Colonial Period

Early one morning, George Washington walked through his camp. He had asked his soldiers to make the camp stronger and more secure. He wanted to see if the work was complete. He came upon some men who were lifting heavy logs to make a fence. The corporal in charge stood…

Anne Randolph lived on a farm near Philadelphia. Her father and her two brothers were off fighting in the Revolutionary War under George Washington. Anne and her mother stayed home to take care of the farm. Anne had a pet calf, given to her by her father. As the British…

Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, frontiersman, and hunter. Born in Pennsylvania in 1735, he and his family moved to North Carolina when he was eighteen years old. He made many exploring trips into the wilderness. Fun Facts In 1769, he headed west to explore what is now the state…

John Adams was one of the founders of the American Revolution. He drafted the constitution for Massachusetts, which was later used in drafting the U.S. Constitution. He was a writer and lawyer, and believed passionately in the importance of having an honest and fair justice system. Fun Facts John Adams…

Born in 1706, the youngest son of a candle maker, Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, a statesman, a writer, a printer, and a beloved husband and father. Over 20,000 people attended his funeral. Fun Facts As a child, Benjamin Franklin lived in a little house on Milk Street in Boston.…

John Hanco-ck is best known for his signature on the Declaration of Independence. Find out what else he did. Fun Facts John Hanco-ck was born in Braintree, Massachusetts in 1737. His father was a colonel in the British military. His family lived comfortably and had one slave. John’s father died…

Thomas Jefferson’s gravestone contains words he wrote himself. On it, he listed only three accomplishments: writing the Declaration of Independence, writing the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and founding the University of Virginia. These are just the beginning of his accomplishments, but they were the ones he thought most…

Paul Revere is known for his midnight ride, but what about the rest of his life? He was no stranger to hard work and challenge, and he had a strong love of family and country. Fun Facts Paul Revere’s father grew up in Midi, France, a beautiful farming area. His…

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a beloved 18th century poet, known for his patriotic and philosophical themes. He wrote poems about Native Americans, the Civil War, and of course, the Revolutionary War. Longfellow’s family had deep colonial roots. His grandfather’s home had been burned to the ground by British soldiers, and…

After Washington crossed the Delaware and won the battle at Trenton, more soldiers enlisted. They saw that Washington might have a chance of winning and they wanted to be part of that victory. But Washington’s challenges weren’t over. Valley Forge was a testing time. Fun Facts After the Battle of…