Battles of the Revolution: Classroom Resources

This page includes information on some of the major battles of the American Revolution, including The Battle of Bunker Hill, The Battle of Saratoga, The Battle of Lexington/Concord (The Shot Heard Around the World),


First, here are some resources that cover multiple battles of the Revolution. After that, you will find specific information on the battles listed above:

• Revolutionary War Interactive Battles Map: The map includes many battles, and shows the American and British paths to the battle, as well as who won.
• There are numerous great places to find photos of battles of the Revolution. A few I have come across (the links go to the pages including war pictures) include Son of the South, Art.com, The National Archives, The Library of Congress, and Wikipedia.
• Information, including pictures, of almost every imaginable battle of the Revolutionary War can be found at British Battles.com. 
• Summaries of Major Battles: Short, 1 paragraph summaries of many battles of the Revolution.

Battle of Bunker Hill

On June 17, 1775, the American Revolutionaries fought the British at Breed's Hill in Boston. Eventually the British won the battle, but lost many soldiers and resources. The Battle of Bunker Hill is credited with helping the Americans eventually win the war.

Here are some links to assist in research of The Battle of Bunker Hill:

• Maps and Views of Boston and the Battle: Multiple links to images provided by the Massachusetts Historical Society. 
• Setting the Stage for Battle: Provided by the National Park Service, a short reading.
• Battle of Bunker Hill Facts With Many Pictures: This site has a lot of great pictures.
• Battle of Bunker Hill Facts: At kidport.com. The site also contains links to a few Youtube videos.
• The Battle of Bunker Hill Animated: This information packed animation provided by revolutionarywaranimated.com has some good facts. 
• Some facts and maps on wikispaces: Very simple facts and maps provided by another classroom on Wikispaces. There are multiple pictures available here with citations.

Teacher Resources:

• A quick reading about the Battle of Bunker Hill: a pdf document that's ready for printing.
• Large Historical Map of the Battle: It's huge.

Videos:

This first clip is from the animated show Liberty Kids, and is about The Battle of Bunker Hill:

Part 1

Part 2

The Battle of Saratoga

The Battle of Saratoga is actually comprised of two battles. The Battle of Freeman's Farm and the Battle of Bemis Heights. Both engagements took place in the Fall of 1777.

Here are some links to assist in research of the Battle of Saratoga:

• Battle of Saratoga Entry on Encyclopedia Britannica: This is pretty self explanatory. It's short and easily readable for most 5th graders. 
• A Detailed Map of the First Battle of Saratoga
• Synopsis of the Battle of Saratoga: Available on Liberty's Kids, a very quick read.
• Battles of Saratoga Information With Pictures: On wikispaces.

Teacher Resources:

• The Battles of Saratoga Student Research Packet: This pdf, provided by the National Park Service, includes some great visuals and information not only on Saratoga, but the overall war as well. If you're struggling to find good resources about Saratoga, start here!
• Battle of Saratoga Teacher Resource Guide: Another pdf, also from the National Park Service. It's a great starting point for teachers needing a little more information before teaching about Saratoga.

Video Clips:

This first clip is another Liberty Kids excerpt, called "The Hessians Are Coming," and is the story of Saratoga. It's 10 minutes long:

The Battle of Lexington/Concord

On April 18, 1775, the first shots of the war were fired near Boston. 

Here are some links to assist in research of The Battle of Lexington/Concord:

• British Battles.com: This site is becoming a main stay regarding the Revolutionary War. There's good information and numerous pictures.
• Original Map With Information: At son of the south.com. Some decent information and good, high quality images.
• Information in Easy to Read Lists

Teacher Resources:

• A pdf document that includes three images, and questions that ask students to analyze the intended audience of the image. A nice war propaganda lesson.
• American and British Conflicting Accounts of the Battle of Lexington/Concord (pdf document).
• Scott Foresman Quick Read: I use Scott Foresman in terms of a Social Studies textbook, so I have access to these materials. Here is a quick read if you don't have access to anything.

Video Clips:

I'll take a break from the Liberty's Kids videos and go back to America: The Story of Us. This is a great 12 minute clip.

School House Rock: The Shot Heard Around the World.