DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION LESSON TEMPLATE

UNIT I: The Age of Absolutism

GRADE LEVEL: 10th grade
LESSON I: Absolutism in England
CCSS THEMES:
CCS: College and
Career Readiness
Anchor Standards
for Reading

CCS Reading
Standards for
Literacy in History/
Social Studies

R.10.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and

secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of

the information
R.10.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or
ideas develop over the course of the text.

College and Career

Readiness Anchor
Standards for
Writing

CCS Writing
Standards for
Literacy in History/
Social Studies

R.CCR.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make
logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or
speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
R.CCR.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their
development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
R.CCR.7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and
media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
R.CCR. 10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts
independently and proficiently.

R.10.3: Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine

whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.
W.CCR.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive
topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
W.CCR.5: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising,
editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
W.CCR.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
W.10.1c: Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the
text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and
reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and
counterclaims.
W.10.1d: Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are
writing.
W.10.1e: Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or
supports the argument presented.
W.10.2a: Introduce a topic and organize ideas, concepts, and information to
make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to
aiding comprehension.
W.10.2c: Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link the major
sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among ideas
and concepts.
W.10.2f: Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and

supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating

implications or the significance of the topic).
W.10.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
W.10.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.

I.INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES/ KEY IDEAS:

1. Students will be able to:
a. Identify the following documents: a. Magna Carta b. Petition of the Right c. English Habeas
Corpus Act d. English Bill of Rights
b. Explain how the following documents led to a limited monarchy in England.
c. Debate the purpose of the Long Parliament.
d. Identify the following leaders: Elizabeth I, James I, Charles I, Charles II, and James II.
e. Analyze and interpret important documents in English history such as the Magna Carta and the
English Bill of Rights.

II.AIM: How did a limited monarchy develop in England?

III.DO NOW:
Students fill out semantic map and list things a government should provide for its people.
What should
a government
provide for its
people?

IV. MOTIVATION/ ATTENTION-GETTER

Students will read the following quote.

The state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth ... Kings are justly called Gods, for that they exercise
a manner or resemblance of divine power upon earthGod has power to create, or destroy, make, or unmake at
his pleasure, to give life, or send death, to judge all, and to be judged nor accountable to none. And the like
power have Kings; they make and unmake their subjects: they have power of raising, and casting down: of life,
and of death: judges over all their subjects, and yet accountable to none but God only. James I

1. Based on his quote, how does King James I view the rule of kings?

V. CONTENT:
I. Pivotal Questions
1. Why is the Magna Carta considered a milestone in
world history?
2. What was the purpose of the document?

3. What is absolutism?
4. Why would this rule appeal to most monarchs?

5. Why is Elizabeth considered an absolute monarch?

6. Why is she considered the greatest of all absolute
monarchs?

7. How did England change after the death of

Elizabeth?

8. How did the rule of Charles I differ from James I?

9. Why was the Petition of the Right and important

document?
10. Why did the English experience a civil war in the
1640s?

11. How was the rule of Cromwell different than

earlier absolute rulers?

12. What was the purpose of the Stuart Restoration?

13. What was the Habeas Corpus Act?
14. How did the actions of Charles II help England?

II. Content
I. The Magna Carta
The Magana Carta was signed in 1215 by
King John
It was written to limit the power of the king
Even though it was signed by the king, most
kings ignored it for centuries
II. The Rise of Absolutism
1. Divine Right of Kings: kings were chosen to
rule by God
2. Absolutism: a monarch (king or queen)
ruled with "absolute" unshared power
III. English Absolute Monarchs
A. Elizabeth I
o Elizabethan Age: 1558-1603
o Golden age
o Commercial expansion, exploration,
Colonization of New World
B. James I:
King after Elizabeths death
Was a tyrant
Created a strong absolute monarchy
Wrote the King James Bible
Abused his power
C. Charles I
o 1625: signed the Petition of Right
o Limited taxes and forbid unlawful
imprisonment.
o Claimed divine right
o The Parliament was opposed and met to
limit the power of the monarch
o This led to a civil war in England led by
Oliver Cromwell
o For his abuse of power, Charles I was
executed
D. Oliver Cromwell
1. Promised to rule for the people but became
an absolute ruler
2. Used violence + was intolerant of religions
3. He only ruled for five years
E. Charles II
1. King of the Stuart Restoration
2. This was the restoring of the royal line
3. Reinstated a limited monarchy
4. Habeas Corpus Act 1679
5. Protects people from arrests without due
process

15. How did absolutism come to an end in England?

16. Why is the Glorious Revolution considered a
turning point in world history?
17. What was the purpose of the English Bill of
Rights?

18. How did the rule of monarchs change from

absolute to limited in England?

F. James II
1. James II was openly Catholic
2. He abused his power and England wanted
change
3. Glorious Revolution in 1688
4. James II was forced out without any
bloodshed
5. William and Mary were Protestant and
named king and queen
6. Signed the English Bill of Rights in 1689
7. Gave citizens rights and limited the power
of the monarch
8. Roman Catholics could not be king or queen
of England

VI. LEARNING ACTIVITIES

TASKS:
A. Handout
(can be found at the end of the lesson)
Students will be given one handout Absolutism in England.
They will be asked to work in small groups and take on the following roles:
1. Group Leader
2. Reader
3. Time Keeper
4. Reporter
Together they will fill out a graphic organizer listing the positive and negative effects of each of the
absolute monarchs of England.
Students will then share out their answers with the class or if there is a Smartboard, students can write
answers on the graphic organizer created by the teacher.
B. Document Analysis:
Give the students a copy of the Magna Carta. Have the students read it and ask them to give their
opinion as to why this document was necessary at the time.
Further analysis: ask the students why they think the document was basically ignored for centuries?
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES: (Use the chart below to brainstorm ideas/ strategies that you can use
during the lesson that will touch upon a variety of the intelligences below.)

Multiple Intelligence
Verbal Linguistic Learners

Activity
Students will read primary sources and secondary sources. They will write
responses to the questions provided.

Logical-Mathematical
Learners

Students will fill out a graphic organizer.

Bodily-Kinesthetic Learners

Students will move into groups. They will be asked to come up to Smartboard and
write answers.

Spatial Learners

Some of the tasks include images. A PowerPoint will display many images
(Pictures, maps, etc.)

Musical Learners

N/A

Naturalist Learners

N/A

Intrapersonal Learners

Students will use a rubric to self-evaluate their work.

Interpersonal Learners

Students will get to work in groups and take on different roles.

VII. SUMMARY/ APPLICATION:

Students will use a Hochman writing activity to summarize the lesson.

Students will improve the paragraph below by adding the following:

add details and examples
use appositives
expand and combine sentences
use transitions
use conjunctions
Provide this Less Developed Paragraph to the students:

England was ruled by absolute monarchs. Elizabeth ruled. She had power. She created a
golden age. She colonized. Elizabeth had an impact.
Anticipated Response

During the 1500s and 1600s, England was ruled by absolute monarchs. Elizabeth
ruled during that time and is considered a great monarch. She had absolute power,
and ruled with strict control. Her rule brought about a golden age in England where
they experienced a rise in education, culture and the arts. She also sent out
expeditions to colonize the New World in the Americas. Clearly, Elizabeth, an absolute
monarch, had an impact on England.
Students can peer edit their work by using the paragraph rubric.

VIII. DAILY INFORMAL ASSESSMENT:

(3 min)
Exit Card
SOS Summary

Hochman Writing Activity

Lesson Closure Sheet

3-2-1
Leader Report Card

Exit Card
At the end of the lesson, have the students answer the aim in a 3-4 sentence paragraph.
IX. HOMEWORK/ EXTENSION ASSIGNMENT:
This is a suggested assignment; you are not limited to this activity.
Historical Timeline:
Create a chronological timeline of events in England and from 1500-1750.
Paragraph Rubric
Directions: Pretend that you are the teacher. Swap your paper with the person next to you
and grade them on the rubric provided below.
PARAGRAPH RUBRIC
Categories
Excellent ( E)
Average ( A)Needs Improvement( NI)Grade Topic Sentence
The topic sentence is a general statement that introduces the topic. It has an appositive
or a subordinating conjunction that is used correctly. The topic sentence is a general
statement that introduces the topic. The topic sentence is too vague and does not
introduce the topic. Detail Sentences
The paragraph has 3-5 sentences that use but, because or so, other conjunctions or
transitional phrases more than one time. The paragraph has 3-5 sentences that use but,
because or so, other conjunctions or transitional phrases at least once.The paragraph has
less than 3-5 sentences and does not use but, because or so, other conjunctions or
transitional phrases.Grammar/ Spelling/ Punctuation The paragraph has no spelling,
grammatical, or punctuation errors. The paragraph has some spelling, grammatical, or
punctuation errors. The paragraph has many spelling, grammatical, or punctuation
errors.Concluding Sentence
The paragraph ends with a concluding sentence that sums up the main point of the
paragraph and uses transitional words or phrases or subordinating conjunctions. The
paragraph ends with a concluding sentence.The paragraph does not end with a
concluding sentence. Overall Grade :

Absolute Monarchs in England

When Elizabeth I came to power in England a whole new period in English history
began. The Elizabethan Age lasted from 1558-1603, and boasted commercial expansion,
exploration, and colonization in the New World. During this time the Muscovy Company
was founded as the first joint stock company, and the British East India Company quickly
followed suit. Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe. The first English colonists
settled in Roanoke, Virginia, and Shakespeare wrote his masterpieces. This time was
considered a golden age.
Exemplary of absolutist policy and rule, Queen Elizabeth I strengthened England
politically and internationally, giving the isolated, religiously split country a unified
foundation and a name of power in European affairs. Inspiring nationalism, encouraging
expansionism, and respecting the individual lives of her subjects, Elizabeth not only
established herself as an inspired and effective leader, but she proved to be the greatest
model for absolutism in European history.
After her death in 1607, James I took the throne. He combines the thrones of England and
Scotland; he also attempted to institute reforms to accommodate both Catholics and
Puritans, a form of Calvinism. The Puritans did not recognize the power of the king over
religious matters, and James I claimed divine right. At this time the Puritans fled to
America. He abused his power and ruled with absolute authority until his death.

Charles I, the son of King James rose to power in 1625. Three years later, desperate for
money from parliament, he agreed to sign the Petition of Right. This was a document
limiting taxes and forbidding unlawful imprisonment. Charles however, ignored the
petition after he secured the funds he needed and claimed divine right. He ruled without
calling another meeting of parliament for eleven years.
Charles rule was resented by Scotland and Scotland soon invaded England in 1640.
Because of this Charles was forced to call parliament into session. This parliament is
known as the Long Parliament because it sat for twenty years from 1640-1660. The Long
Parliament limited the power of the monarch. In 1641, parliament denied Charles request
for funds to fight against the Irish rebellion. This forced Charles to arrest members of the
parliament. The arrests sparked a civil war in England. Parliament raised an army called
the Roundheads to fight against the king. The Roundheads under the leadership of Oliver
Cromwell defeated the armies of Charles I who were known as Cavaliers. Charles I was
tried and executed for his actions. Oliver Cromwell rose to power soon after, not as a
monarch but as Lord Protector of what became the English Commonwealth.
When Cromwell ruled as Protector, he ruled with religious intolerance and violence
against Catholics and the Irish. He encouraged Protestants to settle in Northern Ireland.
All of these actions caused resentment but it would not last much longer because
Cromwell died in 1658. After his death parliament invited Charles II to take the throne.
Charles II was son of Charles I, and when he arrived he reinstated a limited monarchy.
This was known as the Stuart Restoration.
Charles II was a patron of the arts and less restrictive than many of his predecessors.
Charles II was a closet catholic. Charles II acknowledged the rights of the people,
especially with regards to religion. In 1679, he agreed to the Habeas Corpus Act, which
protects people from arrests without due process. When he knew he was dying and in
great secrecy, a priest, Father John Huddleston, was summoned to his bedside. Charles
was admitted into the Catholic Church and received the last rites. He died on Wednesday,
6 February 1685. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. He was succeeded by the Duke of
York, who became James II.
James II was openly Catholic, and he was very unpopular. Like so many before him, he
believed in the divine right of kings. He was the last Roman Catholic monarch to reign
over the Kingdom of England. To protect himself from rebellions, James sought to
establish a large standing army. By putting Roman Catholics in charge of several
regiments, the King was drawn into a conflict with Parliament. Parliament was prorogued
in November 1685, never to meet again during James's reign.
James II made substantial enemies especially when it came to religion. All of his policies
led up to the Glorious Revolution in 1688. James II was driven out of power by Parliament
and fled to France. He was replaced by his son-in-law and daughter, William and Mary the
Protestant rulers from the Netherlands. William and Mary promptly signed the English Bill
of Rights in 1689. The basic tenets of the Bill of Rights 1689 are: Englishmen, as
embodied by Parliament, possessed certain civil and political rights that could not be
taken away. Some included:
freedom from royal interference with the law
freedom from taxation by royal prerogative, without agreement by Parliament
freedom to petition the King
freedom to elect members of Parliament without interference from the Sovereign
freedom from cruel and unusual punishments
Roman Catholics could not be king or queen of England since "it hath been found by
experience that it is inconsistent with the safety and welfare of this protestant kingdom to
be governed by a papist prince". The Sovereign was required to swear a coronation oath
to maintain the Protestant religion.
The Glorious Revolution ensured that Englands future monarchs would be Anglican, and
their powers would be limited.

Absolute Monarchs in England

MonarchPeriodPositive Effects Negative Effects Elizabeth IJames I
Charles I
Oliver Cromwell

Charles II

James II
William and Mary