Voices of the American Revolution : Stories of Men, Women, and Children Who Forged Our Nation

Riveting accounts of real people tell the story of the American Revolution from diverse characters and viewpoints-from men, women, children, Patriots, Tories, pacifists, African-American slaves, Native Americans, Hessian mercenaries, and more. All major political, social, economic, and military viewpoints are represented. Political debates, military battles and maneuvering, the struggles of civilians, the role of children, and the fates of Tories and Continental soldiers at the end of the war are just some of the themes covered. With each story, Haven includes a variety of learning extensions-objective questions, research projects, hands-on learning activities, and open-ended points to ponder for discussion and debate. A bibliography of resources for further study completes the work. Packed with information, this engaging collection is a wonderful supplement to American History units, a great resource for read-alouds and student reports. KLIATT The American Revolution was an extremely complex and contradictory affair. The causes of the war were by no means obvious, and no one on either side seemed to agree on what the goals were to be. Even the fighting turned into a messy affair. A motley array of state regiments, independent companies, foreign volunteers and militia units joined Washington's Continental Army in battling the British regulars and their allies up and down the Atlantic seaboard in a welter of skirmishes, raids and battles. It is understandable why many teachers opt for a simple good guys versus bad guys theme and find themselves reducing the Revolutionary War to a set-piece scenario. This author has chosen a new approach, based on people instead of themes. Aiming at student interest, Haven presents some 30 dramatized scenes in the lives of various characters who lived through the revolutionary events. Some of them are actual persons, but many have been invented—fictionalized characters drawn to represent different social or cultural groups. Thus, a raw young seaman follows John Paul Jones to an unexpected maritime victory; a Philadelphia hostess copes with the British occupation; and the wife of a Continental soldier finds herself in a hard-fought battle. One of the most thought-provoking sections has a group of South Carolina slaves speculating whether they will be better off under the British or the new government. Each of these scenarios is prefaced by an explanation of the situation and a brief paragraph that introduces the main character. A short aftermath follows each mini-drama, putting the events into broader historical context. Finally, there are follow-up questions and suggested activities forindividual students or classes. This novel approach seems to work, and would appear to make the book a useful teaching tool. Certainly an imaginative and flexible middle school teacher could use it to advantage, and it ought to be a good remedial tool for older pupils. Haven's scenes have all the appeal of the student-level historical books this reviewer devoured as a youth, with the advantage that they involve more female and ethnic characters, and tend to be much less establishment in tone. Recommended to school and library use. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2000, Libraries Unltd, 363p, illus, bibliog, index, 25cm, 00-059343, $32.50. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Raymond L. Puffer, Ph.D.; Historian, Edwards Air Force Base, CA, May 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 3) Contents......Page 6 Introduction......Page 12 How to Use This Book......Page 18 1773 Through 1775 at a Glance: Loyal Pride Turned to Kindling......Page 20 LIBER . . . TEA: The Boston Tea Party, December 17, 1773......Page 23 Liber . . . tea......Page 25 A War of Words Becomes a War of Bullets: Confrontation at Lexington and Concord, April 19, 1775......Page 34 A War of Words Becomes a War of Bullets: Reuben Brown’s Story......Page 36 A War of Words Becomes a War of Bullets: Lt. James Sutherland’s Story......Page 40 Staring into the Whites of Their Eyes: The Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775......Page 46 Staring into the Whites of Their Eyes......Page 48 Cordial George: Washington Becomes America’s First Commander-in-Chief, July 2, 1775......Page 56 Cordial George......Page 58 Friend to Foe: The Alienation of British Soldiers and Boston Residents, 1770–1775......Page 66 Friend to Foe......Page 68 1776 at a Glance: Drums of Glory; Face of Disaster......Page 76 Children Choose: Friends Torn Apart by Political Loyalties, 1776......Page 78 Children Choose......Page 80 “United” States: Passing the Declaration of Independence, July 2, 1776......Page 89 “United” States......Page 91 Disaster by Any Other Name. . . : The Battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776......Page 98 Disaster by Any Other Name......Page 100 Revolution or Redcoats?: New Jersey Indecision, 1776......Page 107 Revolution or Redcoats?......Page 109 Victory or Death: Battle of Trenton, December 26, 1776......Page 119 Victory or Death......Page 121 1777 at a Glance: The Best and Worst of Times......Page 130 You Go, Girl!: Women Take up the War, Groton, Massachusetts, 1777......Page 132 You Go, Girl!......Page 134 I’m an American, Too: Staying Neutral, 1777......Page 141 I’m an American, Too......Page 143 Citizen Soldiers Meet British Regulars: The Battle of Freeman’s Farm, September 19, 1777......Page 150 Citizen Soldiers Meet British Regulars......Page 152 Kill Them with Kindness: British Occupation of Philadelphia, September 1777 to June 1778......Page 159 Kill Them with Kindness......Page 161 Red Snow, Leather Stew: Winter at Valley Forge, December 1777 to April 1778......Page 168 Red Snow, Leather Stew......Page 170 1778 at a Glance: The Armies Are Stalemated While the Frontier Burns......Page 178 Red, White, and Betsy: Women in Business During the War, 1778......Page 180 Red, White, and Betsy......Page 181 Home-Fire Heroes: Life Away from the War, Summer 1778......Page 189 Home-Fire Heroes......Page 191 Water and Fire!......Page 198 War Paint: Indian Fighting on the Western Frontier, 1778–1779......Page 208 War Paint......Page 210 1779 at a Glance: The Land War Stagnates; the Seas Catch Fire......Page 218 Patriotic Plunder: The American Privateer Navy and the Battle of Penobscot Bay, September 1779......Page 220 Patriotic Plunder......Page 222 Patriot Son, Tory Traitor: Patriot Versus Tory Battles in Upstate New York, 1779......Page 234 Patriot Son, Tory Traitor......Page 235 “I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight!”: Naval Battle Between the Bonhomme Richard and the Serapis, September 23, 1779......Page 244 “I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight!”......Page 246 1780 at a Glance: Southern Blood Must Flow......Page 256 Which Road to Freedom?: The Dilemma of Southern Slaves, 1780–1781......Page 258 Which Road to Freedom?......Page 260 Swamp Fox Hunt: Southern Patriot Guerrilla Fighters, 1780–1781......Page 270 Swamp Fox Hunt......Page 272 Revolutionary Revenge: Brutal Southern Civil War, 1779–1782......Page 281 Revolutionary Revenge......Page 283 Pigtail Spy: Southern Spies, 1781......Page 292 Pigtail Spy......Page 294 1781 Through 1783 at a Glance: Did We Win?......Page 306 Free and Equal: Northern Slavery, 1781......Page 308 Free and Equal......Page 310 Surrendering to a Woman: Fighting along the Hudson River, 1782......Page 318 Surrendering to a Woman......Page 320 A Fearful Farewell: Loaylists Flee for Their Lives, 1782......Page 328 A Fearful Farewell......Page 330 Alone, Broke, and Forgotten: A Soldier's Farewell to the Army, April 1782......Page 340 Alone, Broke, and Forgotten......Page 342 The American Independence Supporters......Page 352 The British and Supporters......Page 353 Weapons......Page 354 Military Terms......Page 355 References......Page 356 B......Page 372 C......Page 373 D......Page 374 F......Page 375 I......Page 376 L......Page 377 M......Page 378 O......Page 379 P......Page 380 S......Page 381 T......Page 382 W......Page 383 Y......Page 384 This book contains 30 accounts that depict important moments throughout the American Revolution. Some focus on famous historical characters but most focus on common citizens who participated in significant events. Overall, the accounts represent the wide range of voices and factions from the War. The accounts are organized chronologically. Each account includes a summary of a particular issue or event concerning the War; a biographical sketch of an actual person; an historically probable fictionalized dialogue; a brief summary of the aftermath of the issue or event; and research questions, hands-on activities, and critical thinking exercises. These activities and exercises complement the history curriculum and support National History Standards. Contains a glossary and a list of annotated references, including Web sites. (BT) Breaks through the myths, the legends to view the Revolutionary for the long and desperate struggle that it was. Contains 30 stories that capture important moments spread throughout the war period. The events and characters of these stories are historically accurate, although the dialogue is fictionalized