Galen Catholic College

Revolutions Course, Unit 3, 2015

Learning Focus

Northern Battles of the Revolution Valley Forge

Administration

Mark the roll

Key Teaching
Focus

1. Start/finish of lessons need to be sharper. Monitor students

packing up before the end of class.
2. Better guide the students using questions/scaffolding
3. Ensure that each student contributes to the work start
earlier for each task
4. Better use of instructions
5. Focus on terminology especially when acknowledging
students.

Duration

1 lesson

Essential
Question

What hardships and difficulties did the Continental army face in

the early years of the war, and how were they able to sustain the
war effort in spite of those challenges?

Learning
Objectives

1. List the expectations that the Continental Congress had of George

Washington, and assess how well he met them.
2. Articulate the problems that the Continental Army faced during the
early phase of the war.
3. Explain how Washington and his men turned the tide in the North
in 177778.
4. Identify the most important military engagements and explain their
significance.

Exam Drills

Key Issue #3 Words, Sentences and Paragrpahs

20 mins

Instructions:
1. Show ppt of exam questions used yesterday, and handout on a
worksheet.
2. Ask students to refer back to their work from yesterday where
they identified the key issues & method in each question.
3. Demonstrate how to write an introduction to question 1
4. Work together through an intro for question 2.
5. Ask students to complete the 3rd question on their own. Swap
with a partner and edit. Discuss as a group.

Background
5 mins

The first years of the Revolutionary War were not happy ones for
Britain's rebellious colonies. Lacking any organized army before 1775
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Galen Catholic College

Revolutions Course, Unit 3, 2015

(aside from local colonial militias), the Continental Congress had to

assemble a more or less improvised fighting force that would be
expected to take on the army of the world's largest empire. In George
Washington Congress found an able leader, but his record on the
battlefield in the early years of the conflict was not heartening. His
most impressive accomplishment was keeping the army together after
a string of defeats, and making enough of a showing in battle that
eventually France would be tempted to enter the conflict.
This lesson will trace events in the North from 1775 to 1778. By
looking at documents of the time, and using an interactive map,
students will see how an army was created and understand the
challenges that Washington and his men faced during this critical
early stage of the war.
When the first fighting broke out in Massachusetts in 1775 the
rebellious colonies of North America each had their own militia, but
lacked anything that could properly be termed a national army. By
orders of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia a fighting force
was hastily assembled and placed under the command of George
Washington, who had commanded colonial forces from Virginia in the
French and Indian War.
Although Americans succeeded in driving the British from Boston in
March 1776 there would be very little good news for the colonies in
the months ahead. While the Congress debated independence in
Philadelphia, an attempted invasion of Canada failed disastrously.
Moreover, a massive British army arrived in New York in 1776 in what
would stand until 1944 as the largest amphibious invasion in history.
Washington and his Continental Army were forced back into
northeastern Pennsylvania to regroup and wait for another opportunity
to strike.
The opportunity came near the end of the year, when Washington
launched a surprise attack at Trenton, New Jersey, on Christmas
night. But while this momentarily helped to restore American morale, it
soon faced another crushing blow at the Battle of Brandywine. Not
only did the British inflict heavy losses on the Continental Army, but
the redcoats were also able to occupy Philadelphia, forcing Congress
to flee for their lives.
Within a few weeks, however, there was another revival of American
fortunes. Moving from their positions in New York, the British launched
a three-pronged offensive aimed at taking the Hudson River Valley
and therefore cutting off New England from the rest of the states. But
this drive was stopped in the Battle of Saratoga, a victory which had
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Galen Catholic College

Revolutions Course, Unit 3, 2015

the additional benefit of drawing France into the war against the
British.
After the disaster at Brandywine, Washington sought to avoid another
large-scale engagement in the North, and he and his army spent the
miserable winter of 17771778 in Valley Forge while the British
enjoyed the comforts of nearby Philadelphia. However, at this point
the alliance with France began to bear fruit. The British, fearing an
attack from the French Navy, evacuated Philadelphia in June 1778,
and when Washington learned that they were retreating to New York
he decided to risk another battle. The two armies met at Monmouth
Court House, in southern New Jersey, but neither side was able to
achieve a convincing victory.
Thus far British strategy in the North had accomplished little, so the
British commander, Lord William Howe, decided to shift their priorities
farther south, to the Carolinas. Nevertheless, they continued to
occupy New York. Washington and his army may not have been able
to inflict a decisive defeat on the British, but by keeping his army
together under desperate circumstances he made it possible to
achieve victory in the South in the years to come.
Activity 2

Instructions: Interactive Map

20 mins

At this point students will use the interactive map to trace the
events of the war from the outbreak of hostilities in 1775 through
1778. For each battle, students will be asked which sidethe British
or the Americanswon the engagement. Clicking on the locations
indicated will produce pop-up windows with additional information on
what happened there. Arrows will also appear showing the movement
of forces by each side.
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/static/neh/interactives/americanrev
olution/
After studying the interactive map students will be asked to list (on the
worksheet) what they consider to be the three most important battles
of the war in the North, and explain why they think those particular
engagements were so critical.

Activity 2

Valley Forge

20 mins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOOFhGFNT3M
Students to watch the video and take notes on the following:
5 key points
2 primary sources used.

Galen Catholic College

Revolutions Course, Unit 3, 2015
Wrap up

Next lesson moving on to the key battles of the northern war.

5 mins
Resources

For more detailed information on the course of the war in the North,
teachers are encouraged to consult "The American Revolution:
Lighting Freedom's Flame" (accessible via the EDSITEmentreviewed site of the National Park Service, Links to the Past). Of
particular note at this site are a brief history of the war and a
timeline of events.
http://www.doublegv.com/ggv/battles/Contl.html
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/valleyforge.htm
http://thehistoricpresent.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/what-happenedat-valley-forge/
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/battleswars16011800/p/valleyforge
htm http://www.ushistory.org/march/phila/valleyforge.htm
http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/history/rock.html
http://www.revolutionarywararchives.org/valleyforge.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312848/valleyforge.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/historyofus/web02/segment2.html

Extension Work
Homework
Assessment
Absent