Timely-take aways for life-long learners: Revolutionary Period Perspectives

Timely-take aways for life-long learners: Revolutionary Period Perspectives

Whether exploring individuals, groups, or events, several new works of nonfiction share different perspectives and innovative thinking about the Revolutionary War period.

Liberty is Sweet: The Hidden History of the American Revolution
Woody Holton, 2021, Simon & Schuster
Themes: History, United States history, Revolutionary period
LIBERTY IS SWEET examines the essential, yet lesser-known roles of women, enslaved African Americans, Native Americans, and others in the fight for liberty.
Take-aways: Many educators are rebuilding their history curriculum with an emphasis on the roles of marginalized Americans. Use Holton’s many examples to revisit this period.

The Last King of America
Andrew Roberts, 2021, Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House
Themes: History, Biography, Revolutionary period
THE LAST KING OF AMERICA is a well-researched biography providing depth and detail to our understanding of George III, his monarchy, and the American Revolution.
Take-aways: Update the curriculum by shifting the traditional caricature of King George III to a multiple-dimensional leader facing both political and personal challenges.

Our First Civil War: Patriots and Loyalists in the American Revolution
H.W. Brands, 2021, Anchor, an imprint of Penguin Random House
Themes: History, United States history, Revolutionary period
OUR FIRST CIVIL WAR describes the challenges faced by individuals, families, and communities forced to choose sides in a violent revolution.
Take-aways: Use Brand’s approach to rethink how the various sides of the conflict are presented to students. Encourage discussions about family and friendship in war.

Winning Independence: The Decisive Years of the Revolutionary War, 1778-1781

John Ferling, 2021, Bloomsbury Publishing, an imprint of Macmillan
Themes: History, United States history, Revolutionary period
WINNING INDEPENDENCE explores Britain’s mid-war pivot, France’s involvement, and other key events that culminated in the American independence.
Take-aways: The curriculum often fast-forwards through the second half of the war. Use Ferling’s book to add depth and detail to this period.

The Howe Dynasty: The Untold Story of a Military Family and the Women Behind Britain’s Wars for America
Julie Flavell, 2021, Liveright, an imprint of W. W. Norton
Themes: History, European history, Great Britain, Georgian era
THE HOWE DYNASTY uses engaging nonfiction narrative to re-examine the roles of both the men and women of this influential, 18th century British family.
Take-aways: Expand the curriculum to include more detail about the British perspective leading up to the Revolutionary period through the eyes of a British family.

Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War
Don Troiani, 2021, Stackpole Books/National Book Network
Themes: History, United States history, Revolutionary period
LIBERTY examines the works of Don Troiani at the Museum of the American Revolution. Known for both artistry and accuracy, these paintings reflect pivotal events in the Revolutionary Period.
Take-aways: Use Troiani’s works and artifacts to jumpstart lessons focusing on specific people, places, and events central to the period.

Whether helping educators keep up-to-date in their subject-areas, promoting student reading in the content-areas, or simply encouraging nonfiction leisure reading, teacher librarians need to be aware of the best new titles across the curriculum and how to activate life-long learning. - Annette Lamb

Synergy: Prudence Cummings Wright

PRUDENCE CUMMINGS WRIGHT (1740-1824) organized and lead a women’s militia in Pepperell, Massachusetts during the American Revolution.

Read the recently published picture book, then learn more at the websites:

REVOLUTIONARY PRUDENCE WRIGHT: LEADING THE MINUTE WOMEN IN THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE written by Beth Anderson and illustrated by Susan Reagan tells the inspiring story of Prudence Wright and the “minute women” of Pepperell, Massachusetts. Organizing and leading a group of resourceful women, she rallies support against British policies and defends her town against Tory invaders.

PRUDENCE WRIGHT from the American Battlefield Trust provides a short biography.

Go to https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/prudence-wright

PRUDENCE WRIGHT AND THE WOMEN WHO GUARDED THE BRIDGE is a book written by Mary Shattuck in 1912 providing details about Wright and her minute women. It contains interesting references to primary source materials.

Go to http://www.pepperellhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/PrudenceWright.pdf

COVERED BRIDGE OVER THE NASHUA RIVER is an article at the Pepperell MA townsite describing the history of the bridge in the story. 

Go to https://town.pepperell.ma.us/160/Covered-Bridge-Over-the-Nashua-River

BETH ANDERSON’s website contains resources for teachers interested in using the book in the curriculum.

Go to https://bethandersonwriter.com/revolutionary-prudence-wright-leading-the-minute-women-in-the-fight-for-independence/

ARC courtesy of Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Young Readers.

Synergy: John Hancock and Samuel Adams

John Hancock (1736-1793) was a wealthy merchant and Samuel Adams (1722-1803) was a politician and activist. As a result of the Stamp Act, they joined forces to create a peaceful boycott of British goods. For a decade, they led protests in Boston prior to the Revolutionary War.

Read the recently published children’s picture book, then learn more at the websites:

MOST WANTED written by Sarah Jane Marsh and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham explores the partnership of John Hancock and Samuel Adams in Boston. Readers follow Hancock and Adams through the ten years leading up to the Revolutionary War. The picture book features both well-known and lesser-known quotes from primary source documents. It concludes with additional background information, a timeline, and author notes.

THE COMING OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, 1764-1776 is a web project of the Massachusetts Historical Society. The project focuses on over a dozen key primary source documents. Many of these documents are featured in the Marsh’s picture book.

The Coming of the American Revolution
http://masshist.org/revolution

ARC courtesy of Disney/Hyperion.

Book Review: Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word

THOMAS PAINE AND THE DANGEROUS WORD by Sarah Jane Marsh is an engaging picture book biography.

This fast-paced story traces Thomas Paine’s experiences growing up and exploring various careers. After meeting Benjamin Franklin and traveling to America, Paine takes a job editing a new magazine and finds success writing and debating important issues. The story describes his work publishing Common Sense and its impact on everyday people. The picture book concludes with information about his life and legacy after 1776, a timeline, bibliography, and quotations used in the book.

Librarians will find this book to be an easy and effective way to introduce the American Revolution and Thomas Paine to elementary students. Use this title to talk about primary sources. Pair it with other books about American founders.

Published by Disney-Hyperion on May 29, 2018. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Spotlight: Witness to the Early American Experience

WITNESS TO THE EARLY AMERICAN EXPERIENCE is a digital collection documenting eyewitnesses to the American Revolution in the New York City area.

Contents: This large collection contains works from the New York Historical Society, New York University, and other organizations. Users can go directly to the archives and conduct a search or explore the featured document. The learning resources section provides modules that explore religion, education, music, work, and health and medicine.

Classroom Connections: This collection would be useful for connecting primary sources to the study of the American Revolution. Use the tour for a quick look at the history of New York City and lots of fascinating examples.

Featured Digital Objects:
Paper and Printing in Colonial America http://maass.nyu.edu/tour/tour06.shtml
Mapping the Revolution http://maass.nyu.edu/tour/tour07.shtml

To visit the collection, go to http://maass.nyu.edu/.