Teacher Resources
Augusta
This lesson uses the struggle for Augusta to explore what happened when the American Revolution became a civil war in the backcountry. Students examine the causes and escalation of Patriot-Loyalist violence in the Georgia interior, analyze Thomas Brown as a complex historical figure shaped by personal experience, and consider how cycles of reprisal operate and whether they can be broken. The lesson develops students' ability to analyze multiple perspectives on the same conflict.
Grade Range
8-12
Duration
2 class periods
Included
3 Resources
What's Included
Everything
You Need
- 5 primary sources with analysis prompts
- Quiz with answer key (5 questions)
- 3 printable handouts
Lesson Overview
This lesson uses the struggle for Augusta to explore what happened when the American Revolution became a civil war in the backcountry. Students examine the causes and escalation of Patriot-Loyalist violence in the Georgia interior, analyze Thomas Brown as a complex historical figure shaped by personal experience, and consider how cycles of reprisal operate and whether they can be broken. The lesson develops students' ability to analyze multiple perspectives on the same conflict.
Essential Questions
- How does a political conflict become a personal one, and what are the consequences?
- What distinguishes a civil war from a revolution, and which term better describes what happened in the Georgia backcountry?
- What obligations do military commanders have toward prisoners and civilians, and what happens when those obligations break down?
Primary Sources
5 Sources for Analysis
PRIMARY · TIER1
General Andrew Pickens and Colonel Elijah Clarke: Report on the Recapture of Augusta, June 1781
National Archives and Records Administration
PRIMARY · TIER1
British Garrison Papers: Augusta, Georgia, 1779-1781
Public Record Office (National Archives, United Kingdom)
PRIMARY · TIER1
Georgia Archives: Richmond County Records and Georgia Executive Council Papers, 1775-1782
Georgia Archives
View SourcePRIMARY · TIER1
Pension Applications: Augusta and Richmond County Militia, Georgia
National Archives and Records Administration
PRIMARY · TIER1
Thomas Browne Papers: Loyalist Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Augusta, 1780-1781
Georgia Historical Society
Lesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Students will explain why Augusta was strategically important to both British and Patriot forces
- 2Students will trace the escalation of violence in the Augusta backcountry from 1775 through 1781
- 3Students will analyze Thomas Brown as a case study in how personal experience shapes political behavior
- 4Students will evaluate whether the violence in the Augusta backcountry was inevitable or could have been limited
Assessment
Augusta in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
What makes Augusta significant in Revolutionary history?
multiple choice
Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.
true false
Name one event that occurred in Augusta during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.
short answer
+ 2 more questions in the full packet
Ready to Print?
The full teacher packet includes cover page, lesson plan, all primary source worksheets, quiz, answer key, and standards alignment — formatted for classroom printing.