Sadly I didn’t find a single history curriculum that covered the important elements of the American Revolution.
In fact, one curriculum I’ve tried using advises weary moms to skip 18th century studies, since they are well known.
Thus I wrote my own dialectic lessons focusing on the saga of tyrannical government versus God-given rights.
Many thanks to Colonial Williamsburg for teaching me so much on past visits.
The 18th century reveals imperative elements for our understanding as American citizens.
By knowing our history we learn how to engage as Americans and promote self-governance.
Thrilled to study our favorite era of history, we happily added a few extra weeks to cover the extra content.
Virginia’s Story is America’s Story
Virginia, the largest, wealthiest, most populous, and most British of the thirteen colonies, led the several colonies in forming representative government.
Thus 18th century Virginians were greatly studied in our lessons.
George Washington-First in War, First in Peace, First in the Hearts of his Countrymen
Published by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, Why America is Free: A History of the Founding of the Republic covers all the events of the 18th century.
Opening with a typical day on a farm near Williamsburg, Virginia, the boy manages the family flour mill while his father goes to fight in the French and Indian War with Colonel George Washington.
As an adult he leaves his family to serve under General George Washington in the American Revolution.
Later he will serve at the Constitutional Convention to form a new nation, with George Washington overseeing the convention.
Through clear language, beautiful photography, and artistic renderings, this book tied many 18th century events into a cohesive package.
Benjamin Franklin-Writer, Inventor, Humorist, Diplomat of Pennsylvania
Patterned after Poor Richard’s Almanac but written at a more junior level, Ben Franklin’s Almanac: Being a True Account of a Good Man’s Life by Candace Fleming gave us lots of ideas to write our own gazette, while practicing our IEW skills.
Short paragraphs detailing portions of his life, this book suits IEW writing practices for grammar and dialectic students.
Split into themes, this book reveals Benjamin Franklin’s life: early years, printer, public do-gooder, years in England during the French and Indian War, electrical studies, work on Declaration of Independence, ambassador to France, work on Constitution, etc.
French and Indian War
Tracy Leininger Craven pens a true story about her ancestors in Alone Yet Not Alone: Their Faith became their Freedom.
Captured by Alleghany warriors, two girls from Pennsylvania witness the massacre of their family. As they struggle to survive, their faith in God sustains them.
Two award winning documentaries, When the Forest Ran Red and George Washington’s First War, brought the events of the French and Indian War to life.
Filmed on location of the original sites, historical reenactors recreate key moments that we had read in our books.
Boston Rumblings
Popular on everyone’s booklist, and we highly concur, are two books written by Esther Forbes and beautifully illustrated by Lynd Ward in the 1940s: America’s Paul Revere and Johnny Tremain
Only 46 pages, America’s Paul Revere opens in his famous silver shop where we heard the rumblings to revolution begin.
For the adult version of Revere’s biography, Forbes won a Pulitzer prize a few years earlier.
While reading Johnny Tremain, I told the dc to parallel the character traits of Johnny and Rab.
We read part I the week we studied the Boston Tea Party, then we read part II the following week, when we focused on the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
Because literary devices are not always found in juvenile literature, it was a treat to read Johnny Tremain from a literary perspective.
A coming-of-age story, I told the kids to note the change in the perspectives of Johnny and Reb, and to look for foreshadowing.
It is truly worthy of the Newberry Award.
Powerfully impacted by the book, Walt Disney made a movie in 1957.
However that was not enough, as he realized a need for a monument representing our fight for freedom in his amusement park.
Although his original dream was to recreate a Colonial Williamsburg experience, several circumstances led to a simple Liberty Tree with 13 lanterns representing the original 13 colonies in the park.
Hal Stalmaster portrays Johnny Tremain, while Richard Beymer, who portrayed Tony in West Side Story, portrays Reb, along with many other actors we recognized from other movies.
Watching this movie in elementary school every year helped build my love for colonial gowns, tricorn hats, and quill pens.
Patrick Henry – Firebrand of the American Revolution
To understand Patrick Henry’s famous speeches, it helps to understand his position as a Burgess of Virginia.
Empowered by the Common Law and their rights as Englishmen, the Virginia House of Burgesses first assembled in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619.
Established in the Middle Ages, the Common Law of England guaranteed Englishmen rights granted by God.
Local governments formed under the crown in the thirteen colonies were denied their legislative duty to consider taxation meant to pay for the French and Indian War.
The king of England usurped established representation through the colonies’ local legislative bodies, resulting in revolution.
Although most of the colonists preferred to work with England to resecure their rights, Patrick Henry had a few words to say about that.
Patrick Henry Roars: Ceaser had his Brutus Speech
After the imposed 1765 Stamp Act, Patrick Henry roared:
“Caesar had his Brutus – Charles the First, His Cromwell – And George the Third” – (“Treason!” cried the Speaker – “Treason, treason!” echoed from every part of the house). Henry faultered not for an instant, but rising to a loftier attitude, concluded thus – “may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it.”
Patrick Henry Thunders: Give me Liberty or give me Death
Nearly a month before the Battles of Lexington and Concord near Boston in 1775, Patrick Henry thundered:
Gentlemen may cry, ‘Peace, Peace,’ but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? … Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!
While at Colonial Williamsburg a few years ago, we heard Patrick Henry give this very speech.
Wow! I nearly leapt to my feet to join the militia!
Less reported is the phrase: the next gale that sweeps from the north which is a reference to the growing turmoil in Boston.
Henry’s prophecy came true less than a month later, when the shot heard round the world fired at the Battle of Lexington.
Patriot or Loyalist?
The movie Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot, produced by and set in Colonial Williamsburg, covers the years 1769 to 1774.
A gentleman planter, who has stepped up to serve in the House of Burgesses, is torn between his loyalty to Britain and the choice to fight tyranny.
Brilliantly showcased before the Virginia House of Burgesses is Patrick Henry who exhorts:
Is it disloyalty, is it sedition, is it treason to oppose the hand of tyranny? Never! We are free Englishmen with the God-given right to tax ourselves!
We spent a week studying the Declaration of Independence
Key to gaining world-wide support for the American Revolution against the strongest empire in the world was to effectively declare to the reasons for separation, a theme as old as human history: tyranny against God-given rights.
Of the five men who formed a committee to write the declaration, three were the most influential.
John Adams kept things moving when the other delegates kept stalling.
Benjamin Franklin’s humor kept the seriousness of the business at hand from getting too heavy.
Meanwhile Thomas Jefferson did the writing because, as John Adams declared: Jefferson was well liked, had great rhetorical skills, and had already proven he could clearly write about the problems with England.
We Signed the Declaration of Independence
While reading through the Declaration of Independence, we examined what the words and phrases meant.
Adding our names to the important document on-line at the Charters of Freedom caused a pop-up alert, warning that doing so would mark us as traitors. We could be hung!
The signers were risking their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to sign the Declaration of Independence. Would we?
Battle of Saratoga-Turning Point of the War
We read a great book called Guns on the Heights, about a Quaker family during the Battle of Saratoga.
Hoping to block New England from the Southern Colonies, the British tried to control the entire Hudson River system extending from Canada into New York.
Having been to the battlefield myself, I’ve overlooked the strategic Hudson River from the bluffs above. It’s an impressive sight!
Although the Continental Army had been struggling, the Battle of Saratoga was a major victory, largely due to a scoundrel no one liked, Benedict Arnold!
Nevertheless, this major turning point in the war brought America alliances with other countries, especially France.
Benedict Arnold
Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz is the most complex of her children’s books, written like an analysis into the mind of a criminal.
Though most of her books are grammar level, this one is dialectic level.
Drums Along the Mohawk DVD
Made in 1939, this movie stars a very young Henry Fonda and Claudette Cobert was made in 1939, about a newly married couple from Albany who moves to the frontier, west on the Mohawk River in 1776.
As they dealt with Indian uprisings, prompted by the British, German General Herkimer was featured in the Battle of Oriskany!
Lafayette, the young General from France
Another Jean Fritz book we read is Why not, Lafayette? which is quite a contrast to the Benedict Arnold book we read.
Young, eager, likeable Lafayette was sent by Washington to Virginia to chase down Benedict Arnold, but the traitor escaped by ship.
Instead Lafayette and his dragoons discovered British General Cornwallis with his troops in Virginia.
Outnumbered, Lafayette cleverly led his dragoons in small skirmishes against Cornwallis.
Seeking a deep river port to be rescued by the British, Cornwallis led his men to Yorktown, surrounded on three sides by water.
The unavailability of British ships due to French ships fighting them at sea, left Cornwallis’s troops stranded, with Lafayette’s dragoons blocking the only available exit.
Shocked that the experienced British commander had allowed this predicament, Lafayette contacted Generals Washington and Rochambeau in New York.
Immediately the entire Continental Army journeyed from New York to Virginia to effectively end the war.
After the Continental Army laid siege lines, the war effectively ended in a few weeks.
We spent a week studying the Constitution
As we sat down to read the Constitution, my daughter said she had studied applicable words from her Latin that day.
Constitution is derived from the Latin verb, constituere which means to set up, decide, determine.
Furthermore, have you considered that delegate comes from the Latin verb deligere which means choose?
My son and I loved that.
We read the entire document, taking time to analyze what each part means.
Then we worked on memorizing the preamble.
{{{sigh}}}
With immense sadness we are closing our study of our favorite era of history.
Culminating these studies will be our grand trip to Colonial Williamsburg in August!
New since our last trip, Revolutionary City immerses guests into the American Revolution.
I can’t wait for my kids to engage with them in hopefully a powerful and memorable way.
Stay tuned!
