History is for Everyone · American Revolution Network

Camden 1780: Why Armies Break

Camden, SC

Grade Range: 6-8·Duration: 2 class periods

This lesson uses the Battle of Camden as a case study in military cohesion and collapse. Students examine why the Virginia militia broke under British attack while the Maryland and Delaware Continentals fought on, and what that difference tells us about training, experience, and institutional culture. The lesson also examines leadership through the contrast between Gates's flight and de Kalb's conduct, and asks students to think about what different kinds of "courage" look like in crisis situations.

This Packet Includes

Lesson Plan & Learning Objectives
5 Primary Source Analysis Worksheets
3 Student Handouts
Assessment Quiz (5 questions)
Answer Key (Teacher Copy)
Standards Alignment

Name: Date: Period:

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Students will explain the difference between militia and Continental regular forces in the Revolutionary War
Students will analyze the sequence of events at Camden that led to American defeat
Students will compare the leadership behaviors of Gates and de Kalb during the battle
Students will evaluate what the Battle of Camden's outcome meant for the larger Southern Campaign

Essential Questions

Keep these questions in mind throughout the unit:

What is the difference between a militia and a professional army, and why did it matter at Camden?
What does leadership under pressure look like — and what do Gates and de Kalb each show us?
How can a military disaster lead to a different and better strategy?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 1 of 5

Document Information

Document:General Horatio Gates to the President of Congress, August 20, 1780

Source:National Archives and Records Administration

Type:PRIMARY

Credibility:TIER1

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What was happening when this was written?
How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Camden, SC? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 2 of 5

Document Information

Document:Lord Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton: Dispatch on the Battle of Camden, August 1780

Source:Public Record Office (National Archives, United Kingdom)

Type:PRIMARY

Credibility:TIER1

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What was happening when this was written?
How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Camden, SC? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 3 of 5

Document Information

Document:A Narrative of the Campaign of 1780 (Otho Holland Williams)

Source:William Johnson (in Sketches of the Life and Correspondence of Nathanael Greene)

Type:PRIMARY

Credibility:TIER1

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What was happening when this was written?
How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Camden, SC? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 4 of 5

Document Information

Document:Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site

Source:Historic Camden Foundation

Type:INSTITUTIONAL

Credibility:TIER1

Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What is the institution's mission?
How does that mission shape the presentation?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Camden, SC? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 5 of 5

Document Information

Document:South Carolina State Records: Camden District Court and Loyalist Records, 1780-1781

Source:South Carolina Department of Archives and History

Type:PRIMARY

Credibility:TIER1

South Carolina State Records: Camden District Court and Loyalist Records, 1780-1781

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What was happening when this was written?
How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to the events in Camden, SC? What does it reveal about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Camden Event Timeline

timeline

Students place key events in chronological order and add details

# Camden Revolutionary Timeline

Instructions: Place the following events in order and add one detail about each.

[ ] Battle of Camden
[ ] Gates Flees to Charlotte
[ ] British Abandon Camden
[ ] Greene Appointed to Replace Gates
[ ] American and British Columns Collide at Night

---

| Event | Date | Significance |

|-------|------|-------------|

| | | |

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source Analysis

graphic organizer

Structured analysis of Revolutionary-era documents

# Primary Source Analysis Worksheet

## Source Information

Title: _________________
Author: _________________
Date: _________________
Type: _________________

## Observation

What do you notice? (List 3 things)

## Reflection

What do you wonder? (List 2 questions)

## Analysis

What does this source tell us about Camden during the Revolution?

_______________________________________________

## Perspective

Whose voice is represented? Whose might be missing?

_______________________________________________

Name: Date: Period:

Key Figures Profile

worksheet

Research template for Revolutionary figures

# Revolutionary Figure Profile

## Basic Information

Name: _________________
Birth/Death Years: _________________
Occupation(s): _________________

## Role in the Revolution

### Baron Johann de Kalb

German-born French officer serving as a Continental major general who commanded the Maryland and Delaware Continentals at Camden. His troops maintained discipline and fought after the militia fled; he was shot eleven times and died three days after the battle. His death cost the army one of its most capable regular infantry commanders.

My questions about this person:

### Lieutenant Colonel James Webster

British infantry officer who commanded the regulars that attacked the American left at Camden. His assault against the Virginia militia before the American line was fully formed triggered the collapse that decided the battle. He was mortally wounded at Guilford Courthouse seven months later.

My questions about this person:

## Reflection

Which figure interests you most and why?

_______________________________________________

Name: Date: Period:

Camden in the American Revolution

Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.

1. What makes Camden significant in Revolutionary history?
AIt was the site of important Revolutionary eventsBIt had no connection to the RevolutionCIt was founded after the RevolutionDIt was a British stronghold throughout the war
2. Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.
True False
3. Name one event that occurred in Camden during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.
Answer:
4. Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?
ADifferent people experienced events differentlyBIt makes history more confusingCOnly one perspective is ever correctDPerspectives don't matter in history
5. Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.
Answer:

Camden in the American Revolution

Camden 1780: Why Armies Break — Camden, SC

1.What makes Camden significant in Revolutionary history?
Answer:A
Camden played a significant role in the American Revolution as evidenced by the events we studied.
2.Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.
Answer:True
Primary sources provide firsthand evidence about historical events.
3.Name one event that occurred in Camden during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.
Answer:[Varies - accept any accurate event with reasonable explanation]
Students should identify a specific event and connect it to broader Revolutionary themes.
4.Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?
Answer:A
Multiple perspectives help us understand the full complexity of historical events.
5.Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.
Answer:[Varies - accept any accurate connection]
Students should demonstrate understanding of the interconnected nature of Revolutionary events.

Name: Date: Period:

Standards Addressed

Common Core ELA

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7: Integrate visual information with other information in print and digital texts

C3 Framework

D2.His.1.6-8: Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts
D2.His.2.6-8: Classify series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity
D2.Geo.2.6-8: Use maps to explain relationships between the locations of places and their environmental characteristics