Road to Independence Timeline

5th Grade Social StudiesDeclaration of Independence3 pages

About this worksheet

Eight dated event cards sit out of order at the top of this 5th grade social studies sheet. Students write each date and event in a box that points to the right year on a timeline from 1760 to 1780. The cards run from the end of the French and Indian War in 1763 to the Declaration of Independence in 1776, with the Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, Intolerable Acts and Lexington and Concord between them. Page 2 has four questions and page 3 the answers.

Remix for free

Road to Independence Timeline: Declaration of Independence - page 1

Road to Independence Timeline: Declaration of Independence - page 2

Road to Independence Timeline: Declaration of Independence - page 3

Curriculum objectives covered

D2.His.1.3-5

“Create and use a chronological sequence of related events to compare developments that happened at the same time.”

Students put eight events from 1763 to 1776 in date order on a timeline and use it for questions 1 to 3.

“Work out the number of years between two events.”

Question 2 asks for the years between the Stamp Act (1765) and the Declaration (1776).

What's inside this worksheet

Event Cards and Timeline

Eight cards in mixed order, such as 1773 Boston Tea Party and 1767 Townshend Acts. Each year from 1760 to 1780 has its own tick, and eight blank boxes with lines to the ticks wait for the date and event name.

Timeline Questions

Four written questions: which event came right before the Declaration, how many years passed between the Stamp Act and the Declaration, what the colonists did in 1773, and why the British passed the Intolerable Acts.

Answer key

The eight events in date order, then the answers: Lexington and Concord in 1775, eleven years (1776 minus 1765), the Boston Tea Party, and punishment of Massachusetts for the Tea Party.

How teachers use it

Date first

Have students write each year in pencil on its tick before they write any event name. The ticks are one year apart, so 1773, 1774 and 1775 are easy to mix up if they guess by eye.

After the unit lesson

Question 4 relies on what students already know about the Intolerable Acts, so use the sheet as a check once you have taught the Boston Tea Party and its punishment.

More subtraction

Ask for other gaps from the timeline. From the Boston Massacre in 1770 to the Tea Party in 1773 is 3 years, and from the end of the French and Indian War to the Declaration is 13.

More 5th Grade Social Studies worksheets

American History US Government Economics Geography Bill of Rights 13 Colonies

Get started today

Create your own lesson plans, worksheets, and classroom activities in minutes using our AI-powered tools.

Try Chalkie for free