Teaching the American Revolution & Its Legacies This School Year

Grades K-12

Tapestry of New York Project

Calling all New York K-12 students! The Tapestry of New York is an online gallery of student work, from the New York State 250th Commemorative Commission and The WNET Group. Submit student artwork and media inspired by the opening words of the U.S. Constitution – “We the People.”

Grades 3-12

US History Collection | Revolution & Independence Era

Expand students’ understanding of U.S. History with engaging resources—including curated clips of trusted PBS programs and a diverse array of other media and interactives—that bring the major people, events, and trends in history alive, while integrating often untold stories into the curriculum. In the Revolution & Independence Era sub-collection, explore causes and key events of the Revolution, the Articles of Confederation, and more!

Grades 3-12

Ken Burns in the Classroom | The American Revolution Collection

Bring one of history’s most transformative eras to life with media-rich classroom resources inspired by the new PBS film series, The American Revolution. Explore commonly taught topics — including life in the British colonies, causes of the Revolution, key events, key figures and ideas, and the lasting legacies that shaped the nation. These resources will address themes raised in the film, including freedom, opportunity, democracy, and the global nature of the conflict, and are designed to build students’ critical thinking skills, their ability to think in terms of cause and effect, and their ability to analyze primary sources.

Grades 6-12

Key Battles of the Revolutionary War Interactive

Explore key battles of the American Revolution through an interactive battle map. Make connections between individual battles and the broader fight for independence while learning about the geographic locations of these battles, military strategy, key figures, outcomes, and other interesting facts.

Grades 3-12

The American Revolution: A Local Lens Collection

Explore local and regional perspectives on the American Revolution and its legacies — from Spanish Louisiana’s role to Idaho’s local historians and residents providing their perspectives on how the ideals of the American Revolution live on today. This curated collection of resources includes video clips, interactives, and other resources created by PBS member stations, showcasing moments, themes, and ideals of the Revolutionary era from across the United States.

Grades 6-12

Invite Your Students to Join The American Revolution Youth Media Challenge

Explore foundational American principles like liberty, self-governance, and democracy through hands-on media-making projects! The American Revolution Youth Media Challenge helps students build critical thinking skills and their ability to connect the past to the present by creating original audio, video, or graphics-based projects sharing what they know about the American Revolution and its legacies.

Grades Pre K-12

New York at 250: Resources for Librarians and Educators | New York State Library

New York State’s 250th seeks to highlight and commemorate not just the roles of New York’s citizens during the Revolutionary War, but also the subsequent 250 years of action toward the ideals of our nation’s founding principles. This guide for educators includes a variety of information, including classroom resources from the Office of Cultural Education at the New York State Education Department, in support of P-12 exploration related to this historic commemoration.

Grades 3-12

What the American Revolution Can Teach Us About Media Literacy

Explore how media has shaped public opinion from the American Revolution to today’s social media age. Show your students how persuasion through media isn’t new—it’s just evolved. Use figures like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine to help your students practice media literacy and recognize influence, question motives, and think critically about the messages shaping their world.

Grades k-12

Tapestry of New York Project | Educator Toolkit

Explore an overview of the Tapestry of New York project and Educator Toolkit, complete with lessons and supporting resources for students in grades 3-12 that integrate art and social studies learning. The Tapestry project is an online gallery of student work investigating personal connections to the theme of “We the People.”

Grades 3-12

Educator Guide for Teaching With THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Classroom Collection

Use this Educator Guide to navigate and teach with The American Revolution Classroom Collection! The detailed Planning Checklist provides guidance for incorporating the resources to align to your curriculum, while the Quick Guide offers an overview of the 35+ classroom resources with links to help you assess the best ones for your lesson planning.

Grades 3-12

Beyond 1776: Teaching the Declaration’s Lasting Influence

A social studies teacher shares how she brings the Declaration of Independence to life by tracing its influence across 250 years of American history — from Frederick Douglass and the women's rights movement to the Civil Rights Movement and the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Explore the classroom resources and strategies that help students see the Declaration not as a relic of 1776, but as an ongoing conversation about freedom and equality that continues today.

Grades 6-12

American Revolution Youth Media Challenge | Teacher Tookits

Planning to submit student work to the American Revolution Youth Media Challenge? Check out Teacher Toolkits, a pre-recorded professional development workshop, and helpful FAQ before you get started.

Henry Knox’s Noble Train Reenactment at Fort Ticonderoga

Watch one of Fort Ticonderoga’s reenactments marking the nation’s 250th anniversary focused on Henry Knox’s Noble Train of Artillery, recalling the winter of 1775–76 when captured cannons were hauled over frozen lakes and rough terrain to Boston. The daring effort helped George Washington drive British forces from the city, shifting momentum in the Revolutionary War.

New Exhibit at Clinton County Historical Museum for America’s 250th

Geri Favreau discusses a new exhibit at the Clinton County Historical Museum featuring original pieces from The Royal Savage, one of the ships in the American fleet during the Battle of Valcour. The exhibit, now open for America’s 250th birthday, offers a unique opportunity to explore local history and the pivotal naval battle on Lake Champlain.

Battle of Valcour Reenactment on October 11, 2026

A reenactment of the Battle of Valcour at the Plattsburgh City Beach on Lake Champlain is set for October 11th, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War. The battle, led by Benedict Arnold, was a key early naval engagement in the war, where the American fleet successfully stalled the British advance, forcing them to retreat to Quebec. The 2026 battle reenactment will also include historic tours, immersive events, and more.

Local Historian Honors Revolutionary Hero for America 250

Across the country, as well as here in the North Country, historians are commemorating the 250th anniversary of our nation, including a talk by historian Art Cohn on the Invasion of Quebec in 1775. It was led by one of the unsung heroes of the Revolutionary War, Richard Montgomery.

Revolutionary War Soldiers Honored

Memorial Day 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the beginning days of the Revolutionary War. To commemorate that, historians gathered at a small cemetery in the Town of Plattsburgh where several soldiers from the North Country, who fought in the Revolutionary War, are buried. MLPBS Producer Michael Hansen shows us the special tribute paid to those soldiers on this Memorial Day by the Clinton County Historical Association, the local America 250 Committee, and the Saranac Chapter NSDAR.

REAL TIME REVOLUTION Event Series at Fort Ticonderoga

The central theme of REAL TIME REVOLUTION® is that the Revolutionary War itself changed and evolved, and Fort Ticonderoga uniquely reflects this. Trace the transformation of the war with daily, "real-time" reenactment programs at Fort Ticonderoga exploring the Revolutionary War narrative.