Teacher Resources
Charleston
Inquiry Question
What makes a military position impossible to defend, and what should a commander do when facing that situation?
Primary Sources
What Teachers and Students Use
Articles of Capitulation: Charleston, May 12, 1780
PRIMARY · National Archives and Records Administration
5 analysis prompts
General Benjamin Lincoln's Siege Journal, March-May 1780
PRIMARY · Massachusetts Historical Society
5 analysis prompts
The American Rebellion: Sir Henry Clinton's Narrative of His Campaigns, 1775-1782
PRIMARY · Yale University Press (William B. Willcox, ed.)
5 analysis prompts
British Army Headquarters Papers: Charleston Occupation Records, 1780-1782
PRIMARY · Public Record Office (National Archives, United Kingdom)
5 analysis prompts
Memoirs of the American Revolution, so far as it Related to the States of North and South Carolina, and Georgia
PRIMARY · David Longworth (William Moultrie)
5 analysis prompts
Downloads
Ready to Print
Student packet, teacher guide with answer key, and quiz — each formatted for classroom printing.
Opens in a new tab. Use your browser's Print dialog (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P) and choose “Save as PDF.”
Lesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Students will explain the strategic reasons the British chose Charleston as their primary 1780 target
- 2Students will trace the stages of the siege from British landing through final surrender
- 3Students will analyze the Philipsburg Proclamation and evaluate its significance for enslaved South Carolinians
- 4Students will compare how the same event (the siege) was experienced differently by different groups
Explore Further
Charleston in the Knowledge Graph
The lesson packet draws from these pages. Use them to extend the lesson or give students primary source context.
Comparative Study
Connected Towns
The corroborate prompts in the student packet point to these towns. Teachers can assign cross-town comparisons.
Assessment
Charleston in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history. · 5 questions · Answer key in Teacher Guide PDF
What makes Charleston significant in Revolutionary history?
multiple choice
Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.
true false
Name one event that occurred in Charleston during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.
short answer
+ 2 more in the full quiz PDF
Ready to Print?
All three documents below — student packet, teacher guide, and quiz — are formatted for letter-size classroom printing.