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History is for EveryoneAmerican Revolution Network

Teacher Resource Packet

The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes

Trenton, NJ

Grades 9-12·2 class periods

Students examine the Hessian experience in the American Revolution — who they were, why they fought, and how their presence shaped the conflict — challenging the simplistic "mercenary" narrative with primary sources from Hessian soldiers and officers.

This Packet Includes

  • Learning Objectives & Essential Questions
  • 5 Primary Source Analysis Worksheets
  • 3 Reading & Activity Handouts
  • Assessment Quiz (5 questions)
  • Answer Key
Unit:The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — Lesson Overview
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Learning Objectives

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Explain why German states provided soldiers to the British Crown
  2. Analyze Hessian soldiers' perspectives using primary source letters and diaries
  3. Evaluate the accuracy of the term "mercenary" as applied to Hessian soldiers
  4. Assess how the Hessian presence affected American public opinion and the Revolutionary cause

Essential Questions

Keep these questions in mind as you work through this packet:

  • Were the Hessians mercenaries, or were they something more complex?
  • How did Hessian soldiers experience the American Revolution?
  • Why did the use of foreign soldiers anger American colonists?
  • What happened to the Hessian prisoners captured at Trenton?

Warm-Up · 10 minutes

Ask students to write a definition of "mercenary." Then read the actual arrangements between the British Crown and the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel. Were the Hessian soldiers mercenaries by the students' definitions? Discuss the complexity of the term.

Differentiation Strategies

Struggling Learners

Provide a template for the letter with sentence starters. Pre-annotate primary sources with vocabulary definitions.

Advanced Learners

Research the "subsidy treaty" system and write an analytical essay comparing it to modern military contracting.

ELL Support

Pair Hessian primary sources with visual aids (maps, illustrations of uniforms). Provide translated key phrases.

Unit:The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 1 of 5
Document Information
DocumentWashington's Orders for the Crossing of the Delaware and Attack on Trenton
SourceLibrary of Congress, George Washington Papers
TypePRIMARY
Washington's Orders for the Crossing of the Delaware and Attack on Trenton

Washington's Orders for the Crossing of the Delaware and Attack on Trenton

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 what happened in Trenton, NJ? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Unit:The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 2 of 5
Document Information
DocumentHessian Colonel Rall's Papers and Battle of Trenton German Accounts
SourceStaatsarchiv Marburg (German State Archives)
TypePRIMARY

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 what happened in Trenton, NJ? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Unit:The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 3 of 5
Document Information
Document1776
SourceSimon & Schuster (David McCullough)
TypeSECONDARY

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 what happened in Trenton, NJ? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Unit:The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 4 of 5
Document Information
DocumentWashington's Crossing
SourceOxford University Press (David Hackett Fischer)
TypeSECONDARY

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 what happened in Trenton, NJ? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Unit:The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 5 of 5
Document Information
DocumentWashington Crossing Historic Park: Official Site
SourcePennsylvania/New Jersey State Parks
TypeINSTITUTIONAL
Washington Crossing Historic Park: Official Site

Washington Crossing Historic Park: Official Site

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 what happened in Trenton, NJ? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Unit:The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — Trenton Event Timeline
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Trenton Event Timeline

timeline

Students place key events in chronological order and add details

# Trenton Revolutionary Timeline


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


  • [ ] Battle of Trenton
  • [ ] Washington Crosses the Delaware
  • [ ] Battle of Princeton
  • [ ] Night March from Trenton to Princeton
  • [ ] Hessian Surrender at Trenton

---


| Event | Date | Significance |

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

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

Unit:The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — 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 Trenton during the Revolution?


_______________________________________________


## Perspective

Whose voice is represented? Whose might be missing?


_______________________________________________

Unit:The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — 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

### George Washington

Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army (1732-1799) who planned and led the crossing of the Delaware and the attack on Trenton.


My questions about this person:

1.

2.


### Johann Rall

Hessian colonel commanding the Trenton garrison when Washington attacked on December 26, 1776. Rall was mortally wounded in the battle and died the following day. His failure to fortify the town contributed to the Hessian defeat.


My questions about this person:

1.

2.



## Reflection

Which figure interests you most and why?


_______________________________________________

Unit:The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — Assessment
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Trenton in the American Revolution

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

  1. 1.  What makes Trenton 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 Trenton 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

Trenton in the American Revolution

The Hessians: Soldiers, Not Stereotypes — Trenton, NJ

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

    Trenton 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 Trenton 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.