Remembering the names, dates, and details of historical events can be a struggle for students. And figuring out how all of that isolated information connects? That is even more difficult. But understanding historical events and their relationships with each other is critical.
I want to help you facilitate deeper understanding and connection in your history lessons. And one of the best ways to achieve this is through timelines! To get you started, I have created this free Revolutionary War timeline.
Why Use a Revolutionary War Timeline?
A timeline is a powerful tool that provides a concrete way for students to connect historical concepts.
Timelines help students:
- view events as part of a larger movement
- sequence events in order
- activate prior knowledge
- identify cause and effect
- deepen their understanding of a historical period
My Best Tips for Teaching with Timelines
Why Many Students Don’t “Get” Timelines
As teachers, we commonly teach events one at a time, assuming that students are connecting the events in their minds. But when we teach events in “bits and pieces,” students learn most of their history out of context. As a result, they are unable to connect the individual details and grasp larger historical themes.
The solution?
Students need regular practice creating and interpreting timelines.
My Favorite Timeline Activities
Timelines don’t have to be boring! There are so many fun and engaging ways to incorporate timelines into your history instruction. Here are a few of my favorite timeline activities.
Illustrated Timeline
Students work together to construct an illustrated timeline of historical events. This can be done in many ways! For example:
- First, roll out a long strip of butcher paper for your students. You can do this horizontally or vertically.
- Next, use a bold marker to place dates on the paper.
- Then, have students cover the timeline in student drawings, index-cards, and/or primary sources which represent historical events.
Table Top Timeline
Students create a timeline across a table in the classroom. First, label sections of the table with dates using index cards. Next, students add objects, artifacts, and framed photographs to the table. They place these items next to the correct year on the timeline.
Digital Timeline
Have students create a timeline digitally. Don’t expect students to know how to use these digital resources on their own. Be sure to model several times – and even do a few altogether!
- ReadWriteThink Interactive Timeline – This program provides an easy-to-use digital timeline for students to fill in! In this timeline, students can enter a date, description, and image.
- Google Slides – Students can create a simple timeline using this editable timeline. Before sharing this with students, you can adjust it to fit your specific timeline needs!
- Sutori – Using Sutori, your students can create incredible timelines that include both text and images. You can even assign students to create a Sutori timeline through Google Classroom!
Human Timeline
One of my favorite timeline activities is the Human Timeline from Facing History. In this activity, students teach their peers about one event from the timeline. Then, they build a human timeline by lining up in the order of the events. I’ve used a variation of this activity in my Early Republic and Westward Expansion units. Learn more about this activity here!
Analyze Timelines
Go beyond creating timelines. Analyze them! Here are some ideas for helping students analyze timelines.
- Compare a timeline with another from history.
- Identify the time period covered by each timeline.
- Determine how each timeline has been divided.
- Study the timelines to see how events in one are related to events in the other.
- Identify a turning point in the timeline.
- Identify a problem and give advice to people from that time period.
- Create a new ending!
16 Key Events for Your Revolutionary War Timeline
It’s difficult to narrow down events and know which to include and which to leave out. I’ve spent hours analyzing events, so you don’t have to! Here are 16 key events to use when teaching about the Revolutionary War.
- April 19, 1775 – Patriot victories at the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
- June 15, 1775 – George Washington becomes general of the Continental Army.
- June 17, 1775 – The British win at the Battle of Bunker Hill, but with heavy casualties.
- July 4, 1776 – The United States declares independence.
- August 27, 1776 – British forces defeat the Americans at the Battle of Long Island.
- November 16, 1776 – George Washington leads successful attacks at Trenton and Princeton.
- December 1776 – January 1777 – British victory at the Battle of Fort Washington.
- September – October 1777 – Patriot victories at the Battle of Saratoga.
- December 1777 – Washington and his army winter at Valley Forge.
- February 6, 1778 – The United States and France become allies.
- May 12, 1780 – British capture Charleston, South Carolina.
- October 7, 1780 – Patriot victory at the Battle of Kings Mountain.
- January 17, 1781 – Patriot victory at the Battle of Cowpens.
- March 15, 1781 – British victory at the Battle of Guildford Court House.
- September – October 1781 – Patriot victory at the Siege of Yorktown.
- September 1783 – The U.S. and Great Britain sign the Treaty of Paris and the war is officially over.
Get the Free Revolutionary War Timeline
I hope these tips and resources help your students better understand and enjoy timelines in your classroom!
Download the free Revolutionary War Timeline here.
To help save you time, I have also created this free Revolutionary War timeline lesson. With detailed teacher instructions, activity ideas and printable worksheets, using this timeline in your classroom will be a breeze!
Need more help teaching about the Revolutionary War?
Are you looking for more resources to help you teach the Revolutionary War?
- 3-Week Revolutionary War Unit: This all-inclusive unit provides interactive lesson plans that will keep your students engaged and help them learn the information in a meaningful way.
- Revolutionary War Primary Sources: An outline of 5 primary sources, complete with teaching suggestions. I have also created a compilation of primary sources for several other U.S. History topics as well!
- American Revolution Picture Books: 7 powerful picture books to help bring the colonial era to life in your classroom.
- Revolutionary War Videos: An overview of 5 videos teaching all about the history of the Revolutionary War.
Hi,
Is there an error on the revolutionary war timeline (the dates for Trenton and Fort Washington inversed)?
Thanks,
Mary