Are you looking for some Revolutionary War maps and worksheets?
Maps can be a great way to teach students key historical concepts in a visual way. That is IF your students can actually read them. Many students struggle with fully understanding maps.
Before you download the 5 free Revolutionary War map worksheets at the bottom of the post, here are some tips for success.
Tips for Analyzing Revolutionary War Maps with Students
First, use online maps.
Many maps have tiny details. Analyzing maps online allows students to zoom in. I recommend having a mini-lesson showing students exactly how to make the map take up the full screen, zoom in, zoom out, and move around.
Since your students will be using a computer or tablet to view the maps, I’ve formatted the worksheets using Google Slides.
Second, teach your students basic map skills.
The student worksheets expect students to know some map terms.
Before analyzing the maps, teach students about compass roses, legends, and scales. If you need help, these short videos are great:
Third, analyze the maps in a step-by-step way.
Students can easily get overwhelmed if you put a map in front of them and ask something like, “What does this map tell you about the Revolutionary War?”
I’ve found it’s better to have students:
- first, observe the map,
- then, try to make sense of it,
- and finally, use it as historical evidence.
I’ve paired all 5 maps with the “Analyze a Map” worksheet from the National Archives. I like this worksheet because it breaks the analysis down into those bite-sized pieces.
Finally, please don’t ask students to analyze ALL the maps in one lesson.
In the Google Slides I’ve created, I do have all the maps in one presentation. This is just to make it easier for you to see all the maps and worksheets.
I highly recommend analyzing only one map in a lesson.
To do this, make a copy of the presentation. Then delete all the slides except for the map and worksheet for one lesson.
Now, without further ado, here are 5 Revolutionary War maps, worksheets to analyze them, and tips for how to use them in the classroom.
1. Map 1: Thirteen Colonies of North America
By – Richard Zietz, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Description
This is a map of the 13 British colonies in North America. The colonies are color-coded by region. The New England colonies are dark red, the Middle colonies are bright red, and the Southern colonies are red-brown. In addition, major cities are marked with dots. Also, major rivers and lakes are indicated. This map was created by Richard Zietz – Richard Zietz, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Why I Chose This Map
I like this map because it’s a great starting point for your Revolutionary War unit. This clearly labeled map will help your students be able to visualize The Thirteen Colonies. At the end of the unit, compare this map with map 5.
Example Lesson Focus
What did the 13 British Colonies look like before the Revolutionary War?
2. 13 Colonies Population Density
Description
This map shows the population density of The 13 Colonies in 1775. In other words, it shows areas where many colonists lived close together and areas where few colonists lived. For example, green areas had 40 or more people living per square mile. Yellow areas had 15-40 people per square mile. Purple areas had 2-15 people per square mile.
In 1775, historians estimate that there were 2.4 million colonists living in The Thirteen Colonies. Roughly 20% of these people were enslaved. This number does not include Indigenous people living outside of The 13 Colonies.
Why I Chose This Map
This map shows students where most colonists lived in 1775. It helps students see that the population in the colonies was not evenly distributed.
Example Lesson Focus
Where did most colonists live in 1775?
3. Battle of Trenton
Description
This Battle of Trenton map is from the United States Military Academy (also called West Point). It shows where troops of soldiers were located and how they moved on December 26, 1776. Continental troops are shown in blue, while British Army troops are shown in red. Times are listed in military hours. (For example, 0300 hours means 3 AM.) The direction of the arrows shows the direction of the soldiers’ movement.
During this battle, General George Washington’s army crossed the Delaware River during a storm and defeated Hessian mercenaries at Trenton. This American victory was followed by a victory at Princeton which boosted the morale of American troops.
Why I Chose This Map
The crossing of the Delaware is one of the most famous battle stories of the Revolutionary War. This map helps students visualize that event in the setting.
Example Lesson Focus
What was the Battle of Trenton’s timeline?
4. Locations of Important Revolutionary War Battles
Description
This map from West Point shows the location of major Revolutionary War battles. It also includes a timeline of major battles from 1775 to 1783. Continental troops are shown in blue, while British troops are shown in red. The direction of the arrows shows the direction of the troops’ movement.
Why I Chose This Map
As students are learning about Revolutionary War battles, it would be helpful to keep this map handy. This will allow them to better visualize the distances between the locations and where most battles were fought.
Example Lesson Focus
Where were major Revolutionary War battles fought in the North? Where were major Revolutionary War battles fought in the South?
5. The Thirteen Original States, 1783
Description
This historical map was created by H. C. Robertson in 1898 as part of a series illustrating the history of the United States. This map shows what the United States looked like after the Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War in 1783. As part of the treaty, the United States received a large territory from Great Britain. This territory was west of the Thirteen Colonies and stretched from Canada to Spanish Florida.
Why I Chose This Map
This clear map shows how the territory of the United States expanded after the Treaty of 1783.
Example Lesson Focus
How did the map of the United States change after the Treaty of 1783?
Happy Teaching!
I hope your students have a lot of fun and success with analyzing these maps. And I hope they make your life a little easier, too!
Access the Free Revolutionary War Maps and Worksheets (Google Slides)
I’ve taken the “Analyze a Map” worksheet and formatted it with text boxes in Google Slides. I’ve also included links to each online map so your students can easily access them.
Click to get the Google Slides for these Revolutionary War maps and worksheets.
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