SPONSORED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS GRADES 9–12

TEACHING GUIDE Becoming George Washington Use this discussion guide to get your students started on historical research projects about America’s first president.

Objective INTRODUCTION Have students give examples of other ways Students will analyze primary we use revolution or revolutionary to describe and secondary sources and Read this list of important “firsts” in change (e.g., a revolutionary idea, industrial use critical thinking to create American history and ask students to 1 revolution, internet revolution, etc.). a presentation about George guess which historical figure was responsible: Washington’s impact on establishing a presidential cabinet and the RESEARCH PROJECT American democracy. Supreme Court, delivering the first State of Explain that students will do a research Standards the Union address, choosing to serve only project on Washington’s legacy. (They can Common Core ELA two terms as president. Answer: George 1 Washington was responsible for all of them. work individually, in pairs, or in small groups.) RH.9-12.1 Analyze primary They’ll choose a topic, answer research Tell students about key moments in and secondary sources questions, and present findings to the class. Washington’s life. (See Cheat Sheet on C3 2 next page for dates and info.) Explain how his Review the difference between primary D2.His.16.9-12. Use evidence early service in the British Army formed him 2 and secondary sources. Give students from historical sources to make as a military leader but left him resentful of examples of where they can find reliable an argument about the past British rule of the American colonies. Touch sources: George Washington’s Mount Vernon Time on his role as a wealthy businessman and an website, presidential sites like the Miller Center, government agencies like the Library 60–120 minutes owner of enslaved people at Mount Vernon. of Congress and National Archives, and Materials Review why American colonists sought educational sites including the University of  George Washington 3 independence from the British in the Virginia’s Washington Papers database. Cheat Sheet Revolutionary War, Washington’s role as Hand out the Student Research Guide.  Student Research Guide commander of the Continental Army, and Explain that it includes resource links  Project Planner how he won the war. Explain his pivotal role in 3 they can use as a starting point, but that they  Computers + internet access helping to shape American democracy and his should gather further reliable sources online.  Washington documentary election as our country’s first president. series on HISTORY (optional) Hand out the Project Planner sheet. Have students brainstorm what the word 4 Remind students to use critical reasoning Note: The TV series Washington 4 revolution means in a historical context. skills to decide which sources are credible is rated TV-14V. Review the Prompt for: a sudden, radical, or complete as they gather facts, answer the guiding episodes yourself before change, especially in a political organization. questions, and create a presentation. showing them to your students. FINAL ACTIVITY Students will share what they’ve learned about George Washington by giving a class presentation. Encourage them to get creative! Some ideas to get them started: Chance to Win  Write/perform a historical reenactment  Record a brief podcast interview with $50 Gift Card  Create a video news report George Washington Take the survey for your  Create Colonial-era newspaper articles  Alternatively, students can prepare a chance to win: scholastic  Write a first-person letter home from written report of their research; they .com/georgewashington/ the perspective of a soldier in the should include a list of sources at the end survey. Revolutionary War of their document SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. © 2020 Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. of trademarks and/or registered trademarks logos are SCHOLASTIC and associated George Washington Cheat Sheet A quick guide to important dates, facts, and events in his life.

Early Years British forces with his bravery enslaved people lived and Presidency at the Battle of Monongahela worked at Mount Vernon.  Born February 22, 1732, in 1755 and the capture of Fort  Left instructions in his will  Oversaw the 1787 in Westmoreland County, Duquesne in 1758. to free the people enslaved by Convention that ratified the Virginia, the eldest of  Washington’s war experience him—the only slave-holding U.S. Constitution and was Augustine and Mary Ball made him angry that Colonial founding father to do so. twice unanimously elected Washington’s six children. troops were considered inferior president, creating several  His formal education ended to the British army. American presidential “firsts.” when he was 11, after his  He used his time as a young Revolution  Was personally popular father’s death. soldier to learn invaluable but struggled to control  Washington’s family skills, reading military manuals  Named commander-in-chief arguments between made their money in land and histories and learning of the Continental Army in members of the Federalist speculation, and he trained how to organize, supply, and 1775, and remained in charge and Democratic-Republican as a land surveyor. lead men—tools he used in the for all eight years of the war. parties who disagreed on the American Revolution.  He was not a great military federal government’s role, French & Indian War strategist and he lost more leading Thomas Jefferson to  In 1753, he received a military Businessman and battles than he won. But he resign as Secretary of State. commission and was sent to Slaveholder had a unique ability to keep  Put down Whiskey Rebellion the Ohio Valley by Virginia’s Lt. the army together, even when in 1794, an uprising by farmers  Governor. His mission: Deliver Married widow Martha Congress failed to provide angry over an unpopular a message to French forces Dandridge in 1759. Inherited adequate food, ammunition, federal tax on whiskey. It was attempting to gain control Mount Vernon in 1761, after and supplies. one of the first tests of the new of the region. He failed, but the deaths of his half-brother  Helped transform his men American government. gained fame when his journal Lawrence and Lawrence’s heirs. into well-trained, confident  Signed “Jay Treaty” in  of the difficult 900-mile trip Was one of the richest men troops during harsh winter in 1795, which staved off war was published. in America thanks to Martha’s Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. with England over America’s fortune, land speculating, and  In 1754, Washington and Virginia  Unlike other military leaders borders and British attacks on innovations at Mount Vernon militiamen fought a battle with in history who fought to American ships. including a whiskey distillery French troops in the Ohio Valley retain power, Washington  Decided not to run for a third and hemp production. that helped spark the French voluntarily stepped down term. In his Farewell Address,  & Indian War. He later suffered This was only possible from his position as head he warned against the dangers an embarrassing defeat at Fort because of the use of unpaid of the army after the of partisan politics and foreign Necessity, but helped save slave labor—more than 300 Revolutionary War ended. alliances.

KEY DATES IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

1760s 1770-1773 1774 1775 1776 1777 JULY OCTOBER 1783 British impose Anger against First Continental Battles of Lexington Wins the Siege of Defeat at 1778 1781 Treaty of Paris Sugar Act, British rule leads Congress and Concord. Boston. Declaration Brandywine. France enters war British surrender signed, ending Stamp Act, to Boston Washington named of Independence Washington’s on American to Washington at Revolution. Townshend Act. Massacre and commander of approved. Wins troops winter at side, tide begins Yorktown. Washington resigns Boston Tea Party. Continental Army. surprise victory Valley Forge. to turn. his commission. at Trenton after crossing the Delaware.

Photo: Bequest of William H. Huntington, 1885/The Metropolitan Museum of Art