Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Consider what you know about the American Revolution of 1776. Who were the colonists revolting against? What were their main concerns? Who were the leaders of this revolution?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question orients students with the historical context of the novel: the American Revolution of 1776. Students should understand that the colonies in the American continent united in the late-18th century to fight for independence from the British monarchy, who frequently imposed high levels of taxation on colonists. Several leaders were instrumental in maintaining the morale among the colonies, including General George Washington, Commander of the Continental Army and future president of the US. For classes who do not have prior experience with this subject, the second resource contains a variety of lesson plans related to the topics of the Revolution.

• This page from History.com informs readers about the Revolutionary War and includes videos as well as key events.
• These lesson plans from the Museum of the American Revolution invites students to analyze the Revolutionary War from different perspectives.