Teacher Resources
Stony Point
Students examine Wayne's Stony Point assault as a case study in military planning and risk management. Using period accounts, maps, and the constraints of a bayonet-only charge, students analyze how Wayne identified and mitigated risks, how the forlorn hope concept worked, and what made this operation different from conventional 18th-century tactics.
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 Wayne's Stony Point assault as a case study in military planning and risk management. Using period accounts, maps, and the constraints of a bayonet-only charge, students analyze how Wayne identified and mitigated risks, how the forlorn hope concept worked, and what made this operation different from conventional 18th-century tactics.
Essential Questions
- How do military commanders identify and reduce risk? What did Wayne do that conventional commanders did not?
- What does military "discipline" mean, and how does training create it? What evidence do we have from Stony Point?
Primary Sources
5 Sources for Analysis
INSTITUTIONAL · TIER1
Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
View SourcePRIMARY · TIER1
Anthony Wayne's After-Action Report to George Washington
Papers of George Washington, Library of Congress
PRIMARY · TIER1
Washington's Orders for the Stony Point Assault
Papers of George Washington, University of Virginia Press
SECONDARY · TIER1
Anthony Wayne: Soldier of the Early Republic
Indiana University Press (Paul David Nelson)
PRIMARY · TIER1
Sir Henry Clinton Papers: Stony Point Intelligence
William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan
Lesson Plan
In the Classroom
Learning Objectives
- 1Explain why Wayne chose a bayonet-only assault and analyze the tactical logic of the silence order
- 2Identify the function of forlorn hope units and how they changed the main assault's risk profile
- 3Construct a basic risk-mitigation analysis using Stony Point as a model
- 4Evaluate the relationship between training, discipline, and mission success using primary accounts
Assessment
Stony Point in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
What makes Stony Point 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 Stony Point 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.