Teacher Resources
Groton
Using the Fort Griswold massacre as a case study, students examine 18th-century rules of war — the laws governing surrender, the treatment of prisoners, and the distinction between battle deaths and massacre — to understand how military honor was defined and violated during the Revolution.
Grade Range
9-12
Duration
60 minutes
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
Using the Fort Griswold massacre as a case study, students examine 18th-century rules of war — the laws governing surrender, the treatment of prisoners, and the distinction between battle deaths and massacre — to understand how military honor was defined and violated during the Revolution.
Essential Questions
- What rules govern how wars are fought, and what happens when those rules are broken?
- How do we evaluate actions taken in the heat of battle against the standards of military law?
- Why did both sides in the Revolution accuse each other of atrocities, and how should historians evaluate those claims?
Primary Sources
5 Sources for Analysis
PRIMARY · TIER1
Deposition of Ensign William Seymour Regarding the Fall of Fort Griswold
Connecticut Historical Society
PRIMARY · TIER1
Connecticut Gazette, September 14, 1781: Account of the Groton Massacre
Connecticut Gazette (New London)
INSTITUTIONAL · TIER1
Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park Interpretive Program
Connecticut DEEP / National Register of Historic Places
View SourceSECONDARY · TIER1
Dear Liberty: Connecticut's Mobilization for the Revolutionary War
Wesleyan University Press (Joy Day Buel and Richard Buel Jr.)
INSTITUTIONAL · TIER1
Fort Griswold National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places
Lesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Explain the 18th-century military customs governing surrender and the treatment of prisoners
- 2Describe what happened at Fort Griswold after Colonel Ledyard's surrender and why it was controversial
- 3Analyze conflicting accounts of the massacre from British and American perspectives
- 4Evaluate how violations of military law were used as propaganda by both sides
Assessment
Groton in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
What makes Groton 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 Groton 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.