Student Worksheet Packet

First Strike: The Fort William and Mary Raids of December 1774

Portsmouth, NH

Grades 7-10·2-3 class periods

This lesson examines the December 1774 raids on Fort William and Mary as a case study in pre-revolutionary political violence: what conditions made them possible, what risks the participants were taking, and what the British response revealed about the limits of royal authority. Students analyze the intelligence network that made the raids possible (including Revere's December ride), evaluate Sullivan's decision-making, and consider how an act that could have been prosecuted as armed robbery was later reframed as a patriotic first blow.

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:

Students will describe the Fort William and Mary raids as the first organized seizure of British military property by American colonists
Students will analyze the intelligence network and decision-making that made the raids possible
Students will compare the categorization of the raids as crime versus revolution and identify who controlled that categorization

Essential Questions

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

What is the difference between a crime and a revolutionary act? Who decides?
Why are the Fort William and Mary raids less well known than Lexington and Concord, even though they happened first?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 1 of 5

Document Information

DocumentShip's Log, USS Raleigh, 1776-1778

SourceNational Archives, Record Group 45 (Naval Records Collection)

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 Portsmouth, NH? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 2 of 5

Document Information

DocumentJohn Langdon Papers, 1775-1819

SourceNew Hampshire Historical Society

TypePRIMARY

John Langdon Papers, 1775-1819

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 Portsmouth, NH? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 3 of 5

Document Information

DocumentJournals of the Continental Congress: Naval Committee Records, 1775-1776

SourceLibrary of Congress

TypePRIMARY

Journals of the Continental Congress: Naval Committee Records, 1775-1776

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 Portsmouth, NH? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 4 of 5

Document Information

DocumentStrawbery Banke Museum: Revolution in Portsmouth

SourceStrawbery Banke Museum

TypeINSTITUTIONAL

Strawbery Banke Museum: Revolution in Portsmouth

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 Portsmouth, NH? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 5 of 5

Document Information

DocumentJohn Langdon of New Hampshire

SourceRumford Press (Lawrence Shaw Mayo)

TypeSECONDARY

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 primary sources does this draw from?
What interpretation does the author offer?

Reflection

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

Name: Date: Period:

Portsmouth Event Timeline

timeline

Students place key events in chronological order and add details

# Portsmouth Revolutionary Timeline

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

[ ] First Raid on Fort William and Mary
[ ] Ranger Raids Whitehaven, England
[ ] Second Raid on Fort William and Mary
[ ] Governor Wentworth Abandons Portsmouth
[ ] Ranger Captures HMS Drake

---

| 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 Portsmouth 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 Sullivan

New Hampshire lawyer and general who led the December 14, 1774 raid on Fort William and Mary — the first organized seizure of British military property by American colonists. He commanded Continental forces at Long Island, Brandywine, and the 1779 Sullivan-Clinton Campaign against the Iroquois.

My questions about this person:

### John Paul Jones

Scottish-born naval officer who commanded the sloop Ranger, built in Portsmouth's shipyards, on the first American naval raid on British soil at Whitehaven in April 1778. His subsequent capture of HMS Drake made him an international hero. His famous "I have not yet begun to fight" came later aboard Bonhomme Richard.

My questions about this person:

## Reflection

Which figure interests you most and why?

_______________________________________________

Name: Date: Period:

Portsmouth in the American Revolution

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

1. What makes Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth 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: