Student Worksheet Packet

Brandywine 1777: The Battle That Opened Philadelphia

Wilmington, DE

Grades 6-9·2-3 class periods

The Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777 was the largest land battle of the Revolutionary War in the northern theater — yet less known than Lexington, Bunker Hill, or Valley Forge. This lesson uses Brandywine as a case study in military decision-making under uncertainty: why did Washington fight there, why did the British flanking movement succeed, and what does the battle reveal about intelligence failure, fog of war, and the strategic importance of Wilmington's milling infrastructure?

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:

Explain why Washington chose to defend the Brandywine crossing and what he was protecting
Trace the British flanking movement and explain why American intelligence failed to detect it
Analyze the battle's immediate consequences for Wilmington and Philadelphia
Evaluate the role of local knowledge (the Quaker guides) in the battle's outcome

Essential Questions

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

What is "intelligence failure" and how does it affect military decisions?
When a battle is lost, who bears responsibility — the commander, the information systems, the soldiers?
What does Brandywine reveal about the relationship between industrial infrastructure and military power?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 1 of 5

Document Information

DocumentRevolutionary War Pension Applications: Delaware Veterans

SourceNational Archives, Record Group 15

TypePRIMARY

Revolutionary War Pension Applications: Delaware Veterans

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 Wilmington, DE? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 2 of 5

Document Information

DocumentGeneral Howe's Orders and Correspondence: Chesapeake Bay Campaign, August-October 1777

SourceBritish Headquarters Papers, Clements Library, University of Michigan

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 Wilmington, DE? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 3 of 5

Document Information

DocumentOrderly Books of the Continental Army: Delaware Campaign, September 1777

SourceLibrary of Congress, George Washington Papers

TypePRIMARY

Orderly Books of the Continental Army: Delaware Campaign, September 1777

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 Wilmington, DE? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 4 of 5

Document Information

DocumentBrandywine Battlefield Park: Historical Overview

SourcePennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

TypeINSTITUTIONAL

Brandywine Battlefield Park: Historical Overview

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 Wilmington, DE? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Primary Source 5 of 5

Document Information

DocumentHistory of Delaware Through its Governors, 1776-1888

SourceUniversity of Delaware Press (John A. Munroe)

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 Wilmington, DE? What does it tell you about the people involved?

Name: Date: Period:

Wilmington Event Timeline

timeline

Students place key events in chronological order and add details

# Wilmington Revolutionary Timeline

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

[ ] Battle of Brandywine
[ ] British Forces Capture Wilmington
[ ] British Evacuate Wilmington and Philadelphia
[ ] Washington Uses Wilmington as Campaign Supply Base
[ ] Howe's Army Lands at Head of Elk

---

| 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 Wilmington 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 Sir William Howe

British general who commanded the Philadelphia Campaign of 1777, defeating Washington at Brandywine and capturing both Wilmington and Philadelphia. His approach via the Chesapeake rather than overland succeeded in taking the capital but failed to destroy the Continental Army.

My questions about this person:

### Lord Charles Cornwallis

British general who led the decisive flanking column at Brandywine — crossing the creek at unmarked northern fords to strike the American right. His attack collapsed the American right wing and turned the battle into a British victory. He later surrendered at Yorktown in 1781.

My questions about this person:

## Reflection

Which figure interests you most and why?

_______________________________________________

Name: Date: Period:

Wilmington in the American Revolution

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

1. What makes Wilmington 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 Wilmington 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: