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American Colonial History - Alignment to Utah Core

Mission US: A free online role-playing game about American Hisotry

Below are just some of the ways The Mission 1: For Crown or Colony? online game supports the Utah Core Curriculum

Fifth Grade Eighth Grade

Standard & Objective	Indicator	Mission US Content
Social Studies
Standard 1, Objective 3	Compare the varying degrees of freedom held by different groups (e.g. American Indians, landowners, women, indentured servants, enslaved people).	There are several opportunities to discuss slavery and servitude with simulation characters throughout the first few parts of the simulation. Depending on the interaction with the characters, you can learn how independence might affect slaves or indentured servants and the degree to which they would support or oppose revolution.
Standard 2, Objective 1	Explain the role of events that led to declaring independence (e.g. French and Indian War, Stamp Act, Boston Tea Party).	The Townshend Acts and introduced early in the simulation and there is plenty of discussion of both sides regarding importation boycotts and protests. The Boston Massacre is represented as a complex event and is specifically designed to allow for multiple interpretations of that event. Briefly reviews the Boston Tea Party and the Declaration of Independence in the epilogue, but there is little gameplay involved in these events.
Standard 2, Objective 1	Analyze arguments both for and against declaring independence using primary sources from Loyalist and patriot perspectives.	Introduces various primary sources representing patriot views, such as a Sons of Liberty pamphlet and notes posted on the Liberty Tree. Franklin’s “Join or Die” cartoon is included. Introduces "Common Sense" in the epilogue. Allows the student to interact with both loyalist and patriot characters in the simulation, which give opinions and arguments for both sides. At times the student is forced to choose from a range of possible responses to those opinions.
Standard 2, Objective 1	Explain the content and purpose of the Declaration of Independence.	Introduced briefly in the epilogue, but not a focus of this simulation.

Standard & Objective	Indicator	Mission US Content
Social Studies
Standard 2, Objective 1	Recognize the difference between fact and opinion and discern bias in the media.	Uses actual text from period papers to describe and editorialize polarizing events. Discussions between printers and potential advertisers about what will, or will not, be included in the newspaper based on political bias. Pamphlets, broadsides, and other popular media are heavy on opinion and bias. The simulation uses song lyrics, broadsides, a pamphlet, a handbill, a poem, "Common Sense", and Revere's engraving of the Boston Massacre to allow students a variety of viewpoints, though most tend to be patriot sources. The interpretation of the scenes of the Boston Massacre is also be a good tool for discussing these concepts because students playing side by side should have different interpretations of what actually took place before and during the shooting.
Standard 4, Objective 3	Assess the impact of geography on the economies of the three major regions.	Minor discussions of the importance of the port of Boston for shipping and receiving goods.
Standard 4, Objective 3	Investigate the lifestyles and cultures of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies: eg.g., education, slavery, religion.	Significant exploration of the nature of apprenticeships, including negotiating an apprenticeship contract (with primary source), living conditions, common tasks, etc. Explore some elements of the press in New England, including actual articles and advertisements. Light view of the architecture of the time, both external and internal, homes and businesses, particularly in the city. Treatment of servants and slaves are readily available. There are several opportunities to discuss slavery and servitude with simulation characters throughout the first 3 parts. Light discussion of commerce at that time, including barter, credit, and limited currency. Also discusses importation of goods, including smuggling, vs. homecrafted goods.
Standard 5, Objective 1	Explore the events leading to the outbreak of armed conflict between the American colonies and Great Britain.	The death of Christopher Seider as a polarizing event in Boston becomes a central feature of this simulation. The Stamp Act and Townshend Acts are introduced, though not in minute detail in the simulation. The Boston Massacre is presented, allowing students to understand the events tied to it that occur both before and after the event itself. The Boston Tea Party is explained in the simulation, but not in detail.
Standard 5, Objective 1	Analyze the origin of the ideas behind the revolutionary movement and the movement toward independence; e.g., social contract, natural rights, English traditions.	Introduces "Common Sense" in the epilogue, but does not explore it in detail.
Standard 5, Objective 1	Explain the major ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence.	Brief introduction to the Declaration of Independence in the epilogue.
Standard. 5, Objective 3	Analyze the role various political groups played in the Revolutionary movement; e.g., Sons and Daughters of Liberty, Committees of Correspondence, 1st and 2nd Continental Congress.	Daughters of Liberty and Sons of Liberty are introduced in some detail throughout the simulation.
Standard. 5, Objective 3	Examine the contributions of various social groups to the Revolutionary movement; e.g., women, free and enslaved Blacks, American Indians.	The simulation shows the lady of the household and also servant girls and slaves as having strong opinions for or against independence. Spinning bees are introduced as patriotic attempts to reduce the need to rely on imported goods.