Analyzing a Visual Metaphor for the American Revolution

Use this activity at the beginning of a unit on the American Revolution when introducing or reviewing the causes, battles, major events, and people of the Revolutionary War. For grades 6-12. Approximate time needed is 20 minutes.

Introduce students to the concept of a visual metaphor: a creative representation of a particular idea, event, or other concept that uses a visual image to suggest a particular connection between that idea and the visual.

Introduce the image Chart of Battles, Leaders, and Congresses During the Revolutionary War. Direct students to begin the activity individually or in pairs. They should spend a few moments looking at the chart unassisted.

Students should then proceed to answer the questions that follow, which will guide them through the process of document analysis:

• Meet the document.
• Observe its parts.
• Try to make sense of it.
• Use it as historical evidence.

Once students have worked through the analysis questions and click “When You’re Done” and discuss the following:

Based on your understanding of the historical chart and your background knowledge of the American Revolution:

• Do you think this is an accurate representation of the American Revolution? Why or why not?
• What do you think is overemphasized or underemphasized in this representation of the American Revolution? Explain.
• What would you add and/or remove from this representation of the American Revolution?