, explain how the colonial reaction changed between 1765 (Stamp Act) and 1770 (Boston Massacre). How did the conflict move from economic disagreement to physical violence and deep distrust?
Next Step: Transfer your identified causes and effects directly onto the Scaffold 2 Graphic Organizer.
Scaffold 1 • Evidence Guide
Sparking Rebellion Graphic Organizer Scaffold 2 American Revolution • Road to Independence
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Cause & Effect: Sparks of Rebellion
Analyze how British actions provoked colonial resistance. Review the primary cause and effect for each event, then cite specific evidence or historical details showing how colonists responded.
Cause Effect
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Event: The Stamp Act (1765)
British Imperial Taxation
Cause (British Action)
Stamp Act
Parliament levied a direct tax on printed materials (newspapers, legal documents, playing cards) to recoup French & Indian War debts without colonial consent.
Key Trigger: Direct Taxation
Leads to
Effect (Colonial Reaction)
Colonists protested British taxation.
Supporting Details & Protest Methods: boycotts • slogans • assemblies
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Event: The Boston Massacre (1770)
Military Escalation
Cause (British Action)
Boston Massacre
Armed British soldiers occupied Boston to enforce customs acts. Tensions boiled over, leading soldiers to fire into a crowd of taunting colonists, killing five.
Key Trigger: Armed Conflict
Leads to
Effect (Colonial Reaction)
Colonists became increasingly distrustful of British rule.
Evidence of Escalating Distrust: propaganda • committees • unity
Extension Question • Critical Thinking
How did these events contribute to the American Revolution?
Explain how the shift from resisting unfair laws (Stamp Act) to physical clashes and broken trust (Boston Massacre) united disparate colonies and made compromise increasingly impossible.
Checklist: Clear historical evidence cited Cause-to-effect connection explained Complete sentences in Extension
Road to Revolution
Revolution Words Reference Sheet Scaffold 3 American Revolution • Academic Language Support
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Word Bank & Sentence Builder
Use these targeted historical terms and transition words to explain cause-and-effect relationships on your graphic organizer and written responses.
Writing Toolkit
Part 1: Content Vocabulary
7 Key Historical Terms
taxation noun
The system by which a government requires people to pay money to support public expenses.
Ex: Colonists rejected taxation without direct representation in Parliament.
protest noun / verb
A public statement or demonstration expressing strong disapproval of a rule, law, or action.
Ex: Citizens organized street protests when the stamp tax was announced.
colonists noun
People living in the thirteen American colonies under the sovereignty of the British monarch.
Ex: American colonists began cooperating across regional borders.
British Parliament proper noun
The national lawmaking legislature of Great Britain, based in London.
Ex: The British Parliament claimed total authority to tax the colonies.
boycott noun / verb
An organized refusal to purchase, sell, or use goods from a specific source as a political protest.
Ex: A widespread colonial boycott forced British merchants to pressure Parliament.
revolution noun
The overthrow or dramatic change of a government system in favor of a new order.
Ex: Unresolved conflicts escalated into the American Revolution.
independence noun
Complete freedom from external political control and foreign governance.
Ex: Colonists sought independence to build self-governing states.
Part 2: Cause-and-Effect Connectors
7 Transition Words & Phrases
Words Showing Cause / Trigger
because Introduces the direct reason
caused Verb: made an event happen
led to Verb: sparked a chain reaction
Words Showing Effect / Result
therefore For this reason / as a logical conclusion
as a result Signals direct outcome of an event
contributed to Helped make a larger result happen
consequently Following as a direct consequence
Pattern A: [Cause] caused / led to [Effect]
Pattern B: Because [Cause], [Effect].
Part 3: Sentence Practice
Apply 1 Content Word + 1 Transition
1. Write a cause-and-effect sentence about the Stamp Act using as a result or led to:
