Teacher Resources
Castine
This lesson uses the Penobscot Expedition of 1779 to examine how organizational structure shapes military outcomes. Students analyze why the American force — which substantially outnumbered the British garrison — failed to take a partially constructed fort, tracing the command paralysis between Saltonstall and Lovell that allowed three weeks of inaction. Students evaluate the court-martial proceedings, consider the question of individual vs. systemic blame, and apply lessons about organizational design to non-military contexts. The lesson uses primary source accounts from the expedition and the court-martial proceedings.
Grade Range
8-10
Duration
3 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 Penobscot Expedition of 1779 to examine how organizational structure shapes military outcomes. Students analyze why the American force — which substantially outnumbered the British garrison — failed to take a partially constructed fort, tracing the command paralysis between Saltonstall and Lovell that allowed three weeks of inaction. Students evaluate the court-martial proceedings, consider the question of individual vs. systemic blame, and apply lessons about organizational design to non-military contexts. The lesson uses primary source accounts from the expedition and the court-martial proceedings.
Essential Questions
- When an organization fails, is the failure personal or systemic — and how do we tell the difference?
- How does organizational structure shape what is possible for individuals within it?
- What does the Penobscot Expedition tell us about the limits of the American war effort in 1779?
Primary Sources
5 Sources for Analysis
PRIMARY · TIER1
Proceedings of the Court Martial of Commodore Dudley Saltonstall, 1779
Massachusetts State Archives / Continental Navy Records
PRIMARY · TIER1
General Solomon Lovell's Report to the Massachusetts General Court, August 1779
Massachusetts State Archives
PRIMARY · TIER1
Massachusetts General Court: Penobscot Expedition Committee Reports, 1779-1782
Massachusetts State Archives
View SourceINSTITUTIONAL · TIER1
Wilson Museum: Penobscot Expedition Collections
Wilson Museum, Castine ME / National Register of Historic Places
View SourcePRIMARY · TIER1
Paul Revere's Deposition Regarding the Penobscot Expedition, 1779
Massachusetts Historical Society
View SourceLesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Students will reconstruct the chain of events in the Penobscot Expedition and identify the decision points where different choices might have changed the outcome
- 2Students will analyze how the dual-command structure of the expedition contributed to command paralysis
- 3Students will evaluate the court-martial proceedings and assess questions of individual vs. systemic responsibility
- 4Students will apply organizational design concepts from the Penobscot case to a contemporary context
Assessment
Castine in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
What makes Castine 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 Castine 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.