Teacher Resources
New London
Students investigate how New London's privateering economy worked — the legal framework of letters of marque, the role of prize courts, and the human stakes for crews and captains — to understand how the Revolution was financed at the local level.
Grade Range
8-10
Duration
55 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
Students investigate how New London's privateering economy worked — the legal framework of letters of marque, the role of prize courts, and the human stakes for crews and captains — to understand how the Revolution was financed at the local level.
Essential Questions
- How did colonial ports like New London help finance the Revolution without a functioning national treasury?
- What is the difference between legal warfare and piracy, and who decides?
- How did maritime commerce shape the political and military character of coastal New England?
Primary Sources
5 Sources for Analysis
PRIMARY · TIER1
Benedict Arnold to General Henry Clinton, September 8, 1781
British Headquarters Papers, Clements Library, University of Michigan
PRIMARY · TIER1
A Narrative of the Capture of the Ship Hannah (Ebenezer Holt)
Connecticut Historical Society
PRIMARY · TIER1
The Public Records of the State of Connecticut, 1781
Connecticut State Library
View SourceINSTITUTIONAL · TIER1
Fort Trumbull State Park: The 1781 Raid on New London
Connecticut DEEP State Parks / National Park Service
View SourceSECONDARY · TIER1
The Traitor and the Spy: Benedict Arnold and John André
Harcourt, Brace (James Thomas Flexner)
Lesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Explain the legal distinction between a privateer and a pirate
- 2Describe how prize courts adjudicated captured British merchant ships
- 3Analyze how New London's privateering economy contributed to Connecticut's war effort
- 4Evaluate the risks and rewards facing privateering crews
Assessment
New London in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
What makes New London 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 New London 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.