Student Worksheet Packet

Kingston 1777: Building and Burning a State Capital

Kingston, NY

Grades 6-8·2-3 class periods

This lesson uses Kingston as a case study in how new American states built functioning governments during the Revolutionary War — and what it meant when the British targeted those governments for destruction. Students trace the sequence from the constitutional convention through the first legislative session to the British burning, examining how political institutions are created, what makes them vulnerable, and how communities recover from deliberate destruction.

This Packet Includes

Learning Objectives & Essential Questions
5 Primary Source Analysis Worksheets
3 Reading & Activity Handouts
Assessment Quiz (5 questions)

Name: Date: Period:

Learning Objectives

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

Explain why the British targeted Kingston in October 1777 and connect the raid to the broader Saratoga campaign
Analyze the New York State Constitution of 1777 as a document designed for a state at war
Evaluate the relationship between physical destruction and institutional survival using Kingston evidence
Use geographic evidence to understand why Kingston's location made it vulnerable to the British Hudson River expedition

Essential Questions

Keep these questions in mind as you work through this packet:

Can a government survive even if the buildings where it meets are destroyed? What does Kingston suggest?
Why would the British burn a newly-established state capital? What did they hope to accomplish?
What makes a constitution more than just a piece of paper?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 1 of 5

Document Information

DocumentConstitution of the State of New-York, 1777

SourceNew York State Archives

TypePRIMARY

Constitution of the State of New-York, 1777

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 Kingston, NY? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 2 of 5

Document Information

DocumentBrigadier General John Vaughan's Dispatch on the Burning of Kingston, October 1777

SourceUK National Archives, War Office Papers

TypePRIMARY

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 Kingston, NY? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 3 of 5

Document Information

DocumentKingston, New York: National Historic Landmark District Documentation

SourceNational Park Service

TypeINSTITUTIONAL

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 Kingston, NY? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 4 of 5

Document Information

DocumentUlster County Court of General Sessions Records, 1775-1783

SourceNew York State Archives

TypePRIMARY

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 Kingston, NY? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 5 of 5

Document Information

DocumentSenate House State Historic Site

SourceNew York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

TypeINSTITUTIONAL

Senate House State Historic Site

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 Kingston, NY? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Kingston Event Timeline

timeline

Students place key events in chronological order and add details

# Kingston Revolutionary Timeline

Instructions: Place the following events in order and add one detail about each.

[ ] Burgoyne Surrenders at Saratoga
[ ] British Burn Kingston
[ ] New York State Constitution Adopted at Kingston
[ ] Governor George Clinton Inaugurated at Kingston
[ ] First New York State Senate Session at Kingston

---

| Event | Date | Significance |

|-------|------|-------------|

| | | |

Name: Date: Period:

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)

## Reflection

What do you wonder? (List 2 questions)

## Analysis

What does this source tell us about Kingston during the Revolution?

_______________________________________________

## Perspective

Whose voice is represented? Whose might be missing?

_______________________________________________

Name: Date: Period:

Key Figures Profile

worksheet

Research template for Revolutionary figures

# Revolutionary Figure Profile

## Basic Information

Name: _________________
Birth/Death Years: _________________
Occupation(s): _________________

## Role in the Revolution

### General John Vaughan

British general who commanded the October 1777 Hudson River expedition. Sailed north after the fall of Forts Montgomery and Clinton, then ordered the systematic burning of Kingston. The raid failed its strategic purpose when Burgoyne surrendered the following day.

My questions about this person:

### Robert R. Livingston

Member of the committee that drafted the New York State Constitution at Kingston in 1777. Later administered the oath of office to George Washington at the first presidential inauguration and negotiated the Louisiana Purchase.

My questions about this person:

## Reflection

Which figure interests you most and why?

_______________________________________________

Name: Date: Period:

Kingston in the American Revolution

Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.

1. What makes Kingston significant in Revolutionary history?
AIt was the site of important Revolutionary eventsBIt had no connection to the RevolutionCIt was founded after the RevolutionDIt was a British stronghold throughout the war
2. Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.
True False
3. Name one event that occurred in Kingston during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.
Answer:
4. Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?
ADifferent people experienced events differentlyBIt makes history more confusingCOnly one perspective is ever correctDPerspectives don't matter in history
5. Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.
Answer: