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American Centuries > Lessons > History Lessons By Teachers > Determining Perspective in Art of the American Revolution

Determining Perspective in Art of the American Revolution

Details

Author
Stephanie Aubin
Topic/Subject Area
Military, Wars, Battles; Art, Music, Literature, Crafts
Historical Era
Revolutionary America, 1763–1783
Grade Level
Elementary (K–5)
Creation Date
2003
Last Revision Date
2024

Related items

About This Lesson

Summary and Objective

Students will understand that art can be used as a form of propaganda to promote a cause. They will have a deeper understanding of the events that led up to the Revolutionary War through observing artwork that depicts one perspective on the Boston Massacre. In their study of the political, economic, and social issues at the time the Boston Massacre took place, they will see how artwork was used as propaganda to promote the patriot cause.

Materials & Resources

Collection Items
Websites

Teaching Plan

  1. Students will have had previous instruction on the events leading up to the Boston Massacre and why the incident took place. They will have already discussed the political, economic, and social struggles occurring at this time.
  2. Students will be divided into small groups. Each group will be given a copy of the picture “Bloody Boston Massacre of 1770,” by Paul Revere, which can be accessed from “Collection Items” listed above.
  3. The small groups will be asked to discuss, then answer in a larger group setting, the following questions:
    1. What is your impression of this picture?
    2. Is it easy to differentiate between the British and the colonists?
    3. If you were a colonist and were not at the scene of the Boston Massacre, what would you have thought about this incident just from seeing this picture?
    4. From whose perspective, or point of view, is the Boston Massacre being shown?
    5. Why was this an important piece of propaganda at the time?
    6. Why would it have angered some colonists to go against King George of England?
  4. The students have a large group discussion on these questions.
  5. As an additional activity, they can go to the website listed and read the original Boston Gazette account of the Massacre. Compare this account with the Paul Revere engraving.