Intolerable Acts Reading

This worksheet helps students in Grades 5 and 6 strengthen close reading, primary source interpretation, historical reasoning, and evidence-based writing by examining an excerpt from the Boston Port Act. Students read the passage carefully and respond to questions that explore punishment, government authority, and the British response to colonial protest, building a clearer understanding of how the Intolerable Acts intensified tensions in the colonies.

Learning Goals

• Intolerable Acts Understanding (Grades 5-6) – Students explain why Britain passed punitive laws and how they affected Boston.
• Interpreting Primary Sources – Learners analyze historical legal language to uncover meaning and intent.
• Government Authority & Resistance – The activity highlights how British power was exercised and challenged.
• Evidence-Based Responses – Students support answers with specific details from the text.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to align with upper-elementary social studies and ELA standards.
• Close Reading Practice – Focused questions guide students to examine wording, purpose, and impact.
• Encourages Historical Judgment – Prompts ask students to consider fairness and consequences.
• Flexible Classroom Use – Suitable for independent work, guided reading, assessment, or small-group discussion.
• Low-Prep Printable – Ready for classroom or homeschool use with minimal preparation.

This Intolerable Acts reading worksheet helps students understand how British punishment laws affected everyday colonists and escalated conflict before the Revolutionary War. By analyzing a primary source and responding with evidence, learners strengthen comprehension, critical thinking, and historical literacy essential for understanding the causes of American independence.

This worksheet is part of our The Boston Tea Party Worksheets collection.