In this reading comprehension activity, 5th graders will read a passage about john adams and bunker hill. Three lessons from the battle of bunker hill speakeasy wsj. The british were trying to keep control of the city and control its valuable seaport. Battle of bunker hill the battle of bunker hill was a series of three attacks by the british on june 17, 1775 during the siege of boston. This lesson examines how abigail adams depicted life in boston area during the siege of boston and how she described the battle of bunker hill. The british grenadiers, light infantry and battalion company men wore red coats. A city, a siege, a revolution the american revolution. American history and world history can be found at historycental historys home on the web. This is an original map of showing details of the battle of bunker hill. The true story of the battle of bunker hill history smithsonian. The battle of bunker hill was fought on june 17, 1775, during the siege of boston in the early stages of the american revolutionary war. To force the british from boston, on the night of 16 june 1775 the american militia besieging the town sent 1,200 men to seize bunker hill, on the peninsula of charlestown.
It also led to the realization that the british would need more military firepower, and hence, led to the hiring of more than 30,000 hessian german soldiers. Battle of bunker hill simple english wikipedia, the free. It was the original objective of both the colonial and british troops, though the majority of combat took place on the adjacent hill which later. Instead of going with bunker hill on the northern portion of the charlestown peninsula, prescotts men built their fort almost a halfmile to the south on breeds hillright in the. Two months after the revolutionary war began, on the night of 1617 june 1775, about 1,200 massachusetts soldiers set out to fortify bunker hill on the charlestown peninsula, across the charles river from boston. On the night of june 16, 1775, the us patriot soldiers dug fortifications on breeds hill across the river from boston.
Bunker hill by nathaniel philbrick the boston globe. It is designed to be taught during three class periods. The only reason i gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is so much is written about this time i have little to compare it to to know if this is a great book or. The battle of bunker hill part i the battle of bunker hill which actually took place on breeds hill is a battle fought near boston, massachusetts, on june 17th, 1775 between the americans, led by colonels putnam and prescott, and the british led by generals howe and clinton. Documents on the battle of bunker hill historycentral. This was one of the early battles of the american revolution. The battle is named after bunker hill in charlestown, massachusetts, which was peripherally involved in the battle. The battle is named after the adjacent bunker hill, which was peripherally involved in the battle, and was the original objective of both the colonial and british troops, though the vast majority of combat took place on breeds hill.
The orders had stated for them to fortify bunker hill, which stood 110 feet high, the largest of the hills around charlestown. Detachments of colonial militia under artemas ward, nathanael greene, john stark, and israel putnam laid siege to boston shortly after the battles of lexington and concord. The battle of bunker hill part i american military. The battle is named after bunker hill, which is close and which was involved in the battle. The battle of bunker hill escape room will take students on a secret mission around the classroom. Ask students if learning the littleknown stories of the patriots of color has changed their understanding of the past and what happened at the battle of bunker hill. Ok, maybe you were thinking of something different.
It is the most pivital moment in the american revolution, it is the moment when everything changed. Though by a different author, the 2 books dovetail nicely as the battles around boston moved to bunker and breeds hill in the summer of 1776 from the spring battle of lexington and concord. Displaying top 8 worksheets found for battle of bunker hill. Map of the battle of harlem heights september 16, 1776. On june 17, 1775, on a hilltop outside of boston, just over a thousand poorly equipped and loosely organized rebel militiamen withstood two infantry charges by nearly 3,000 british professional soldiers. The colonials about onethird were africanamericans were dug in along the high ground of breeds hill. The battle of bunker hill was important for a variety of reasons. British sentries were also aware of the activity, but most apparently did not think it cause for alarm. This is an early engraving depicting the attack on bunkers hill from a rather safe distance. With the outbreak of the american revolutionary war, general gage, the british commanderin chief in the american colonies, found himself blockaded in boston by the american continental army occupying the hills to the west of the city. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that the.
With david emerson, michael mack, melissa mala, sandy obrien. You also have to squint a lot and study old maps to imagine your way. Map of the battle of bunker hill june 17, 1775 first. However, thomas gage, british commander in the city, made no attempt to break the siege until he was reinforced in may by troops led by william howe, sir. When former wall street executive peter salem is released from prison, he heads for the small town of bunker hill, kansas, where his exwife and their children have started a new life. As battles go, it was not particularly large affair. The battle of bunker hill was a most singular event.
In conformity to the act of the congress of the unitd states, entitled, an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors. On june 17, some 2,200 british forces under the command of major general william howe 17291814 and brigadier general robert pigot 172096. Lc maps of north america, 17501789, 897 vault aacr2. John trumballs the death of general warren at the battle of bunkers hill, 17 june, 1775. The colonists learned that the british were planning on occupying the hills around boston, massachusetts as a way to control the city. You are to come up with both questions and answers for the interview. Untrained and outnumbered, they fought bravely against british soldiers who had been sent to enforce the law.
List of books and articles about battle of bunker hill. The lesson could be used in units on the revolutionary war or in courses on. Patriots of color at the battle of bunker hill lesson plan. Illustrating positions and movements also called battle of breeds hill. After a prolonged discussion, however, the officers eventually decided to move closer to boston and fortify the smaller, lesser known, 62foothigh hill known as breeds hill. The program is free, but reservations are required. The battle of bunker hill part i home revolutionary war the battle of bunker hill part i the battle of bunker hill which actually took place on breeds hill is a battle fought near boston, massachusetts, on june 17th, 1775 between the americans, led by colonels putnam and prescott, and the british led by generals howe and clinton. Gage resolved to seize the charlestown peninsula across the harbour. The battle of bunker hill was fought on june 17, 1775, during the siege of boston in the early. Includes references to points of military interest in different hand and ink. You are to choose two people in the list below to interview about their experience and view of the battle of bunker hill and how the colonies reacted to it. The battle of bunker hill, which occurred during the american revolution, took place on june 17, 1775, on a hill close to bunker hill called breeds hill in the boston area. Students will then respond to five fill in the blank and five multiple choice questions about the story.
Everyone in these precincts knows this story, or apocryphal strains of it. A city, a siege, a revolution by nathaniel philbrick. The true story of the battle of bunker hill history. The battle of bunker hill took place on june 17, 1775, just a few months after the start of the american revolutionary war. Unfortunately, because the orders were for the soldiers to take nearby bunker hill, they had seized the wrong hill. This escape room has students decode interesting facts about the battle of bunker hill. As this 1797 map indicates, the bulk of the action actually took place on nearby breeds hill, but the bunker. For webquest or practice, print a copy of this quiz at american revolution battle of bunker hill webquest print page. The first reason is it was the first major battle of the american revolutionary war, a war that began on april 19, 1775 and lasted through october 19, 1781. Following the battle of bunker hill, british generals proved more cautious in their approach to assaulting fortified patriot positions.
You are a patriot in the american revolution, ready to fig. Soon after he arrives in town, all power is lost there is no electricity, and cars and computers suddenly shut down. At the time of the bunker hill battle june 17, 1775, the americans did not have a navy, but british naval ships were in boston harbor very near to charlestown. All the questions on this quiz are based on information that can be found on the page at american revolution battle of bunker hill. John trumballs the death of general warren at the battle of bunker s hill, 17 june, 1775. Explain how the british ships will endanger american forces located on breeds hill. The battle of bunker hill was technically a victory for the british, but that victory came with heavy losses and the realization that the american colonists were going to put up a fight.
A historic map of bunker hill featuring military notes. Boston was being besieged by thousands of american militia. The british decided to take two hills, bunker hill and breeds hill, in. The battle of bunker hill followed the deadly engagements in lexington and concord. Analyze this map to answer the following questions. The sun was shining from a cloudless sky a little past noon on june 17, 1775 when a british force of 1500 men landed on charlestown heights in massachusetts. The detachment instead decided to build a small redoubt on breeds hill, which was closer to boston but easily flanked. Two maps showing the boston area as it appeared in 1775 and today 2. Bunker hill a city, a siege, a revolution is the story of the events leading up to the revolutionary war and the people who influenced those events. The values of the founding fathers and the perseverance of their spirit and their faith will be featured in a manner that is designed to instill in the viewer a knowledge of their. The map shows incredible details of the battle, including troop positions, and movements of the ships and floating batteries in the area.
The battle of bunker hill was an important event in the american revolution. Battle of bunker hill cause and effect dk find out. It also led to the realization that the british would need more military firepower, and hence, led to the hiring of more than 30,000 hessian german soldiers to supplement their own army. With james mcdaniel, saeed jaffrey, laura kirk, kevin geer.
The bunker hill monument, part of boston national historical. Uniforms, arms and equipment at the battle of bunker hill. This is the perfect resource to introduce the revolutionary war. American revolution highlights the battle of bunker hill. The headgear of the companies was bearskin fronted mitre caps for the grenadiers, tricorne hats with the front partially flattened, in the prussian style for the battalion companies and caps for the light infantry. Tensions between great britain and the american colonies increased, and on june 17, 1775, the bloody battle of bunker hill marked the beginning of the revolutionary war.
The americans finally fell back on the third charge, but only after inflicting heavy. This is the first in a series of dvds designed to teach the history of the united states in an informative and positive way. The decisive day is come massachusetts historical society. A city, a siege, a revolution, by nathaniel philbrick, is a marvelous book that looks at the leadup to and early stages of the american revolution. Jul 12, 2008 a history of the militia fought battle at bunker hill, part of the british siege of boston during the american revolutionary war. Before he could act, on the night of 16th june 1775. It took place on june 17, 1775, mostly on and around breeds hill, during the siege of boston early in the american revolutionary war. Available also through the library of congress web site as a raster image. Hill, focuses on eyewitness accounts of abigail adams and william prescott. The battle of bunker hill was a battle in the american war of independence. It was a point of no return, a rupture which would never be healed. Embed the above physical map of bunker hill into your website. Credits courtesy of the united states military academy department of history.
These handson activities in the real, authentic place can help students appreciate the significance of the battle of bunker hill and those who fought there. Historical and topographieal sketch ofbunker hill batlle, with a plan. In his new book, bunker hill, he revisits the beginnings of the american. Ask students to reread what they originally wrote about the painting the first time they saw it. Museum of fine arts, boston the last stop on bostons freedom trail is a shrine to the fog of war. Most books covering this period of our american history cover the battle of concord and lexington but stop short of including the battle of bunker hill which, incidentally, was fought in large part on breeds hill in charlestown and the subsequent siege of boston. Map description historical map of the battle of bunker hill june 17, 1775. This map shows details of the 177576 siege of boston and outlines bunker hill and breeds hill on the charlestown peninsula. A city, a siege, a revolution and millions of other books are available for. Click on the detailed button under the image to switch to a more detailed map. See the centennial book for a complete description of the events. Title from manuscript catalog of peter force map collection. Us geographyteaching geographyteaching historygeography worksheets5th grade geographyteaching mapsmap worksheets3rd grade social. The battle of bunker hill battle of bunker hill, bunker.