Thomas Paine publishes “American Crisis”

Related Lessons

• 
  Lesson Plan / History & Social Studies

  Common Sense: The Rhetoric of Popular Democracy

  This lesson looks at Thomas Paine and at some of the ideas presented in his pamphlet  Common Sense, such as national unity, natural rights, the illegitimacy of the monarchy and of hereditary aristocracy, and the necessity for independence and the revolutionary struggle.

  • The Lesson
  • The Basics
  • Resources

Washington’s Continental Army marches into Valley Forge

Related Lessons

• 
  Lesson Plan / History & Social Studies

  Lesson 1: The War in the North, 1775–1778

  Lacking any organized army before 1775 (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. 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.

  • The Lesson
  • The Basics
  • Resources
• 
  Lesson Plan / History & Social Studies

  Lesson 2: Powers and Problems

  Students examine Washington's ability to handle a wide range of problems during his time as Commander-in-chief.

  • The Lesson
  • The Basics
  • Resources
• 
  Lesson Plan / History & Social Studies

  Lesson 3: Leadership in Victory and Defeat

  In this lesson, students examine Washington as a military leader and explore some of the difficulties he faced during the Revolutionary War.

  • The Lesson
  • The Basics
  • Resources

Related Student Resources

• 
  Student Resource / History & Social Studies

  American War for Independence: Interactive Map

  Interactive map of the campaigns of the American Revolution in the northern colonies. Accompanies curriculum unit: The American War for Independence

• Student Resource / Art & Culture

  Emmanuel Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware

  Roll over the image to explore the areas of the painting, clicking to bring up the descriptive pop-ups. Make notes in the pop-up's tabs to prepare you for the follow-on multiple-choice questions (under "Test Your Knowledge"), and answer the essay questions on the pop-up tabs. After completing these tasks, follow the instructions for printing out your answers and notes, and you can also print the image istself.

Benjamin Franklin begins publishing “Poor Richard’s Almanac”

Related Lessons

• 
  Lesson Plan / Art & Culture

  Benjamin Franklin's Many "Hats"

  Ben Franklin, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and of the Constitution was also a philanthropist, a community leader, patriot, and Founding Father. This lesson plan exemplifies all our new country fought for in the Revolutionary War: individualism, democracy, community, patriotism, scientific inquiry and invention, and the rights of “We the People.”

  • The Lesson
  • The Basics
  • Resources

Builder of the world's largest coke and steel operation, Henry Clay Frick, born

Related Lessons

• 
  Lesson Plan / History & Social Studies

  The Industrial Age in America: Sweatshops, Steel Mills, and Factories

  About a century has passed since the events at the center of this lesson-the Haymarket Affair, the Homestead Strike, and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. In this lesson, students use primary historical sources to explore some of the questions raised by these events, questions that continue to be relevant in debates about American society: Where do we draw the line between acceptable business practices and unacceptable working conditions? Can an industrial-and indeed a post-industrial-economy succeed without taking advantage of those who do the work?

  • The Lesson
  • The Basics
  • Resources