October 2015

Greetings! Mr M's history blog has moved.   

Most of our content and information for students is now found on myUSM. However, the blogs will still be used to update lessons and other content. No more daily posts for now. Check out COOL lessons and activities for History and Economics at this site:

Wednesday, June 5th, 2013

Ahhhh....summer! See you in January 2014!!  Economics is your class in the fall semester. Visit the link to the right...

Tuesday, May 28th-Thursday, May 30th

This is our final week of classes! Exams follow and our last day is Wednesday, June 5th! Woo hoo!

This week we finished our Freedom Trail Projects!

Friday, May 24th, 2013

American History Final!

Monday, May 20th, 2013 - Thursday, May 23rd, 2013

The next four days the students will "Refight" the American Revolution.  While we are learning about what really happened (homework at night), students have been organized into opposing sides and are refighting the revolution in class using Mr. M's original game. History is already changing and its fun!
Results of the 1st Day:
First Period - Washington is crushed at Long Island. He is replaced by General Lee
Second Period - The Americans take Fort Oswego on Lake Ontario. The British divide their troops and take Norfolk, VA and Dover, DE.....interesting.
Third Period - The Americans lose Ticonderoga to a British force out of Canda, but have a big victory by taking Quebec! Sir Guy Carleton and 1,000 troops are captured!
Sixth Period - The British land troops at Baltimore, MD and New Brunswick, NJ. Continental Congress is forced to flee from Philadelphia!
Seventh Period - The British opt for taking Charleston, SC, which they do. The American army in the south is crushed....

Friday, May 17th, 2013

Filming for the Freedom Trail scenes!

Thursday, May 16th, 2013

Today our agenda was:

• To discuss the homework from the night before - learning about the Declaration of Independence. 
• Students shared what they wrote down to simply the language of the DOI.
• Mr. M explained how the Declaration is organized - how it is laid out. 
• We watched the vote for Independence and the first public reading. Cool stuff. Watch if for yourself here.
• Students worked on their Freedom Trail project...

Presenting the Declaration of Independence to Congress

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013

Our focus today was on the:

• Olive Branch Petition
• Thomas Paine's Common Sense
• The Declaration of Independence
• Watched part of the John Adam's series on the Declaration of Independence. Specifically the scene with Dickinson and Adams making final arguments for and against independence. 

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

Today we:

• Learned what the American Revolution was all about...not taxes or trade, but something much, much more!
• Mr. M talked about the real issues - popular sovereignty, equality before the law, and constitutional rights. 
• Next, we went outside to re-enact the Battle of Bunker Hill!  Student's learned the important lesson of why you always try to take the high ground!

Thursday, May 9th and Friday, May 10th

USM Freedom Trail Work Days!

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013

Today our agenda was:

• Reviewed the lesson from the night before. Students were focusing on learning about:
• The Tea Act of 1773
• The Boston Tea Party 1773
• The Coercive Acts 1774
• The First Continental Congress 1774
• This lead into learning about the events of April 18/19 1775 - Lexington and Concord!
• Went outside to reenact the British march to Lexington and Concord. Mr. M chased the students all the way back to Boston!

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013

USM Freedom Trail project!

Monday, May 6th, 2013

The USM Freedom Trail Project!

Students were given time today to research their topic for the USM Freedom Trail! They are focusing on these five important questions for each event.

• What precipitated the event?
• What happened - a description of the event.
• What people were involved in this event?
• What were some of the viewpoints or eyewitness accounts of this event?
• What resulted from this event - was their a consequence, good or bad?

Thursday, May 2nd and Friday, May 3rd

Here was our agenda these two days:

The Road to Revolution continued...We discussed these important events and acts:

• The Proclamation of 1763
• The Sugar Act 1764
• The Stamp Act 1765
• The Declaratory Act 1766
• The Townshend Acts 1767
• The Sending of British Troops to Boston 1768
• The Bloody Massacre 1770
• In class we re-enacted the Boston Massacre. The students were led by Mr M through the events on March 5, 1770 (and some of the other causes for tension just before this)
• We viewed parts of HBO's John Adams mini-series - specifically the trial of the British Soldiers
• Mr. M also introduced the USM Freedom Trail Project!

Wednesday, May 1st!

Today, we:

• Began with a review of the test. Students checked their work and asked questions. We also had the opportunity to look at grades.
• We did some organization to help get ready for our final unit of the year - The American Revolution!
• Introduced and laid the foundation for understanding why there will be an American Revolution.
• Explained the policy of Salutary (Benign) Neglect
• Discussed the two big problems remaining after the French and Indian War!

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Our agenda today:

• Completed our binder check for the Colonial America unit.
• Handed out copies of Johnny Tremain for any students interested in extra credit.
• GRADUATION from the War College of the French and Indian War!
• Students received their ranks according to points earned.
• Students chose their "fates" - what happens to them after they "graduated"!  Fun stuff!

The fate of one of our cadets! The headless officer of Charleston! Scary!

Wednesday, April 24th-Friday, April 26th

• The final task at War College was to refight the Battle of Quebec! Groups did a great job! This took place on Wednesday and Thursday.
• Friday, the 26th, was the Colonial America Test!
• Monday, the 29th, is Graduation!  Everyone will choose their fate!

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013

Our agenda today:

• Began with looking at student goals for the fourth quarter. Mr.M handed back their ideas/choices for goals with his comments. 
• Reviewed Robert Rogers - the man, the legend. Discussion of the what was learned yesterday and Mr. M added a little. Talked about the Battle on Snowshoes and some of his "Rules for Ranging".
• Final lesson #6 - The British win the war! Discussion about the strategy to win including a closer look at the Battle of Quebec.
• Introduced their final challenge - Re-fight the Battle of Quebec!

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

Welcome back! 

• Today you will learn about the man who is considered to be the hero of the French and Indian War. His name is Robert Rogers and he was born in the colony of Connecticut. During the French and Indian War, Rogers rose to the rank of Major in the British Army. He was not a regular soldier, but was called a "Ranger".  These rangers were responsible for "ranging" around looking for trouble. They would go deep into French and Indian territory and create mischief. They were an early kind of "special forces" like we have in our military today. 
• Read this first. 
• Read this second.
• After reading these two accounts, in your notes in the black notebook write down three things that Rogers should be remembered for!  Title this, in your notes, Roger's Rangers. 
• Next, ask Mrs. Samolyk for a copy of the Battle on Snowshoes. This is a great example of a typical small scale battle fought in the "Le Petite Guerre" way. Pay attention to the personal account of Thomas Brown written after the battle. Make a bullet point list of all the negative things which happen to Thomas. We will discuss it later. Just write it below his account.
• Finally, retrieve the handout, "Rogers Rules of Ranging" from Mrs. Samolyk. Major Rogers and his Rangers were living legends in their day. Rogers rules on being a ranger are still used in some shape or form today.  Four have been selected for you to rewrite.  Please rewrite them in language we can easily understand. What does each "Rule" say?

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Today we:

• Reviewed what happened in the early part of the French and Indian War.  We looked at a timeline of events and discussed.
• Mr. M spoke about Vauban and his style of fort building. This led to a discussion about Fort Ticonderoga, America's fort. It is in the Vauban style. 
• Next, we spent some time looking at examples of "Le Petite Guerre" and a the siege of Fort William Henry. Good stuff!

Surrender of Ft. William Henry