THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

The American Revolution was one of the most significant events to take place throughout the course of American history. The war that took place between Great Britain and her thirteen colonies created the country that we subsequently live in today. The war between Great Britain and the American colonies began when the colonists felt that they were being mistreated by their mother country, especially in regards to taxation without representation. A group of these angry colonists gathered together in the city of Philadelphia to draft a Declaration of Independence which would be sent to George III, King of England. In this Declaration, the colonists listed their objections to British rule and declared their independence from Great Britain. Unwilling to let go of the valuable colonies, England declared war and thus began the American Revolution. This Pathfinder will aid 5^th grade students in their quest for information regarding the American Revolution. Students will find useful keywords, classification numbers, and specific resources to aid their research purposes.

-Classification Numbers

-Websites/Collections

-Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

-Appropriate Reading Materials for 5^th Graders

-Places to Visit in the Philadelphia Area

American Revolution Uniforms

Useful Keywords and Subject Headings

American Revolution Revolutionary War

War for Independence War of 1776

Declaration of Independence George Washington

Boston Tea Party Paul Revere

Midnight Ride Benjamin Franklin

John Adams John Hancock

Thomas Jefferson Continental Army

Loyalists Patriots

Yorktown Valley Forge

Delaware River Molly Pitcher

Colonial America Samuel Adams

Stamp Act Taxation without Representation

Common Sense Patrick Henry

King George III Boston Massacre

Sons of Liberty Martha Washington

Thirteen Colonies Treaty of Paris

Thomas Paine Common Sense

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Classification Numbers

Library of Congress:

Classification E- History of the Americas

186-199 (Colonial History)

199 (French and Indian War)

201-298 (The American Revolution)

300-453 (American Revolution to the Civil War)

302 (Collected Works of American Statesmen)

303-309 (1775-1789, The Confederation)

310-337 (Constitutional Period, 1789-1809)

311-320 (Washington’s Presidency, 1789-1797)

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Websites/Collections

1. The Revolutionary World: A Journey Towards Freedom

http://library.thinkquest.org/10966

In addition to providing a fun zone for kids, this site provides users with an overview of the American Revolution and provides an illustrated tour of Valley Forge and Washington’s Cross. The site also hosts a forum where American history enthusiasts can discuss the war or ask questions of American Revolution history buffs.

2. The Account of the Declaration: Jefferson’s Story of the Declaration

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/account

This website allows users the opportunity to learn more about the man who drafted the Declaration of Independence through the use of his personal writings.

3. Timeline for the American Revolution

http://www.usahistory.info/timeline/revolution.html

This website provides users with an in-depth timeline of events during the course of the Revolutionary War between the years of 1765 to 1786.

4. Liberty! The American Revolution

http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty

This comprehensive website presents a detailed chronicle of the revolution and student users can play “The Road to Revolution” game.

5. The Patriot Resource

http://www.patriotresource.com/history.html

This website provides users with an overview of the battles fought, relevant documents, historic landmarks, important people, and a detailed timeline of the revolution.

6. RevWar ‘75

http://www.revwar75.com

This website provides students with a wealth of information pertaining to all aspects of the Revolutionary War including people, events, and important documents.

7. Spy Letters of the American Revolution (From the Collections of the Clements Library, University of Michigan)

http://www.si.umich.edu/spies

This collection allows viewers to read the correspondence of both patriot and loyalist spies during the American Revolution and to view their biographies and pictures. The site also includes the various routes of the letters and secret methods and techniques.

8. The Paul Revere House

http://www.paulreverehouse.org/ride

On this site, students with a particular interest in Paul Revere will be able to learn all about the man who made that famous Midnight Ride. The site includes the real story of Revere’s ride, a virtual Midnight Ride, and Paul Revere quotes.

9. Declaration of Independence (From the National Archives)

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration.html

On this site, students will be able to view the papers that were sent to King George in 1776 declaring the freedom of the thirteen colonies.

10. Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, 1764-1775

(From the Library of Congress)

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/continental/timeline.html

These documents provided by the Library of Congress allow users to learn more about the various acts and laws enacted by Great Britain on the thirteen colonies including the Sugar Act, Quartering Act, and the Stamp Act.

11. Revolutionary War Quotes

http://www.revolutionary-war.info/quotes

Users of this site can either look up or browse thousands of quotes spoken by politicians, soldiers, or civilians during the course of the war.

12. The American Revolution- People of the Revolutionary War

http://www.americanrevolution.com/people.html

This site provides a wealth of information for students on the founding fathers, African Americans in the Revolutionary War, American Indians in the American Revolution as well as the Daughters of the American Revolution.

13. The Papers of George Washington (From the Collections of the University of Virginia)

http://gwpapers.virginia.edu

This collection allows users to view the personal writings and correspondence of George Washington during his various posts including Commander of the Continental Army as well as president of the United States.

14. History of the American Revolution

http://americanrevolution.com/history/html

This vast site offers users the complete history of the American Revolution with several easy-to-navigate subject guides.

15. Flags of the American Revolution

http://www.foundingfathers.info/American-flag/Revolution.html

This site allows users to view all of the American flags used during the war by the colonists.

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Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Bigelow, Barbara C. The American Revolution Almanac, 2000.

This almanac set is composed of twelve chapters that cover the years leading up to the war, the war itself, and the years following the wars completion. The almanac also includes a timeline, illustrations, a glossary of terms, and a list of fun and educational activities for kids.

Boatner, Mark Mayo. Encyclopedia of the American Revolution, 1966.

This encyclopedia offers a comprehensive overview of the war including its major battles and participants and offers an extensive trivia section.

Fremont-Barnes, Gregory & Ryerson, Richard. The Encyclopedia of the American Revolutionary

War: A Political, Social, and Military History, 2006.

This encyclopedia set covers the political, social, and military history of the American Revolution. The A-Z entries cover the time between the French and Indian War to the presidency of George Washington and includes over 50 maps and 20 pages of glossary terms.

Fremont-Barnes, Gregory & Ryerson, Richard. American Revolutionary War: A Student

Encyclopedia, 2006.

This encyclopedia is designed especially for students and covers the causes, course, and consequences of the Revolutionary War.

Karapalides, Harry J. Dates of the American Revolution: Who, What, and Where in the

War for Independence, 1998.

This book was designed as a quick reference for an American Revolution researcher and serves as a chronological list of events beginning with the accession of King George to the death of George Washington.

Marshall, Douglas W. Campaigns of the American Revolution: An Atlas of Manuscript

Maps, 1976.

This atlas pays attention to the various campaigns conducted throughout the war by both British and American armies.

Mays, Terry M. Historical Dictionary of the American Revolution, 1999.

This dictionary includes over 1,100 entries varying from significant people, important battles, and historic documents.

Mollo, John. Uniforms of the American Revolution in Color, 1975.

This book examines the various uniforms used throughout the war by both the British and the Americans. The book also pays attention to weaponry and national flags.

Murfin, James V. National Park Service Guide to the Historic Places of the American Revolution,

1975.

This guide from the National Park Service features some of the most prominent battlefields and attractions of the American Revolution and discusses each location’s significance.

Symonds, Craig L. A Battlefield Atlas of the American Revolution, 1986.

This battlefield atlas allows readers the opportunity to visualize the battles they are researching by breaking down the battles in an easy-to-understand fashion.

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