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Book 1
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4

    • Book 2
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3

    • Book 3
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3

    • Book 4
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3

    • Book 5
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3

    • Book 6
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3

    • Book 7
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
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    Book 4: The War for Independence - Chapter 2: The War for Independence

    Key Words: Bunker Hill, Lexington, Concord, Valley Forge, Saratoga, Yorktown, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Marquis Marie Joseph de Lafayette, Tadeusz Kosciuszko, Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, Martha Washington, Molly Pitcher, Phillis Wheatley, Mercy Otis Warren, Continental Army, France and the War for Independence, Treaty of Paris
    Fiction Books
    Clapp, Patricia. I'm Deborah Sampson: A Soldier in the War of the Revolution. New York: Lothrop & Shepard, 1977. Tells the story of a young woman's adventures during the war. This wonderful book is out of print but available at most libraries. 176 pages.

    Collier, James L. My Brother Sam is Dead. London: Collier Macmillian, 1985. Tells the tragic story of the Meeker family whose son becomes a Patriot while the rest of the family remains loyal to the king. 216 pages.

    Gregory, Kristiana. The Winter of Red Snow. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1996. Part of the "Dear America" book and television series. In this diary of an 11-year-old girl, the reader gets her view of the winter at Valley Forge. 173 pages.

    Kirkpatrick, Katherine. Redcoats and Petticoats. New York: Holiday House, 1999. Tells the story of a spy ring on Long Island during the War for Independence. Contains beautiful watercolors and fascinating historical notes about George Washington's spies. 34 pages.

    Murphy, Jim. A Young Patriot: The American Revolution as Experienced by One Boy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Fifteen-year-old Joseph Plumb Martin enlists in the American army and fights alongside Washington, Lafayette, and von Steuben. 112 pages.

    Peacock, Louise. Crossing the Delaware: A History in Many Voices. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Children, 1998. A nicely illustrated picture book that describes the events leading up to the Battle of Trenton, the battle itself, and the results of the battle. The story is told through historical excerpts, a tour of George Washington's crossing, and a series of fictionalized letters. 40 pages.

    Nonfiction Books
    Adler, David A. A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Holiday House, 1991. A picture book that surveys the life of Benjamin Franklin. 32 pages.

    Adler, David A. A Picture Book of Patrick Henry. New York: Holiday House, 1995. A biography of Patrick Henry. 32 pages.

    "American Revolution Tales." Cobblestone: The History Magazine for Young People. Sept. 1983. Each issue contains easy-to-read articles, primary source readings, excellent illustrations, and occasional crafts and puzzles. Web site: cobblestonepub.com. About 50 pages.

    Brenner, Barbara. If You Were There in 1776. New York: Bradbury Press, 1994. Demonstrates how the concepts and principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence were drawn from the experiences of living in America in the late 1700s. It focuses on how children lived on a New England farm, on a Southern plantation, and on the frontier. 136 pages.

    D'Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar Parin. Benjamin Franklin. Garden City: Doubleday, 1987. Profiles the inventor, philosopher, writer, publisher, and advisor for the writing of the Declaration of Independence. An easy-to-read book with beautiful illustrations. 48 pages.

    Ferrie, Richard. The World Turned Upside Down. New York: Holiday House, 1999. A detailed study of the battle of Yorktown. Includes George Washington and the Battle of Yorktown maps and pictures. A good reference book. 168 pages.

    Fritz, Jean. What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1976. This is a brief biography of the eighteenth-century printer, inventor, and statesman who played an influential role in the early history of the United States. 46 pages.

    Fritz, Jean. Where was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May? New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1975. This is a brief biography of Patrick Henry, tracing his progress from planter to statesman. 47 pages.

    Green, Carol. Benjamin Franklin: A Man with Many Jobs. Danbury: Children's Press, Inc., 1988. An easy-to-read biography of Franklin with many pictures in color and black and white. 47 pages.

    Greenberg, Judith E., et al. Journal of a Revolutionary War Woman. New York: Watts, 1996. The wife of a Continental officer expresses in her diary her thoughts and experiences during the War for Independence. 128 pages.

    Johnson, Neil. The Battle of Lexington and Concord. New York: Four Winds Press, 1992. The story of these famous battles is told with photos of the 1990 and 1991 annual battle reenactments. 40 pages.

    Lough, Loree. Nathan Hale: Revolutionary Hero. Boston: Chelsea House, 1999. A well-researched biography of Nathan Hale. Difficult text. Includes pictures. 96 pages.

    McGovern, Ann. The Secret Soldier: The Story of Deborah Sampson. New York: Four Winds Press, 1975. A biography of the woman who disguised herself as a man and joined the Continental forces during the War for Independence. 62 pages.

    Miller, Marilyn. Words that Built a Nation. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1999. A collection of 39 documents tracing the history of the United States. 172 pages.

    Quiri, Patricia R. The Declaration of Independence. Danbury: Children's Press, Inc., 1999. Discusses the circumstances preceding and following the writing of the Declaration of Independence and describes how it was written, approved, and announced. 44 pages.

    Scarf, Maggie. Meet Benjamin Franklin. New York: Random House, 1989. A detailed biography of Benjamin Franklin. Part of a series of easy-to-read biographies. 64 pages.

    Stein, Conrad R. The Story of Valley Forge. Danbury: Children's Press, Inc., 1985. An easy-to-read account of Valley Forge. 32 pages.

    Zeinert, Karen. Those Remarkable Women of the American Revolution. Brookfield: Millbrook Press, 1996. During the War for Independence, women made their presence felt in print, on the home front, and on the battlefield. 96 pages.

    Zell, Frank. A Multicultural Portrait of the American Revolution. Tarrytown: Benchmark Books, 1995. This well-researched book focuses on the prejudices and stereotyping that people overcame in order to make valuable contributions to the war effort. Out of print but may be available at the school or local library. 80 pages.

    Zemlicka, Shannon. Nathan Hale: Patriot Spy. Minneapolis: The Lerner Group, 2002. An easy-to-read biography that includes appealing pictures, maps, and a time line. 48 pages.

    Web Sites
    http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/
    Historic Valley Forge. Learn about the museum at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania and find out who served there. Be sure to check out the kids' page!

    http://blackhistory.eb.com/micro/637/40.html
    The Encyclopedia Britannica Guide to Black History. This web site includes an illustration and short biography of Phillis Wheatley, an amazing woman who rose from slavery to be the first major black poet in America.

    http://www.monticello.org/index.html
    The Home of Thomas Jefferson: Monticello. This web site provides information on the life of Thomas Jefferson, an array of photographs of his historic home, and other resources.

    http://www.ushistory.org/tour/index.html
    Historic Philadelphia. Take a virtual stroll down the historic streets of Philadelphia. At each stop, visitors are treated to interesting facts about the site and its significance to America's past. No study of Colonial America is complete without this tour of the streets where the Declaration of Independence was written and Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere once walked.

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/home.html
    Africans in America. Learn about the African American journey through United States history at this informative web site that includes time lines and biographies of black Americans who fought for their freedom during the War for Independence. This site is the online companion to the PBS series.

    http://earlyamerica.com/
    Archiving Early America. Find primary source documents, paintings of early Americans, maps, and more! Includes historic maps made during the Revolutionary War.

    http://americanhistory.si.edu/timeline/02wash.htm
    Washington at War. A virtual exhibit at the Smithsonian lets you see General Washington's uniform, sword, and tent.

    http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/documents/articles/
    Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids–The Articles of Confederation. Let Benjamin Franklin be your guide through the Articles of Confederation at this site, sponsored by the U.S. Government Printing Office.

    http://bensguide.gpo.gov/benfranklin/index.html
    Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids. Learn more about this statesman, inventor, librarian, and printer by visiting this site sponsored by the U.S. Government Printing Office.

    http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/index.html
    National Archives and Records Administration–The Exhibit Hall. Visit the Exhibit Hall to view original American documents, including George Washington's expense report. An engraving of Alonzo Chappel's painting "Valley Forge–Washington and Lafayette, Winter 1777-78" is located in the National Archives collection.

    http://www.ushistory.org/march/
    Virtual Marching Tour of the American Revolution. Play a virtual role in America's fight for independence–from famous battles to historic highlights and the framing of the Constitution. Sponsored by the Independence Hall Association.