Teacher Resources
Fredericksburg
Inquiry Question
What does Hugh Mercer's story tell us about the Atlantic world from which the American Revolution emerged?
Primary Sources
What Teachers and Students Use
George Washington's Early Letters and Diary Fragments, 1748-1754
PRIMARY · Library of Congress, George Washington Papers
5 analysis prompts
Mary Ball Washington Letters, 1749-1788
PRIMARY · Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
5 analysis prompts
Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge No. 4: Minutes and Membership Records, 1752-1780
PRIMARY · Masonic Lodge No. 4, Fredericksburg
5 analysis prompts
Continental Army Supply Records: Fredericksburg Depot, 1776-1781
PRIMARY · National Archives and Records Administration
5 analysis prompts
Kenmore and Washington Heritage Sites: Fredericksburg's Revolutionary Era
INSTITUTIONAL · George Washington Foundation
5 analysis prompts
Downloads
Ready to Print
Student packet, teacher guide with answer key, and quiz — each formatted for classroom printing.
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Lesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Students will trace Hugh Mercer's biography from Culloden to Fredericksburg to Princeton
- 2Students will analyze the Atlantic dimensions of the American Revolution through the lens of Scottish immigration
- 3Students will evaluate what Mercer's death at Princeton meant for the Continental Army and for Fredericksburg
- 4Students will examine the role of immigrants and refugees in the Patriot cause
Explore Further
Fredericksburg 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.
Princeton
SHARED EVENT
Hugh Mercer died at the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777; his death is the most direct link between Fredericksburg's Revolutionary history and the New Jersey campaign.
Alexandria
SHARED PERSON
Washington traveled regularly between Fredericksburg, Mount Vernon, and Alexandria; Mary Ball Washington lived in Fredericksburg while her son ran his commercial and civic life through Alexandria.
Mount Vernon
SHARED PERSON
Washington's boyhood was spent near Fredericksburg; his mother lived there.
Assessment
Fredericksburg 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 Fredericksburg 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 Fredericksburg 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.