Teacher Resources
Kings Mountain
Students use Kings Mountain to examine the Revolution's civil war dimension. By analyzing who fought (no British regulars), what grievances drove both sides, and what the "quarter controversy" reveals about military honor in civil conflict, students develop a more complete understanding of what the Revolution actually was for the people who lived it.
Grade Range
7-10
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 use Kings Mountain to examine the Revolution's civil war dimension. By analyzing who fought (no British regulars), what grievances drove both sides, and what the "quarter controversy" reveals about military honor in civil conflict, students develop a more complete understanding of what the Revolution actually was for the people who lived it.
Essential Questions
- Was the American Revolution also a civil war?
- How should we think about violence exceeding military necessity in a conflict where rules of war are contested?
Primary Sources
5 Sources for Analysis
PRIMARY · TIER1
Colonel William Campbell et al. to General Gates: Battle Report on Kings Mountain, October 11, 1780
National Archives and Records Administration
PRIMARY · TIER1
Lord Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton: Dispatch on the Kings Mountain Disaster, October 1780
Public Record Office (National Archives, United Kingdom)
INSTITUTIONAL · TIER1
Kings Mountain National Military Park: Official Interpretive Resources
National Park Service
View SourcePRIMARY · TIER1
Pension Applications: Overmountain Men and Kings Mountain Veterans
National Archives and Records Administration
PRIMARY · TIER1
Draper Manuscripts: Kings Mountain and Its Heroes -- Source Materials
State Historical Society of Wisconsin
View SourceLesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Identify the civil war dimension of the Revolutionary War, particularly in the Carolina backcountry
- 2Analyze the motivations of both Patriot and Loyalist participants at Kings Mountain
- 3Evaluate the "quarter controversy" as evidence of the backcountry civil war's accumulated grievances
- 4Assess the battle's strategic significance for Cornwallis's 1780 campaign
Assessment
Kings Mountain in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
What makes Kings Mountain 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 Kings Mountain 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.