02: Revolutionary America

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Boston 1775: Fears in Framingham and Elsewhere

The fear of colonists that the American Revolution would spark a slave rebellion can't be found in the narrative canon, but it is found in the discipline and the primary source documents. Fear of a slave rebellion can be found in just one quicks little story right at the start. Women and children hiding in a house along the road from Lexington to Concord, some holding axes in fear of the British and slaves taking advantage of the fighting to kill them

Boston 1775: Fears in Framingham and Elsewhere

George Washington Letter to Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Reed, January 1776

Washington describes the condition of the army he's been leading for six months

George Washington Letter to Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Reed, January 1776

Was Dr. Benjamin Church a Traitor? - Commonplace - The Journal of early American Life

A deep drive article for teachers to see an historian at work. The value of this essay is the manner in which the author takes the reader along with her on her research journey, suggesting, changing, discarding and creating new conclusions on the way. Teachers should be doing the same with students - on a journey of discovery, not conclusion

Was Dr. Benjamin Church a Traitor? - Commonplace - The Journal of early American Life

The 25 Deadliest Battles of the Revolutionary War - Journal of the American Revolution

Teachers routinely share casualty numbers assuming the numbers they have are accurate and teach students in the process that the numbers are accurate - when in fact, they are not. This is a violation of the "Do No Harm" rule, if you are teaching that these numbers are reliable, stop. This essay provides just some of the reasons why.

The 25 Deadliest Battles of the Revolutionary War - Journal of the American Revolution

Starving Memory: Joseph Plumb Martin Un-tells the Story of the American Revolution - Commonplace - The Journal of early American Life

Now that access to primary source evidence of the Revolution is widespread, teachers must face an increasingly hard decision - what to include and what to leave out. Martin's memoir was helpful for the "How I escaped the Revolution" book and a Scholastic essay as well. Yet, he also wrote about how he returned enslaved people to their owners after Yorktown and got drunk on the money he was paid.

Starving Memory: Joseph Plumb Martin Un-tells the Story of the American Revolution - Commonplace - The Journal of early American Life

Crispus Attucks 1750 Poster by Granger - Primary Documents as Wall Art?

This is a copy of a runaway slave advertisement that ran in the Boston Gazette in 1750. Notice the name - "Crifpas" This is Crispus Attucks. This is presented as a piece of wall art

Crispus Attucks 1750 Poster by Granger - Primary Documents as Wall Art?

Harry Washington Discovery Cart - Museum of the American Revolution

Harry Washington (or the man given that name by his captors) was kidnapped in Africa in 1763, taken to North America, purchased as an enslaved person by George Washington. He escaped under Dunmore's Proclamation, served in the Ethiopian Regiment, went to Nova Scotia after the war and made his way back to Africa

Harry Washington Discovery Cart - Museum of the American Revolution

1780s: Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII: Manners - Teaching American History

Jefferson explains how slavery is a bane on both the slave and the master - then he expresses his fear of what slavery will do to the young country. This is Query 13, where Jefferson shared his fears of slavery, Query 14 is where he explains his justifications for slavery.

1780s: Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII: Manners - Teaching American History

1780s: Notes on the State of Virginia | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

This is a description of the "Notes on the State of Virginia" that are commonly used for research, essays and lessons regard Jefferson's views of slavery. This is not the source itself, but Monticello's description of the source, when (1780s) and why he wrote it and how we have copies of it.

1780s: Notes on the State of Virginia | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

Season of Independence - Museum of the American Revolution

An excellent interactive teacher that allows users to survey public opinion across time and region in the form of individual quotes and comments from individuals as well as town, county, and state actions and resolutions. Perfectly accessible to students as part of a lesson that has them doing history, using this evidence as a way to make understandings of the past

Season of Independence - Museum of the American Revolution

Read the Revolution - Museum of the American Revolution

Short excerpts from recent scholarship and books on the American Revolution that could be assigned to students as part of an exercise that exposes them to the real work of historians

Read the Revolution - Museum of the American Revolution

From George Washington to Joseph Thompson, 2 July 1766

This can show students what George Washington thought one black human was worth - One hogshead of molasses, etc.

From George Washington to Joseph Thompson, 2 July 1766

Extract from Thomas Jefferson’s Argument in the Case of Howell vs. Netherland, [ca. April 1770] [Quote] | Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

As a young lawyer, Thomas Jefferson in 1770 makes an argument that "all men are born free" . He makes the argument in favor of an indentured servant suing for his freedom - he he kept as a slave because his grandmother is black. Jefferson loses, but his use of the language of the Declaration of Independence was used in a legal argument against slavery

Extract from Thomas Jefferson’s Argument in the Case of Howell vs. Netherland, [ca. April 1770] [Quote] | Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

Who Was Paul Revere and Why Should You Care? | PragerU

This five minute video can be used by teachers to acknowledge that they are indeed using alternate resources, but also showing how they are propaganda, particularly the first minute. What is the thesis? What is the evidence used to support it?

Who Was Paul Revere and Why Should You Care? | PragerU

Claims, Evidence and Reasoning example with Boston Massacre

Teaching "All Men are Created Equal" (Part I) | History News Network

Teachers working with Declaration of Independence lessons would be well served to take a quick peek at this veteran-teacher's approach. At the very least, you'll learn more about the document itself

Teaching "All Men are Created Equal" (Part I) | History News Network

1774 The Long Year of Revolution - YouTube

This hour is for teachers only, a great way to see how what you teach in the classroom is not really accurate. Mary Beth Norton has read every printed protest in the colonies in 1774. She not only opens up the Revolutionary stage to all 13 colonies, but brings attention to the broad differences of opinion across all of them

1774 The Long Year of Revolution - YouTube

From Benjamin Franklin to Josiah Quincy, Sr., 15 April 1776 - Franklin explains why some are reluctant to declare independence

From George Washington to Richard Henry Lee, 27 November 1775

George Washington calls Lore Dunmore a "monster" who should be shot. This is the Lord Dunmore who offered slaves freedom for fighting with the British at the start of the American Revolution.

From George Washington to Richard Henry Lee, 27 November 1775

1783-12: From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson, 22 December 1783

Thomas Jefferson explains the importance of appearance to his daughter

1783-12: From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson, 22 December 1783

From George Washington to James Warren, 31 March 1779

George Washington despairs for the patriot cause and questions whether the greed of the colonists themselves is a bigger threat to victory in the War for Independence that the British

From George Washington to James Warren, 31 March 1779

Revolutionary Mothers - Reading

This is a readable piece of appropriate length to provide US I students a perspective of the Revolutionary War ignored by the taught narrative canon. It details the "camp followers", the women who accompanied the continental army

Revolutionary Mothers - Reading

1777: Lucy to Henry Knox Letter

This letter from a wife to a husband in the midst of the Revolutionary War says much about what life was like at the time. Lucy's references to her lost family illustrate the difficulties of families split by the Revolution. Her family was loyalist but she fell in love and married a Patriot

1777: Lucy to Henry Knox Letter

Homepage - The Society of the Cincinnati

How many teachers and students would believe that an organization of officers who fought in the American Revolution still exists? Passing on membership to their children, each of the members of this organization can trace their family tree back to an officer in the American War for Independence

Homepage - The Society of the Cincinnati

An account of the influence of the military and political events of the American Revolution upon the Human Body by Dr. Benjamin Rush

The title alone should invite curiosity.

An account of the influence of the military and political events of the American Revolution upon the Human Body by Dr. Benjamin Rush

1776: John Adams. To John Penn, 27 March 1776 - What representation should be

From James Madison to William Bradford, 19 June 1775

James Madison writes to his friend about Dunmore's Proclamation, explaining how slavery is the Achilles heel of the patriot cause.

From James Madison to William Bradford, 19 June 1775

From George Washington to Lund Washington, 20 August 1775

George Washington did not have a high opinion of people from New England

From George Washington to Lund Washington, 20 August 1775

From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 11 November 1807

Adams said that Washington had "the gift of silence" - but look at the first several sentences of this letter

From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 11 November 1807

THIS IS NORTH PRESTON Official Trailer (2019) Documentary Movie HD - YouTube

This might look like a trailer for a documentary about a contemporary town in Canada, but the community traces it roots to the American War for independence. This was one of destinations of African-Americans who were emancipated by the British army

THIS IS NORTH PRESTON Official Trailer (2019) Documentary Movie HD - YouTube