Teacher Resources
Fort Lee
Students examine the decision to hold Fort Washington in November 1776 — made against Greene's initial advice but with his subsequent endorsement — as a case study in military decision-making under uncertainty. Using primary sources including Washington's correspondence and Greene's post-battle letters, students analyze how leaders process conflicting advice, own consequential mistakes, and adapt.
Grade Range
8-10
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
Students examine the decision to hold Fort Washington in November 1776 — made against Greene's initial advice but with his subsequent endorsement — as a case study in military decision-making under uncertainty. Using primary sources including Washington's correspondence and Greene's post-battle letters, students analyze how leaders process conflicting advice, own consequential mistakes, and adapt.
Essential Questions
- How do leaders decide when advice from trusted subordinates conflicts? What factors should outweigh others?
- What is the difference between a bad decision and an unlucky one? How do we evaluate historical choices in hindsight?
Primary Sources
5 Sources for Analysis
PRIMARY · TIER1
Washington's Correspondence on the Fall of Fort Lee and Fort Washington, November 1776
Library of Congress, George Washington Papers
View SourcePRIMARY · TIER1
Lord Cornwallis's Report on the Surprise Crossing at Fort Lee, November 20, 1776
UK National Archives, War Office Papers
PRIMARY · TIER1
The American Crisis, No. 1 -- Written During the Retreat from Fort Lee
Philadelphia (Thomas Paine)
SECONDARY · TIER1
1776
Simon & Schuster (David McCullough)
INSTITUTIONAL · TIER1
Fort Lee Historic Park: State Historic Site Documentation
New Jersey State Park Service
View SourceLesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Identify the chain of decisions leading to the fall of Forts Washington and Lee in November 1776
- 2Analyze how Washington and Greene processed conflicting intelligence and recommendations
- 3Evaluate how Greene's Fort Washington mistake shaped his subsequent command philosophy
- 4Apply a structured decision-making framework to a historical military scenario
Assessment
Fort Lee in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
What makes Fort Lee 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 Fort Lee 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.