In week 3 of our fun, hands on history unit on the American Revolutionary War we watched episodes 13-22 from the outstanding Liberty Kids video series.
Note: If you have middle school+ age children you might want to check out The Founding of America Megaset
We also added this weeks’ events & famous people to our lapbook.
You can download the American Revolutionary War Lapbook at the bottom of the post.
American Revolution Declaration of Independence for Kids
Revolutionary War Timeline for Kids
2nd Continental Congress & Declaration of Independence July 1776
- “There, I guess King George can see that!” John Hancock
- “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal…” Thomas Jefferson
Crossing the Delaware & Battle of Trenton
(Crossing The Delaware: A History In Many Voices) – December 26, 1776
Congress prescribes flag
Betsy Ross may have made the first American flag, we do not know for sure. But we do know the first flag was made June 14, 1777. So the kids & I made our own original American flag.
Daniel Morgan and The Battle of Freeman's Farm September 17, 1777
Saratoga – turning point in war Aug-Oct 1777
Our activities for the week were fieldtrips (part of our Revolutionary War Road trip).
Famous People of the Revolutionary War for Kids
George Washington for Kids
George Washington was the first President of the United States of America (1789-1797). He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of the Constitution in 1787.
Spy Nathan Hale for Kids
Hale was a soldier for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered to be a spy in New York City but was captured by the British. He is best remembered for his last words before being hanged: "I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country."
DIY Spy Cipher - American History Project for Kids
We made our own spy cipher this week! I had seen directions using lots of mayo lids – but we don’t go through that many in a couple years…. so it was time to improvise! I printed off strips with each letter of the alphabet, next sheet all letters in a different order, and continued until I had 7 strips (this is easy to do in Excel). Then I taped them around a toilet paper roll (we always have lots of those!) To make the code find the first letter of the word and use the letter below it. Continue until you have the word spelled. Then use an underscore and start at the beginning for the next word. Goofy was amused the message looked like gibberish! Remember, this only works if you & the person receiving the message both have the same cipher!
Thomas Paine
Paine was an English American author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. His principal contributions were the powerful, widely read pamphlet Common Sense (1776), the all-time best-selling American book that advocated colonial America's independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
(Uncommon Revolutionary: A Story About Thomas Paine)
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. As Treasurer he established a national bank, a system of tariffs, and friendly trade relations with Britain.
Baron von Steuben
Baron Von Steuben was a Prussian-born military officer who served as inspector general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He taught them the essentials of military drills, tactics, and disciplines. He wrote the Revolutionary War Drill Manual, the book that served as the standard United States drill manual until the War of 1812
We practiced drilling to become our own army.
Lafayette
Lafayette was a French aristocrat & military officer who served as a major-general in the Continental Army under George Washington during the Revolutionary War. He returned to France to negotiate an increase in French support. On his return, he blocked troops led by Cornwallis at Yorktown while the armies of Washington prepared for battle against the British.
NOTE: Sometimes we skim through these books. I cannot guarantee the books thoroughly as we only uses parts or look at pictures. So forgive me if there is something in these recommendations that I don’t see =-)
Download FREE Revolutionary War Timeline & Lapbook
And we added our new timeline events and famous Americans to our FREE American Revolution Lapbook.
