Student Learning Expectations

Module IV concerns the efforts of the Continental Congress and Benjamin Franklin to form an alliance with France against Britain. It also stresses the northern campaign of John Burgoyne in the attempt to divide the colonies. This episode includes the period from December 1776 to Burgoyne's surrender outside Saratoga, New York on October 19, 1777. At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

• state the two primary reasons why Benjamin Franklin was sent to France in December 1776.

• describe the feelings that the French and English felt towards one another at the beginning of the colonists' war for independence.

• state the reasons why in December 1776 France was reluctant to provide public support and a treaty of alliance with the United States.

• state the major reasons why the Crown wanted to control the Hudson-Champlain-Richelieu corridor in northern New York.

• describe at least two serious flaws in Burgoyne's master plan to split the colonies.

• state the primary reason why King George III would have exclaimed "I have beat them" when he received news of the recapture of Ft. Ticonderoga.

• describe at least five of Franklin's features that made him so attractive to the French.

• state the effects of the long-standing tradition of having camp followers accompany an army's progress and speed of movement, and consider their impact of Burgoyne's army in particular.

• state the primary reasons why the Indians in this region of New York would have preferred to ally themselves with Britain rather than the colonists.

• state the major reactions of the Crown and Hessian soldiers to the topography and vegetation of northern New York.

• describe at least three major affects the geographic terrain and vegetation of northern New York had on the movement of Crown and Hessian soldiers.

• state the major points in Burgoyne's early appeals and announcements to the inhabitants of New York and New England.

• state the differences in the major points made in Burgoyne's early and late appeals and announcements to the inhabitants of New York and New England.

• describe the effects that all of his appeals had on the actions and attitudes of the colonists.

• state four of the characteristics of the Indians that terrified the colonists.

• describe how the story of Jane McCrea was used by the colonial propagandists to deepen and widen resistance to the Crown and to Burgoyne's army.

• describe the steps the colonists took to slow Burgoyne's progress through the forests of New York.

• describe the effects on the colonists of the smallpox carried by Burgoyne's army.

• describe at least eight factors that contributed significantly to the slow progress Burgoyne made through northern New York.

• state at least two reasons the Indians likely would have used to justify their desertion from Burgoyne's army.

• describe the specific contributions that Benedict Arnold made to defeating Burgoyne's army.

• determine the extent that Benedict Arnold could be legitimately labeled a hero for his efforts against Burgoyne.

• describe Burgoyne's opinions of the colonial militia and army once they had assembled into a large fighting force.

• describe how General Howe's move into Philadelphia affected the chances of Burgoyne achieving success.

• describe the effects of Burgoyne's surrender on the French king's thinking about declaring war on Britain and signing an alliance with the United States.

• describe the reactions of the British government to the news that the French and United States had signed an alliance against Britain.

Suggested Enrichment Activities

The activities below may be used to complement students' inquiry into this video and its content.

1. Ask students to read Benjamin Franklin's autobiography or a biography of Franklin. Have them list his admirable and less-than-admirable qualities. Ask them which were useful and which harmful to the colonists' cause. Then have them find remarks that signal Franklin's change in allegiance from Parliament and the king to the colonies. Or have them write an explanatory essay which highlights his greatest accomplishments. They will need to define what they mean by a significant accomplishment (e.g., the feat and its context). They should consider his contributions to the resistance in the colonies prior to July 1776, his efforts in Paris to gain French aid, and his work after the war to form a new government.

2. Have students read Kenneth Roberts's Oliver Wiswell, which contains a unique description of Franklin particularly while he was in France. They may want to list what Wiswell observed Franklin doing and his opinions of Franklin. They can also assess the merits and demerits of Franklin's actions for the colonial cause. Have them write a comparison or contrast paper which assesses Franklin's actions from a colonial and from a British point of view.

3. Ask students to describe the qualities characteristic of a major military campaign such as the one General John Burgoyne led. What were the duties of the general and of the camp followers? What were the advantages and disadvantages of having camp followers accompany an army? Have them write a cause-and-effect essay on the camp followers' journey to Albany with Burgoyne's army.

4. Have students investigate the heroism of Benedict Arnold. Ask them to write a definition paper. First, they will need to define a hero in the context of this war. Then they need to determine whether Arnold fits their definition of a hero. They may want to list the likely reasons why he decided to turn against the American war effort. They may also need to construct their own definition of the term traitor. Or have them write a story on what they would have done if they were Arnold in 1780.

Additional Questions for Discussion

Below are questions for classroom discussion.

1. Describe the French people's feeling towards the British in 1776. Explain the rationale for their opinions.

2. Why did the Crown want to control the Hudson-Champlain-Richelieu corridor in northern New York?

3. What were two serious flaws in Burgoyne's master plan to split the colonies?

4. In European armies there was a long-standing tradition of having dependents accompany an army. What specific effects did having these camp followers have on the progress and speed of Burgoyne's army?

5. Why did some Indians in New York prefer to ally themselves with the English rather than with the colonists?

6. What were at least three major effects of the terrain and vegetation of northern New York on the movement of the Crown and Hessian soldiers?

7. Explain the major differences in Burgoyne's early and late appeals to the inhabitants of New York and New England? What were the effects of his appeals?

8. Describe several Indians' characteristics which terrified the colonists.

9. How did colonial propagandists use the story of Jane McCrea to deepen and widen the resistance to the Crown and Burgoyne's army?

10. How did the colonists slow Burgoyne's progress through the forests of New York?

11. How did General Howe's move to Philadelphia affect the chances of Burgoyne achieving success?

12. What were the reactions of the British government to the news that France and the United States had signed an alliance against Britain?

Student Resources

• 4-A. Questions to Focus Inquiry: Oh, Fatal Ambition - This exercise focuses students' attention on essential facts in these chapters of the video.

• 4-B. Content and Overview: Oh, Fatal Ambition - This activity provides contextual background for General Burgoyne's campaign and subsequent defeat. This information helps students construct a better sense of the perceptions, conditions and attitudes emphasized in the video.

• 4-C. Noteworthy Quotations: Oh, Fatal Ambition - This exercise provides a number of quotations illustrative of the various moods and feelings during the period from December 1776 to October 1777.