Teacher Resources
Norfolk
Students examine the burning of Norfolk on January 1, 1776 — one of the most destructive events of the Revolution in the South — and analyze who was responsible and why. The complex story of who burned Norfolk (British ships, loyalists, and eventually patriot militia) challenges students to think beyond simple hero-villain narratives.
Grade Range
6-8
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 examine the burning of Norfolk on January 1, 1776 — one of the most destructive events of the Revolution in the South — and analyze who was responsible and why. The complex story of who burned Norfolk (British ships, loyalists, and eventually patriot militia) challenges students to think beyond simple hero-villain narratives.
Essential Questions
- Norfolk was burned by British ships, loyalists, AND patriot militia. Does that complicate the story of the Revolution? How do we decide who was responsible?
- Why were some Virginians loyalists? What did they have to lose by supporting independence?
Primary Sources
5 Sources for Analysis
PRIMARY · TIER1
HMS Fowey Log: Lord Dunmore's Naval Operations off Norfolk, January 1776
Public Record Office (National Archives, United Kingdom)
PRIMARY · TIER1
General Woodford to the Virginia Committee of Safety, January 4, 1776
Library of Virginia
View SourcePRIMARY · TIER1
Virginia Committee of Safety Minutes, November 1775 - February 1776
Library of Virginia
PRIMARY · TIER1
Virginia Gazette: Reports on the Burning of Norfolk, January-March 1776
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Rockefeller Library
View SourcePRIMARY · TIER1
Norfolk Borough Records and Court Order Books, 1750-1780
Library of Virginia
Lesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Describe the sequence of events that led to the burning of Norfolk and identify the multiple parties responsible
- 2Explain what loyalism was and why Norfolk had a large loyalist population
- 3Analyze Dunmore's Proclamation and assess its significance for both the loyalist community and enslaved Virginians
- 4Evaluate the human cost of the burning and connect it to broader patterns of civilian suffering in the Revolution
Assessment
Norfolk in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
What makes Norfolk 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 Norfolk 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.