5 Revolutionary War Primary Sources for Kids

 5 Revolutionary War Primary Sources for Kids

Teaching with Revolutionary War primary sources may feel daunting, but it can be easier than you think! One of the trickiest parts is finding the right resources.

In order to help teachers save time, I’ve created lists of kid-friendly primary sources.

Primary sources are great because they are low prep.

All you need is:

• Access to the primary source (Pull up the link on student devices or make copies)

• Optional: Student notebooks or paper

That’s it! Copies are limited or nonexistent because the meat of the instruction is the questions and discussion. 

Below are 5 excellent primary sources for teaching about the Revolutionary War. To make it super easy, I’ve included class discussion ideas as well as links to helpful worksheets and lessons.

 

Paul Revere’s Engraving of The Boston Massacre (1770)

Description of Primary Source:

Paul Revere’s dramatic portrait of the Boston Massacre shows stoic, unrepentant British soldiers firing on unarmed civilians. Several colonists are shown injured and bleeding (in fact, it’s a bit gory!).

This depiction shaped public opinion about the event. Revere’s view that the event was a massacre is reinforced by the sign “Butcher’s Hall” above the British soldiers. Learn more about the details of the engraving on the Gilder Lehrman Institute’s website.

I also recommend having your students compare Paul Revere’s engraving with other engravings of the same event. The artists had very different perspectives on the Boston Massacre.

Class Discussion Questions:

• What are the people doing in the engraving?

• Who do you think created the artwork?

• What time period does the artwork show?

• Why do you think it was created?

• What is the main idea of the artwork?

• How is this artwork an example of propaganda?

Resources for this Primary Source:

• Download the engraving (Library of Congress)

• Engraving with background info and questions (Gilder Lehrman Institute)

• Worksheet for analyzing an illustration (National Archives)

 

The Liberty Song (1768)

Description of Primary Source:

This song was written by Founding Father John Dickinson. It was published in July 1768 in the Boston Gazette. The lyrics were set to the anthem of the British Royal Navy (way to rub it in, John).

This song was written in reaction to the Townshend Acts, and was one of the first songs to express American patriotism. The most famous lyrics from the song are “by uniting we stand, by dividing we fall”.

Class Discussion Questions:

• What does the title tell you about the song?

• What are two words to describe the song?

• Who would have approved of this song and who would have not approved?

• Who do you think was supposed to hear this recording?

• What is your favorite lyric and why?

• What is the message of the song?

Resources for this Primary Source:

• Lyric Video (Ian Berwick, YouTube)

• Download the primary source (Dickinson College Archives and Special Collections)

• View the Lyrics (Wikipedia―note you can download them as a PDF by clicking on the left sidebar)

• Worksheet for analyzing a sound recording (National Archives)

Portrait of a Black Revolutionary War Sailor (1780)

Description of Primary Source:

Above is a portrait of an African American Revolutionary War sailor.  Many students may not know that blacks fought on both sides during the Revolutionary War (North Carolina Government & Heritage Library). Regardless of which side they fought for, African Americans hoped that their actions would free them from slavery.

This portrait will come alive if you read these stories about famous black soldiers. I found Thomas Peters’ story especially interesting. He fought with the British during the war. Later he became one of the Founding Fathers of the Sierra Leone Colony.

This Revolutionary War primary source would pair well with this lesson on Colonial Slave Resistance. It includes a simulation which helps students understand the various ways that slaves resisted such as running away, purchasing their freedom, revolting, etc.

The artist and the subject of this portrait are unknown. Image credit: Newport Historical Society.

Class Discussion Questions:

• What do you see?

• What are the objects used for in the artwork?

• Who do you think the man is? How can you tell?

• Who do you think created the artwork?

• What time period does the artwork show?

• Why do you think it was created?

Resources for this Primary Source:

• Download the portrait (PBS)

• Worksheet for analyzing artwork (National Archives)

The Horse America, throwing his Master (1779)

 

Description of Primary Source:

This is a quick but powerful Revolutionary War primary source. “The Horse America, throwing his Master” is a British cartoon poking fun at American independence by comparing the colonies to a horse throwing his master. The master, of course, is King George III. He is holding an unusual whip that has weapons attached to it (sword, bayonet, axe, etc.). Also in the background is a French soldier holding a large fleur-de-lys flag.

Class Discussion Questions:

• What do you see?

• Notice the caption at the bottom, what does it tell you?

• Look at the people and animals in the cartoon, what are they doing?

• What are the objects used for in the cartoon?

• What do the symbols stand for?

• When and why do you think the cartoon was drawn?

• Who is portrayed more favorably: America or King George III?

Resources for this Primary Source:

• Download the cartoon (Library of Congress)

• Worksheet for analyzing a political cartoon (National Archives)

George Washington (1779-1781)

 

Description of Primary Source:

This painting of George Washington was commissioned by the State of Pennsylvania to celebrate the victories at Trenton and Princeton. The artist is Charles Wilson Peale, a soldier himself. He prepared by actually traveling to the battlefields so that he could get the background of the painting right.

In the painting Washington’s blue sash signifies that he is Commander-in-Chief. Also seen behind him is a soaring American flag. This depiction of Washington was very popular. Because of this, Peale made many replicas which are hanging in various art galleries today.

I recommend playing this 1 1/2 minute audio clip about the painting for your students (MET website). I also recommend viewing the painting on a computer so you can zoom in on all of the details.

Class Discussion Questions:

• What type of artwork is this?

• Who is the subject of the artwork?

• What are the objects in the artwork being used for?

• Why do you think it was created?

• What is the main idea of the artwork?

• What does Washington look like he is thinking and feeling?

• How does this portrait compare to other images you have seen of Washington?

Resources for this Primary Source:

• Download the painting (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

• Worksheet for analyzing artwork (National Archives)

Want a FREE Revolutionary War Battles Lesson?

In this lesson, students learn about 8 important Revolutionary War battles by analyzing clues around the room. The “clues” are primary and secondary sources. For instance, there are clues like a map of Bunker Hill, a letter from George Washington, and a graph of battle casualties.

Students learn about the following battles:

1. Battles of Lexington and Concord
2. Battle of Bunker (Breed’s Hill)
3. Battle of Long Island (Brooklyn)
4. Battles of Trenton and Princeton
5. Battle of Saratoga (Freeman’s Farm/Bemis Heights)
6. Siege of Charleston
7. Battle of Cowpens
8. Battle of Yorktown

Enter your email below to grab your free Revolutionary War Battles lesson!

Need more help teaching about the Revolutionary War?

You may also be interested in other resources for teaching the Revolutionary War like kid-friendly videos and a free Revolutionary war timeline.

Do you want all of your lessons planned out? If so, check out my Revolutionary War Unit. I want to save you TONS of time while keeping your students engaged. My favorite part of the unit is the week-long simulation where students join the Continental Army as either a soldier, spy, or officer.

If you are teaching about the road to revolution, you may also be interested in my 3-week Declaration of Independence Unit. Thousands of teachers have used and loved it!