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History is for Everyone · American Revolution Network

Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government

Annapolis, MD

Grade Range: 8-12·Duration: 3 class periods

Students analyze Washington's resignation and the Treaty of Paris ratification as the Revolution's defining constitutional moment, examining how ceremony communicated republican principles and tracing the path from the Annapolis Convention of 1786 to the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

This Packet Includes

  • Lesson Plan & Learning Objectives
  • 5 Primary Source Analysis Worksheets
  • 3 Student Handouts
  • Assessment Quiz (5 questions)
  • Answer Key (Teacher Copy)
  • Standards Alignment
Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Lesson Overview
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  1. Explain the significance of Washington's resignation as a precedent for civilian control of the military
  2. Analyze the Treaty of Paris ratification as the formal conclusion of the Revolutionary War
  3. Evaluate how ceremony communicated political principles in the founding era
  4. Connect the Annapolis Convention of 1786 to the Constitutional Convention of 1787

Essential Questions

Keep these questions in mind throughout the unit:

  • Why did contemporaries consider Washington's resignation more significant than his military victories?
  • What does it mean to design a political ceremony — what was the Annapolis resignation designed to communicate?
  • How did the failures of the Articles of Confederation lead to the Constitutional Convention?
Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 1 of 5
Document Information
Document:General Washington's Address to Congress on Resigning His Commission, December 23, 1783
Source:Library of Congress, George Washington Papers
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1
General Washington's Address to Congress on Resigning His Commission, December 23, 1783

General Washington's Address to Congress on Resigning His Commission, December 23, 1783

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Annapolis, MD? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 2 of 5
Document Information
Document:Ratification of the Treaty of Paris by the Continental Congress, January 14, 1784
Source:National Archives, Record Group 360
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1
Ratification of the Treaty of Paris by the Continental Congress, January 14, 1784

Ratification of the Treaty of Paris by the Continental Congress, January 14, 1784

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Annapolis, MD? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 3 of 5
Document Information
Document:Journals of the Continental Congress, Volume XXV (1783)
Source:Library of Congress
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1
Journals of the Continental Congress, Volume XXV (1783)

Journals of the Continental Congress, Volume XXV (1783)

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Annapolis, MD? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 4 of 5
Document Information
Document:Maryland State Archives: Revolutionary War Records Collection
Source:Maryland State Archives
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1
Maryland State Archives: Revolutionary War Records Collection

Maryland State Archives: Revolutionary War Records Collection

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Annapolis, MD? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 5 of 5
Document Information
Document:Maryland State House: A History of the Oldest State Capitol in Continuous Use
Source:Maryland State Archives (Edward Papenfuse)
Type:SECONDARY
Credibility:TIER1

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What primary sources does this draw from?

  5. What interpretation does the author offer?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Annapolis, MD? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Annapolis Event Timeline
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Annapolis Event Timeline

timeline

Students place key events in chronological order and add details

# Annapolis Revolutionary Timeline


Instructions: Place the following events in order and add one detail about each.


  • [ ] Continental Congress Ratifies Treaty of Paris
  • [ ] Washington Resigns His Commission
  • [ ] Annapolis Convention of 1786
  • [ ] Annapolis Serves as National Capital
  • [ ] Maryland Delegates Sign the Declaration of Independence

---


| Event | Date | Significance |

|-------|------|-------------|

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source Analysis

graphic organizer

Structured analysis of Revolutionary-era documents

# Primary Source Analysis Worksheet


## Source Information

  • Title: _________________
  • Author: _________________
  • Date: _________________
  • Type: _________________

## Observation

What do you notice? (List 3 things)

1.

2.

3.


## Reflection

What do you wonder? (List 2 questions)

1.

2.


## Analysis

What does this source tell us about Annapolis during the Revolution?


_______________________________________________


## Perspective

Whose voice is represented? Whose might be missing?


_______________________________________________

Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Key Figures Profile
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Key Figures Profile

worksheet

Research template for Revolutionary figures

# Revolutionary Figure Profile


## Basic Information

  • Name: _________________
  • Birth/Death Years: _________________
  • Occupation(s): _________________

## Role in the Revolution

### Thomas Jefferson

Virginia delegate present in Annapolis for Washington's resignation and the Treaty ratification. He later called Washington's voluntary resignation the greatest act of the general's life and helped manage congressional proceedings for the treaty.


My questions about this person:

1.

2.


### George Washington

Virginia planter and Continental Army commander-in-chief who owned and managed Mount Vernon's enslaved workforce. Absent from his estate for most of the war, he directed Lund Washington's management by correspondence and returned to find the plantation's human community shaped by eight years of wartime disruption.


My questions about this person:

1.

2.



## Reflection

Which figure interests you most and why?


_______________________________________________

Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Assessment
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Annapolis in the American Revolution

Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.

  1. 1.  What makes Annapolis significant in Revolutionary history?

  2. 2.  Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.

  3. 3.  Name one event that occurred in Annapolis during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.

    Answer:

  4. 4.  Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?

  5. 5.  Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.

    Answer:

ANSWER KEY · TEACHER COPY · DO NOT DISTRIBUTE

Annapolis in the American Revolution

Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Annapolis, MD

  1. 1.What makes Annapolis significant in Revolutionary history?
    Answer:A

    Annapolis played a significant role in the American Revolution as evidenced by the events we studied.

  2. 2.Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.
    Answer:True

    Primary sources provide firsthand evidence about historical events.

  3. 3.Name one event that occurred in Annapolis during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.
    Answer:[Varies - accept any accurate event with reasonable explanation]

    Students should identify a specific event and connect it to broader Revolutionary themes.

  4. 4.Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?
    Answer:A

    Multiple perspectives help us understand the full complexity of historical events.

  5. 5.Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.
    Answer:[Varies - accept any accurate connection]

    Students should demonstrate understanding of the interconnected nature of Revolutionary events.

Unit:Annapolis 1783–84: The End of the Revolution and the Birth of Republican Government — Standards Alignment
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Standards Addressed

Common Core ELA

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.6: Compare point of view of two or more authors on the same topic
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content

C3 Framework

  • D2.His.1.9-12: Evaluate how historical events were shaped by unique circumstances of time and place
  • D2.Civ.2.9-12: Analyze the role of citizens in the design of governmental structures