Teacher Resources
Pennsylvania hosted both the Continental Congress and the darkest winter of the war — from the ideals proclaimed in Philadelphia to the suffering at Valley Forge.
The Context
The seven towns in this collection span Pennsylvania's Revolutionary experience from the center of political power to the western frontier. Philadelphia was where independence was declared — and then abandoned to British occupation for nine months.
Valley Forge was where the Continental Army nearly ceased to exist. York served as the emergency capital when Philadelphia fell. Teaching Pennsylvania means teaching the gap between the ideals proclaimed in Independence Hall and the brutal reality of a war the Patriots were not certain they could win — and the ordinary people who kept fighting anyway.
Recommended Sequences
Paoli → Germantown → Philadelphia
5–7 class periods
Trace the British capture of the Continental capital: the massacre at Paoli, the Battle of Germantown where fog and friendly fire cost Washington a potential victory, and the occupation of Philadelphia that forced Congress to flee. Students analyze what it meant to lose the seat of government.
Valley Forge → York
3–5 class periods
Examine the Continental Army's crisis of 1777–78: the suffering at Valley Forge, the Conway Cabal plotting to replace Washington, and Congress operating from York while debating whether the war could be won. Students confront the gap between revolutionary ideals and grim reality.
Carlisle → Pittsburgh
3–4 class periods
Pennsylvania's war extended far beyond Philadelphia. Carlisle was the Continental Army's western supply depot; Pittsburgh (Fort Pitt) was the gateway to the Ohio Country. Students examine how the Revolution looked on the frontier, where Native nations were the third side of every conflict.
Town Resources
Complete teacher packets formatted for classroom printing — lesson plans, source packets, handouts, and quizzes.
5-8 · 2 class periods
6-8 · 2 class periods
7-9 · 2 class periods
6-8 · 2-3 class periods
Source Standards
Every source in our Pennsylvania materials is evaluated using a three-tier credibility system. Tier 1 includes primary documents, National Park Service materials, and peer-reviewed scholarship. Teacher narratives contextualize sources — they don't replace them.