Indiana Social Studies 5.H.13
The Standard
Explain consequences of the American Revolution, including the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, changes in trade relationships, and the achievement of independence by the United States.
2026 Indiana Academic Standards: K-12 Social Studies
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students explain how independence changed who governed the United States. They describe what Congress could and could not do under the Articles, and how trade changed after the war.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can name the Northwest Ordinance as an achievement and explain why Congress struggled to pay debts without the power to tax. They can explain that Britain restricted American ships in Caribbean ports, while Americans sought other trading partners.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think independence meant equal rights for everyone or that Britain stopped trading with Americans entirely. They may also think Congress could collect national taxes under the Articles, or that it had no power at all.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: After independence, name one trade change, one success under the Articles, and one weakness of that government. Give a specific example for each.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Have pairs sort cards labeled peace treaty, Northwest Ordinance, unpaid war debt, and British Caribbean port limits into independence, government strengths, weaknesses, and trade.
Ask whether winning independence solved the country's problems; have students write two sentences using the peace treaty and unpaid war debt.
Play a card match: pair Congress cannot tax with trouble paying war debts, and Northwest Ordinance with rules for western territories.
Show a bag of sugar with its store price; ask how shipping limits at British Caribbean ports might change prices for American shoppers.
Free download
Printable 5.H.13 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 5.H.13, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetKeep exploring
Related Standards
- 5.H.9
Analyze the causes of the American Revolution as outlined in the Declaration of Independence.
- 5.C.3
Identify and explain key ideas about government as noted in the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Northwest Ordinance, United States Const...
- 8.H.5
Analyze the causes and effects of the Revolutionary War (1775–1783), including the ideas from the Declaration of Independence, the enactment of the Articles of ...
- 8.H.6
Identify and provide the significance of major events in the creation of the U.S. Constitution, such as the enactment of state constitutions, the weaknesses of ...
Turn this exact standard into a lesson
Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.
Also for this standard:Make a WorksheetMake a QuizMake a Sub Lesson