Revolutionary War Teaching Resources

Take your social studies students through the key event in the Revolutionary War with printable worksheets, American Revolution timeline activities, reading and writing activities and more teaching resources created by teachers for your social studies lesson plans.

Explore the timeline of the American Revolution from the French and Indian War through the establishment of the 13 Colonies and beyond, get printable maps of Colonial America for students and download printables that cover the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre and other major moments from the Revolutionary War period!

This era of American history comes to life in a curriculum-aligned teaching resource collection with printable and digital resources that can be edited to fit the needs of your lesson plan and your individual students.

Each resource has been created by a teacher to help students meet Common Core and state-level standards, and each has undergone a rigorous review by the teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure they're student-ready.

Are you teaching about the Revolutionary War for the first or the first time in a long time? Here's a quick refresher from our teacher team!

When Was the American Revolution and Why Do We Teach About It?

The Revolutionary War began in 1775 and lasted until 1783. Also known as the American Revolution, this conflict was waged between the British colonies in America and Great Britain, with the colonies eventually securing independence from the British monarchy.

This, of course, paved the way for the creation of the United States of America.

You might hear a few groans from students who can't believe they have to learn about a war that occurred before their great-grandparents were even alive. Still, the American Revolution gave birth to America and is a cornerstone of social studies education in the fourth grade!

Students learn not just about points on a timeline but about freedom and the limits of freedom and the ideals of equality and natural rights. Examination of the British monarchy and the eventual creation of a democratic republic in America offers a look at the different types of world governments, and the revolution introduces students to the impacts of American events on a global stage.

American Revolutionary War Activity Ideas for the Classroom

This collection is full of engaging activities and ideas for your lesson plans, and our teacher team has come up with some extra inspiration!

Try a Flag Design Activity

Teaching about Betsy Ross and the American flag? Explore the meaning of the stars and the stripes on the flag before challenging students to design their own flags that incorporate important symbols and themes from this period in American history.

Light Up the Room With a Paul Revere Ride Activity

Did Paul Revere have one lantern or two lit for his midnight ride? Discuss the famous ride at the start of the war with your class and craft lanterns!

Create Your Own Boston Tea Party

Explore the concept of taxation without representation with play money and packets of hot chocolate to represent the colonists' tea taxed by Britain.

Split your students into small groups, handing some groups the hot chocolate packets and others the play money. Those with the hot chocolate will represent Britain and charge "taxes" for their "tea," while those with the play money are priced out.

At the end, provide a place for the colonists to "dump" their "tea" so you can create hot chocolate for the whole class!

Read on for more activity and lesson-planning inspiration from the days of the American Revolution!

Key Dates in the American Revolution

The entire Revolutionary War lasted more than eight years, from the time the first battle occurred in the Massachusetts colony until the Treaty of Paris was signed.

Here are some of the key dates in the timeline of the war:

• April 19, 1775; Battles of Lexington and Concord — The American Revolution officially began with the first military engagements in Massachusetts when British troops attempted to seize colonial military supplies.
• May 10, 1775; Siege of Fort Ticonderoga — In one of the most famous events of the revolution, colonists Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold led a surprise attack on British-held Fort Ticonderoga. The colonists famously captured the fort and its valuable artillery without firing a shot. Benedict Arnold, however, would go on to be labeled a traitor.
• June 17, 1775; Battle of Bunker Hill — In this famous battle in modern-day Boston, the British attempted to capture a strategic hill. The battle ended with heavy casualties for both sides and a British victory.
• July 4, 1776; Declaration of Independence — On what is now considered the birthday of the United States, the Continental Congress formally declared independence from Great Britain, with Thomas Jefferson drafting the famous document that spelled out the colonists' grievances and plans.
• August 27, 1776; Battle of Long Island — The British landed troops on Long Island and defeated the Continental Army in the largest battle of the war up to that point.
• October 17, 1777; Surrender at Saratoga — In a battle in the New York colony, General Horatio Gates led colony forces and forced the surrender of a British army under General John Burgoyne. This not only marked a turning point in the war but was key in convincing France to formally enter the conflict on the American side.
• December 19, 1777 - June 19, 1778; Valley Forge — The Continental Army, under the leadership of future American president George Washington, spent a harsh winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, enduring extreme cold, disease and hunger.
• October 19, 1781; Siege of Yorktown — American and French forces surrounded and attacked the British army under General Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, forcing its surrender and effectively ending the war in America.
• September 3, 1783; Treaty of Paris — The American Revolution officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. In the treaty, Great Britain recognized the independence of the United States and ceded territory stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River to the new country.

Who Fought in the Revolutionary War?

The American Revolution was waged between Great Britain and the American colonies, but who was doing the fighting?

Here's a look at the people who fought in the war:

• The British — The British forces in the Revolutionary War included soldiers and sailors from Great Britain, as well as mercenaries from other European nations, such as Hessian soldiers from Germany.
• The American colonists —The colonists who fought against the British included soldiers from all 13 colonies, as well as militia and irregular forces.
• The French — France was an important ally of the colonists and provided military, financial, and naval support throughout the war.
• The Spanish — Spain joined the war against Britain in 1779, supporting the colonists by attacking British-held forts and ports in Florida and Louisiana.
• The Dutch — The Netherlands also declared war on Britain in 1780 and provided naval and financial support to the colonists.
• Native American tribes —Some Native American tribes, such as the Oneida and the Tuscarora, sided with the colonists, while others, such as the Iroquois Confederacy, supported the British.
• Freed and enslaved Africans — Both fought on both sides of the conflict, with some joining the British forces in exchange for promises of freedom.

How Many People Died in the Revolutionary War?

It's hard to tell exactly how many people died during the American Revolutionary War due to incomplete records. However, it is estimated that between 25,000 and 70,000 people died directly from the war.

That number includes military and civilian deaths on both sides of the conflict. The majority of the deaths during the American Revolution were likely American colonists. It's estimated anywhere from 8,000 to 12,000 soldiers were killed in battle, and another 17,000 to 25,000 died from factors like disease and malnutrition.

It's estimated that between 8,000 and 10,000 British soldiers were killed in battle during the revolution, and another 12,000 to 20,000 died from disease and other causes.

Native American tribes and enslaved people who fought in the war also suffered significant casualties, but exact numbers are not known.