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History is for Everyone · American Revolution Network

Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target

Danbury, CT

Grade Range: 7-9·Duration: 50 minutes

Students examine the April 1777 British raid on Danbury through the lens of military logistics — understanding why destroying a supply depot was as valuable as winning a battle — and explore how the Continental Army struggled to feed and equip its forces throughout the war.

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
Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Lesson Overview
History is for Everyone
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Learning Objectives

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

  1. Explain why military logistics were a decisive factor in the Revolutionary War
  2. Describe what the Danbury supply depot contained and why its destruction mattered
  3. Analyze the British strategy of coastal raiding as an alternative to conventional battlefield operations
  4. Connect the loss of Danbury stores to broader challenges of Continental Army supply

Essential Questions

Keep these questions in mind throughout the unit:

  • How do armies fight a war when they cannot reliably feed or equip their soldiers?
  • Why would destroying supplies sometimes be more valuable than winning a battle?
  • What does the Danbury raid reveal about British strategy and American vulnerability in 1777?
Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
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Primary Source 1 of 5
Document Information
Document:Continental Congress Resolution on the Danbury Raid, May 1777
Source:Library of Congress, Journals of the Continental Congress
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1
Continental Congress Resolution on the Danbury Raid, May 1777

Continental Congress Resolution on the Danbury Raid, May 1777

Analysis Questions

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

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

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

Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 2 of 5
Document Information
Document:Governor Jonathan Trumbull to Congress, April 27, 1777
Source:Connecticut State Library, Jonathan Trumbull Papers
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1

Analysis Questions

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

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

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

Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 3 of 5
Document Information
Document:Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center: The Danbury Raid Context
Source:Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center
Type:INSTITUTIONAL
Credibility:TIER1
Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center: The Danbury Raid Context

Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center: The Danbury Raid Context

Analysis Questions

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

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What is the institution's mission?

  5. How does that mission shape the presentation?

Reflection

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

Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 4 of 5
Document Information
Document:History of Danbury, Conn., 1684-1896
Source:Burr Printing House (James Montgomery Bailey)
Type:SECONDARY
Credibility:TIER1

Analysis Questions

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

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What primary sources does this draw from?

  5. What interpretation does the author offer?

Reflection

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

Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 5 of 5
Document Information
Document:Connecticut Council of Safety Records: April-May 1777
Source:Connecticut State Archives
Type:PRIMARY
Credibility:TIER1
Connecticut Council of Safety Records: April-May 1777

Connecticut Council of Safety Records: April-May 1777

Analysis Questions

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

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

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

Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Danbury Event Timeline
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Danbury Event Timeline

timeline

Students place key events in chronological order and add details

# Danbury Revolutionary Timeline


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


  • [ ] British Raid on Danbury
  • [ ] Sybil Ludington's Ride Summons Militia to Danbury's Aid
  • [ ] Battle of Ridgefield
  • [ ] Continental Army Assesses the Loss of Danbury Stores
  • [ ] Sybil Ludington's Midnight Ride

---


| Event | Date | Significance |

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

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
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)

1.

2.

3.


## Reflection

What do you wonder? (List 2 questions)

1.

2.


## Analysis

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


_______________________________________________


## Perspective

Whose voice is represented? Whose might be missing?


_______________________________________________

Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Key Figures Profile
History is for Everyone
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

### General William Tryon

British general who led the punitive expedition against Danbury in April 1777, destroying the Continental supply depot. Tryon's raids on Connecticut were designed to punish communities supporting the rebellion and divert American military resources.


My questions about this person:

1.

2.


### Sybil Ludington

Sixteen-year-old daughter of militia Colonel Henry Ludington who, according to tradition, rode forty miles through the night to muster her father's regiment after the British attack on Danbury. Her ride, though less documented than Paul Revere's, has become one of the Revolution's most celebrated acts of civilian courage.


My questions about this person:

1.

2.



## Reflection

Which figure interests you most and why?


_______________________________________________

Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Assessment
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Danbury in the American Revolution

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

  1. 1.  What makes Danbury significant in Revolutionary history?

  2. 2.  Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.

  3. 3.  Name one event that occurred in Danbury during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.

    Answer:

  4. 4.  Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?

  5. 5.  Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.

    Answer:

ANSWER KEY · TEACHER COPY · DO NOT DISTRIBUTE

Danbury in the American Revolution

Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Danbury, CT

  1. 1.What makes Danbury significant in Revolutionary history?
    Answer:A

    Danbury played a significant role in the American Revolution as evidenced by the events we studied.

  2. 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. 3.Name one event that occurred in Danbury 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. 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. 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.

Unit:Supply Lines and Strategy: Why Danbury Was a Target — Standards Alignment
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Standards Addressed

Common Core ELA

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7 — Integrate visual information with other information in print and digital texts
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1 — Cite textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts on discipline-specific content

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 proposed causes in terms of plausibility
  • D4.2.6-8 — Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples, and details