Interpreting the People who made the Revolution
The aim of Revolutionary Characters is to teach students to frame valid historical questions about the major individuals and groups involved in the American Revolution and to conduct the basic research and interpretive analysis required to answer them. Revolutionary Characters challenges students to move beyond simple recitations of biographical narratives available in encyclopedias and simplistic judgments about historical figures based on their adherence to modern values to ask and answer questions about their ideas and motives relying on primary sources.
Dr. Franklin and the Eagle
In the summer of 1776, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were—in Adams’ words—“put upon a Committee to prepare… Devices for a Great Seal for the confederated States.” Folklore—and the movie 1776—has perpetuated a myth about Dr. Franklin’s advocacy for the inclusion of a certain American bird on the seal, but in truth, the subject of eagles (and turkeys) was taken up by Franklin relative to the establishment of the Society of the Cincinnati.
COMING SOON
John Laurens’ Revolutionary Idea
Continental Army officer John Laurens’ belief in the Revolution’s republican ideals of liberty, equality, civic responsibility, and natural and civil rights inspired his passionate advocacy for the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. This lesson connects Laurens’ eighteenth-century advocacy to advocacy efforts extending into the twenty-first century.
COMING SOON
African American Soldiers in the American Revolution
African American soldiers helped win the Revolutionary War. This lesson will explore their contributions and how their legacy contributed to the abolitionist movement of the mid-nineteenth century.
COMING SOON
The “Pirate Paul Jones”
The Revolutionary War created America’s first international naval hero, John Paul Jones. This lesson facilitates an appreciation for the character and legacy of John Paul Jones by analyzing his most memorable quotations and connecting them to the accomplishments of other historic figures and ordinary individuals who share Jones’ spirit.