Teacher Resources
White Plains
Inquiry Question
Was General Howe right not to pursue Washington after White Plains? What information did he have, and what were his options?
Primary Sources
What Teachers and Students Use
Memoirs of Major-General William Heath
PRIMARY · William Heath (self-published)
5 analysis prompts
General Howe's Official Dispatch on the Battle of White Plains
PRIMARY · UK National Archives, Colonial Office Papers
5 analysis prompts
Washington's Partisan War, 1775-1783
SECONDARY · Kent State University Press (Mark V. Kwasny)
5 analysis prompts
The New York Campaign of 1776: NPS Interpretive Overview
INSTITUTIONAL · National Park Service
5 analysis prompts
Loyalists and Redcoats: A Study in British Revolutionary Policy
SECONDARY · University of North Carolina Press (Paul H. Smith)
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 analyze the Battle of White Plains from both American and British command perspectives
- 2Students will evaluate how terrain affected tactical decisions at Pell's Point and Chatterton Hill
- 3Students will assess the consequences of Howe's decision not to pursue Washington after the battle
- 4Students will describe the experience of Westchester civilians during the campaign
Explore Further
White Plains 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.
Morristown
SHARED PERSON
Washington commanded at both White Plains and Morristown. The New Jersey retreat that followed White Plains ended at the Delaware; the same army later wintered at Morristown. Many officers who fought at White Plains were present at both Morristown encampments.
New York City
SHARED EVENT
The Battle of White Plains was part of the campaign that lost New York to the British.
Harlem Heights
SHARED EVENT
Both battles occurred during the New York campaign of 1776.
Assessment
White Plains 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 White Plains 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 White Plains 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.