Student Worksheet Packet
Clark's Illinois Campaign: Winning Without Fighting
Kaskaskia, IL
This lesson uses the capture of Kaskaskia in 1778 to explore the relationship between military force and diplomatic persuasion in Revolutionary War strategy. Students examine Clark's decision to approach the French Creole population as potential allies rather than conquered subjects, analyze Father Gibault's role as a cultural intermediary, and evaluate the long-term consequences of the Illinois campaign for American territorial expansion. The lesson develops students' ability to analyze how cultural intelligence shapes military and political outcomes.
This Packet Includes
- Learning Objectives & Essential Questions
- 5 Primary Source Analysis Worksheets
- 3 Reading & Activity Handouts
- Assessment Quiz (5 questions)
Learning Objectives
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Students will explain why Kaskaskia was strategically important to both British and American forces in 1778
- Students will analyze Clark's diplomatic approach to the French Creole population and evaluate its effectiveness
- Students will trace the connection between the capture of Kaskaskia and the eventual Northwest Ordinance of 1787
- Students will compare military conquest with diplomatic persuasion as strategies for territorial control
Essential Questions
Keep these questions in mind as you work through this packet:
- When is diplomacy more powerful than military force, and what conditions make that possible?
- How did the French Creole population of Kaskaskia understand their own choices in 1778, and what did they gain and lose by supporting the American cause?
- What is the difference between winning a battle and winning a territory, and how does Clark's campaign illustrate that distinction?
George Rogers Clark's Memoir (Clark to Mason, 1791)
Analysis Questions
Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.
Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What was happening when this was written?
How might the author's position affect their account?
Reflection
How does this source connect to what happened in Kaskaskia, IL? What does it tell you about the people involved?
Virginia State Papers: George Rogers Clark Correspondence, 1778-1779
Analysis Questions
Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.
Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What was happening when this was written?
How might the author's position affect their account?
Reflection
How does this source connect to what happened in Kaskaskia, IL? What does it tell you about the people involved?
Lincoln Trail Homestead State Memorial: George Rogers Clark in Illinois
Analysis Questions
Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.
Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What is the institution's mission?
How does that mission shape the presentation?
Reflection
How does this source connect to what happened in Kaskaskia, IL? What does it tell you about the people involved?
George Rogers Clark National Historical Park: Interpretive Materials
Analysis Questions
Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.
Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What is the institution's mission?
How does that mission shape the presentation?
Reflection
How does this source connect to what happened in Kaskaskia, IL? What does it tell you about the people involved?
Analysis Questions
Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.
Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What primary sources does this draw from?
What interpretation does the author offer?
Reflection
How does this source connect to what happened in Kaskaskia, IL? What does it tell you about the people involved?
Kaskaskia Event Timeline
timeline
Students place key events in chronological order and add details
# Kaskaskia Revolutionary Timeline
Instructions: Place the following events in order and add one detail about each.
- [ ] Clark Captures Kaskaskia Without Firing a Shot
- [ ] Clark's Winter March Retakes Vincennes
- [ ] Clark Wins the French Creole Population
- [ ] Vincennes Peacefully Transfers to American Allegiance
- [ ] Virginia Cedes the Northwest Territory to the United States
---
| Event | Date | Significance |
|-------|------|-------------|
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Primary Source Analysis
graphic organizer
Structured analysis of Revolutionary-era documents
# Primary Source Analysis Worksheet
## Source Information
- Title: _________________
- Author: _________________
- Date: _________________
- Type: _________________
## Observation
What do you notice? (List 3 things)
1.
2.
3.
## Reflection
What do you wonder? (List 2 questions)
1.
2.
## Analysis
What does this source tell us about Kaskaskia during the Revolution?
_______________________________________________
## Perspective
Whose voice is represented? Whose might be missing?
_______________________________________________
Key Figures Profile
worksheet
Research template for Revolutionary figures
# Revolutionary Figure Profile
## Basic Information
- Name: _________________
- Birth/Death Years: _________________
- Occupation(s): _________________
## Role in the Revolution
### Brigadier General George Rogers Clark
Virginia frontiersman and military commander who conceived and executed the capture of the Illinois Country in 1778. Leading only 175 men, Clark took Kaskaskia on July 4–5, 1778, then won back Vincennes from Henry Hamilton in February 1779 after a brutal winter march. His campaigns secured American claim to the Northwest Territory.
My questions about this person:
1.
2.
### Philippe-François de Rastel de Rocheblave
French-born British officer commanding the Kaskaskia garrison when Clark struck on July 4–5, 1778. Rocheblave was captured in his bed, having received no warning of Clark's approach. His letters to British authorities in the months before the raid had warned that the Illinois Country was poorly defended and that American settlers across the Ohio were a growing threat — warnings that went unheeded.
My questions about this person:
1.
2.
## Reflection
Which figure interests you most and why?
_______________________________________________
Kaskaskia in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
1. What makes Kaskaskia significant in Revolutionary history?
2. Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.
3. Name one event that occurred in Kaskaskia during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.
Answer:
4. Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?
5. Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.
Answer: