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Student Worksheet Packet

From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground

Monmouth, NJ

Grades 6-8·2-3 class periods

Students investigate how Baron von Steuben's training program at Valley Forge transformed the Continental Army, using the Battle of Monmouth as the evidence for that transformation. Through primary source analysis, map activities, and structured comparison, students evaluate what changed and why it mattered.

This Packet Includes

  • Learning Objectives & Essential Questions
  • 5 Primary Source Analysis Worksheets
  • 3 Reading & Activity Handouts
  • Assessment Quiz (5 questions)
Unit:From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground — Lesson Overview
History is for Everyone
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Learning Objectives

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

  1. Describe the condition of the Continental Army before and after Valley Forge
  2. Explain how Steuben's training methods improved the army's fighting capability
  3. Analyze the Battle of Monmouth as evidence of the army's transformation
  4. Evaluate the relationship between training, discipline, and battlefield performance

Essential Questions

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

  • What did the Continental Army lack before Valley Forge, and how did Steuben address those deficiencies?
  • How did the Battle of Monmouth demonstrate that the Continental Army had changed?
  • Why is professional military training important for an army, even one fighting for a cause its soldiers believe in?
  • What role do individuals play in transforming institutions?
Unit:From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground — Primary Source Analysis
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Primary Source 1 of 5
Document Information
DocumentWashington's Orders and Correspondence: Monmouth Campaign, June 1778
SourceLibrary of Congress, George Washington Papers
TypePRIMARY
Washington's Orders and Correspondence: Monmouth Campaign, June 1778

Washington's Orders and Correspondence: Monmouth Campaign, June 1778

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to what happened in Monmouth, NJ? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Unit:From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 2 of 5
Document Information
DocumentProceedings of a General Court Martial for the Trial of Major General Charles Lee
SourceContinental Army Judge Advocate General
TypePRIMARY

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to what happened in Monmouth, NJ? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Unit:From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 3 of 5
Document Information
DocumentMonmouth Battlefield State Park: Historical Resources
SourceNew Jersey State Park Service
TypeINSTITUTIONAL
Monmouth Battlefield State Park: Historical Resources

Monmouth Battlefield State Park: Historical Resources

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What is the institution's mission?

  5. How does that mission shape the presentation?

Reflection

How does this source connect to what happened in Monmouth, NJ? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Unit:From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 4 of 5
Document Information
DocumentGeneral George Washington: A Military Life
SourceRandom House (Edward G. Lengel)
TypeSECONDARY

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What primary sources does this draw from?

  5. What interpretation does the author offer?

Reflection

How does this source connect to what happened in Monmouth, NJ? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Unit:From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:
Primary Source 5 of 5
Document Information
DocumentSir Henry Clinton's Official Dispatch on the Battle of Monmouth
SourceUK National Archives, War Office Papers
TypePRIMARY

Analysis Questions

Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.

  1. Who created this source and why?

  2. When was this source created?

  3. What perspective does this source represent?

  4. What was happening when this was written?

  5. How might the author's position affect their account?

Reflection

How does this source connect to what happened in Monmouth, NJ? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Unit:From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground — Monmouth Event Timeline
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Monmouth Event Timeline

timeline

Students place key events in chronological order and add details

# Monmouth Revolutionary Timeline


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


  • [ ] Battle of Monmouth
  • [ ] Franco-American Alliance Announced
  • [ ] Washington Reforms the American Line
  • [ ] Washington Confronts Lee on the Battlefield
  • [ ] Molly Pitcher at the Cannon

---


| Event | Date | Significance |

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

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

Unit:From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground — Primary Source Analysis
History is for Everyone
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)

1.

2.

3.


## Reflection

What do you wonder? (List 2 questions)

1.

2.


## Analysis

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


_______________________________________________


## Perspective

Whose voice is represented? Whose might be missing?


_______________________________________________

Unit:From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground — Key Figures Profile
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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

### George Washington

Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (1732-1799) who personally intervened at the Battle of Monmouth to halt Lee's retreat, reformed the American line, and directed the sustained engagement that demonstrated the army's transformation.


My questions about this person:

1.

2.


### Charles Lee

Washington's second-in-command who ordered a controversial retreat at Monmouth, provoking Washington's fury on the battlefield. Lee was court-martialed, found guilty of disobedience and misbehavior, and suspended from command for one year.


My questions about this person:

1.

2.



## Reflection

Which figure interests you most and why?


_______________________________________________

Unit:From Valley Forge to Monmouth: The Proving Ground — Assessment
History is for Everyone
Name: Date: Period:

Monmouth in the American Revolution

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

  1. 1.  What makes Monmouth significant in Revolutionary history?

  2. 2.  Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.

  3. 3.  Name one event that occurred in Monmouth during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.

    Answer:

  4. 4.  Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?

  5. 5.  Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.

    Answer: