Thematic Units - The Revolutionary War

The Revolutionary War

You will find various Web Sites on the top portion of this page.
Further down, you will find Lesson Plans .
You will also find Documents, Writings, and Speeches.
At the bottom of the page, you will find Books that you can order directly from Amazon.com!

Web Sites

4th of July - Independence Day
Find a variety of historical information.

A Day in the Life
Follow Thomas Jefferson through a day.

Alexander Hamilton
This is an excellent site covering the biography of this historical figure, including a collection of his fascinating writings. This was a person born to fight the American Revolution.

American Revolution
This is a wonderful resource which will help kids appreciate the American Revolutionary period. The text begins, "It is nearly night when you arrive at your destination: Boston, Mass., 1775. Citizens have closed and shuttered their windows, and you notice a tenseness in the air. One rowdy fellow emerges from a nearby tavern, talking angrily about the British and Boston Harbor." Here you will find some different resources presented in a very entertaining manner.

The American Revolution - a Complete Timeline
A great timeline and overview of the Revolutionary War with lots of facts, photographs and information. This is the place to start for information on this period.

Benjamin Franklin - An Enlightened American
This is an excellent site which includes the biography, writings, inventions, quotations, wit, humor and more about this incredible person. This is a fascinating place to learn about the events and people of this historic events.

Betsy Ross Homepage
This is a great site dedicated to the idea that one person's actions can make a difference. Here you can learn about this historical figure and go on a virtual tour of her house. As the introduction beautifully states, "Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag. When we view the flag, we think of liberty, freedom, pride, and Betsy Ross. The American flag flies on the moon, sits atop Mount Everest, is hurtling out in space. The flag is how America signs her name."

The Birth of a Nation
This is a great site developed by sixth graders which provides information about the people, places, events and a timeline of this period.

The Boston Tea Party
A good site about this dramatic event, with links to related events and more about the people involved.

The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies
An online copy of the document.

Explore the Amazing World of Early America
This site offers the opportunity to learn about life in this time period from the media of the day - its newspapers, maps, magazines and writings. The wealth of documents include Ben Franklin's "Philadelphia Gazette" and a map printed in an English magazine showing Washington's defeats. This site offers a different and very interesting perspective on this period.

History at Valley Forge
A great resource for this period of history. You will find information about the history, the people, a special section about George Washington and more. A great place to find information on this time period.

King George, III
A concise biography of the British monarch whose "commitment to taxing the American colonies to pay for his military protection" led to the American Revolution. Did you know the colonists proclaimed independence in 1776, but King George stubbornly continued the war until 1781!

Liberty! The American Revolution
This is a great site by PBS on all of the aspects of the "two and a half decades of debate and rebellion, war and peace" that was the Revolutionary War. The site includes headlines, timelines, resource material, and lots of information on daily Life in the Colonies.

The Life of George Washington
This is a fascinating resource about George Washington, published eight years his death by David Ramsay, a "contemporary of Washington, historian Ramsay writes with the knowledge and insights one acquires only by being on the scene. Actually, Ramsay was an active player in the momentous events of America's unfolding drama". It covers Washington's life from his early years until his death in 1799.

Loyalty or Liberty
This is an interactive web adventure that allows students to roll play and learn about the Loyalist and Patriots.

Monticello
A fact filled resource about Thomas Jefferson, his life and times. You will find great photographs and information about everyday life during this period.

Order in the Court
Students choose to be the Clerk or Sheriff in a Colonial Williamsburg courtroom.

The Paul Revere House
Here is a fact-filled, entertaining site dedicated to Paul Revere and the "Midnight Ride". You will also find pages for teachers and kids and more.

Revolutionary War Internet Scavenger Hunt
Learn about the events leading up to the war, important people, and battles.

Revolutionary War Unit
Includes various war resources.

Thomas Jefferson Online
Did you know that Thomas Jefferson's epitaph describes him as "Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and Father of the University of Virginia. This is a wonderful website full of information about this great thinker, prepared, appropriately by the University of Virginia.

{Return to the top of the page.}

Lesson Plans & Activities

A Dictionary of Independence Grades 4-6
Using events and biographies from their state's history and U.S. history, students create a dictionary of terms for citizens of a democracy.

A Journey Towards Freedom Grades Intermediate
For anyone interested in American history, this is a great resource covering the American Revolution.

A Review of American History Grades 4-8
The purpose of this lesson is to review the important historical events and time periods of United States history from discovery to the present.

American Revolution Simulation Grades 4-6
The students will understand the grievances of the American colonists.

The American Revolution "The War For Independence" Grades Intermediate
This is a basic outline of lesson and activity ideas.

The American Revolution: Valley Forge Grades 5 and above
This online activity has students visiting web sites on the Stamp Act, the Boston Tea Party and Valley Forge.

Archeology at Colonial Williamsburg Grades 1-6
This is a wonderful site about the study of life during this time period. Here you will find quizzes, puzzles, games and more about life in Colonial Williamsburg.

The Battle of the Battlefields Grades 5 and above
The President will award $1,000,000 for the establishment of a museum at the battle site you choose.

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? Grades 5
Using the book by Jean Fritz, students learn about economics. This lesson could be used as the children learn about events which lead up to the writing of the Declaration of Independence.

Choosing Revolution: Political and Family Turmoil in the Eighteenth Century
Grades Intermediate
Students will review documents to better understand major events of the American Revolution.

The Early American History Interactive Crossword Puzzle Grades Intermediate
lay or print out crossword puzzles.

"Hello, I Am Deborah Sampson" Grades 4-6
Students choose a historical figure from the Revolutionary War and become that figure.

Historic Mile Tour Virtual Tour Grades Intermediate
This is the place to go to tour the historic points in Philadelphia which relate to this time period, including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Old City Hall, Congress Hall, Franklin Court, the Betsy Ross House, Old St. Augustine's Church, the City Tavern and more! Great photos and information accompany you on this virtual tour.

Independence Day! Grades 3-5
The purpose of this lesson is to provide children with the meaning of our nation's symbols that provide continuity and a sense of community across time.

The Interesting Revolutionary War Grades 5
As part of the research process, students developed this Web Page.

Johnny Tremain - CyberGuides Grades 5-8
Students will gain a better understanding of our American heritage in Boston, and the difficulties American patriots went through to achieve our independence.

Kids Page at Valley Forge Grades Intermediate
Here you will find some excellent resources for kids to understand this time period including Valley Forge, Benjamin Franklin and other interesting and fun items such as "Spy System 1777". Play some online games about the Revolutionary War, including "Match the Georges" and "What Are They Saying".

Reading Biographies for Historical Background: Thomas Jefferson Grades 4-6
The student will locate biographies about an historical figure who lived during a specific period of time.

Revolutionary Road Maps Grades Intermediate
This Webquest gives students the opportunity to research different dates during the Revolutionary War, organize them, and design a time line in the design of a road map with the information they discovered.

Revolutionary War Grades High School
Upon completion of this lesson, the students will be able to understand the causes of the American Revolutionary War.

The Revolutionary War Grades Intermediate
A great webquest to help students learn about the people and events of the war.

The Revolutionary War and Children's Literature Grades 3-8
Several activities dealing with the American Revolution.

The Road to Revolution Grades Intermediate
This is an online game prepared by PBS to test your Revolutionary War knowledge.

Sequencing of Events Grades 5-12
To make learning American History fun I use a visual symbolic timeline to review a specific time period in American History.

Tea at the White House Grades Intermediate
Many subjects are enhanced through this activity. Not only are the students learning about famous historical people - they are also learning valuable research and writing skills, memorization techniques, social skills, and creativity.

Virginia History/Language Arts-American Revolution Grades Intermediate
Students will use the Table of Contents throughout the year in all subjects successfully and will have the basic knowledge needed about the American Revolution.

What Was The American Revolution? 1760-1836 Grades Intermediate
This is a unit of the Crossroads Curriculum.

{Return to the top of the page.}

Documents, Writings and Speeches

Articles of Confederation - (1778)

Bill of Rights - (1789)

The Constitution of the United States, and Amendments

Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of taking up Arms - (1775)

Final Text of the Declaration of Independence - (1776)

George Washington's First Inaugural Address - (1789)

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death - Patrick Henry (1775)

Jefferson's Draft of the Declaration of Independence - (1776)

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1863)