The Pursuit of Francis Marion
Help the Patriot Cause!! - The following letter is an “imagined correspondence” between Colonel Francis Lord Rawdon, British commanding officer of the British outpost at Camden, and Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, head of the British dragoons, a mounted cavalry unit who harassed SC citizens and partisan fighters. The “pretend correspondence” has been censored by the writer in an attempt to relay secret information about the American rebel Francis Marion, and British movements in the upcountry of SC. Therefore, certain words have been purposely blackened to prevent the “patriot enemy” from decoding the information should the letter be apprehended.
Students however, have an advantage that would have been unavailable to American patriots. Using their textbook, the ETV Hall of Fame video, and listed vocabulary, students should try to decode the correspondence, choosing terms that will make the meaning of the letter understandable. Flash cards with vocabulary terms and definitions have been created to help students in their understanding of the vocabulary, and to help them decipher the coded correspondence.
Lesson Created By: Lisa Ray
Lesson Partners: South Carolina Hall of Fame
Grade(s):
- 8
Subject(s):
Recommended Technology:
Computer with internet access
Brainscape App
Other Instructional Materials or Notes:
Downloadable Worksheets - found in resources
Pens to write over blackened words
Lesson Progression
This is recommended as a small group activity. The teacher should use both textbook resources and the Hall of Fame video to introduce Francis Marion, key terms, individuals, and events.
Decode the Letter
It might be fun to give students different types of pens that will allow them to write over the blackened words. (Hint . . . at least once, an answer needed to decode the correspondence is in the definition, and will not be the vocabulary term itself. Also, some of the terms are used more than once) Once the small group places the vocabulary, and determines that the letter has been decoded correctly, the group decides what actions the British are planning based on their interpretation. The teacher should over-exaggerate the importance of the “intelligence” students are decrypting, reminding students of the major defeat of Continental forces at Charleston, as well as the subsequent establishment British outpost, which the British hoped would help them control the colony of SC.
Resources
The resources/internet sites listed should be quite helpful, as it will show students how the British controlled the SC colony for a short time.
Write a Letter
To finish the activity students must write a letter informing Nathanael Greene and Francis Marion of British intentions. (They can pretend to be an American spy if they like)
Included in the letter should be a plan of action for the patriots to disrupt British plans, and how partisans, with possibly some Continental help, can make British progress in controlling South Carolina difficult. Students must make use of at least five vocabulary terms in their correspondence, and include two facts that were presented in the Hall of Fame video, but were not included in the British encrypted correspondence.
A rubric will be used to assess student-created correspondence. The assessment can be completed by peer groups, or the teacher.
Teacher Notes
Answer Key:
The underlined terms in the letter are the terms blackened in the student letter.
The vocabulary has been placed on electronic flash cards using the app Brainscape. An ETV account has been established and the flash cards will be available for students use through the site.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lvdXgik4eJVTOVOdLrdbMPWINLwS49wJrdwy...
Knowitall.org - Francis Marion | SC Hall of Fame
A historical visualization of Francis Marion's partisan campaigns during the American Revolution in South Carolina featuring the artwork of Illustrator James H. Palmer, Jr., combined with interviews of historians Walter Edgar, Roy Talbert, Christine Swager, Daniel Littlefield, and Archaeologist Steve Smith.
View ResourceKnowitall.org - Francis Marion | Palmetto Special
Francis Marion was involved in a number of skirmishes that caught the enemy off guard, forced them to reckon with him, thus allowing other patriot forces to conduct their missions with greater success. This segment shows how Marion received the nickname "Swamp Fox."
View ResourceHistory Here - App
View ResourceAmerican Revolution in SC
Links to help students understand the American Revolution in SC.
View ResourceStandards
- 8.2.CO Compare the motives and demographics of loyalists and patriots within South Carolina and the colonies.
- This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into the economic, political, and social motivations of the patriots and the loyalists in the era of the American Revolution.
- 8.2.CX Contextualize the roles of various groups of South Carolinians as the colonies moved toward becoming an independent nation.
- This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into the motivations of colonists during the American Revolution and the progression of conflict and failed compromise that ultimately led to revolution.
- 8.2.CE Explain the economic, political, and social factors surrounding the American Revolution.
- This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into how the colonies began to unify to create a distinctive American identity over the course of events of the American Revolution.
- Grade 3: Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
- W.MCC Meaning, Context, and Craft
- C Communication
- C.MC Meaning and Context
- C.MC.1 Interact with others to explore ideas and concepts, communicate meaning, and develop logical interpretations through collaborative conversations; build upon the ideas of others to clearly express one’s own views while respecting diverse pe...
- C.MC.1.4 Engage in a range of collaborative discussions about grade appropriate topics; acknowledge new information expressed by others and when necessary modify personal ideas.
- C.MC.1.5 Consider new ideas and diverse perspectives of others when forming opinions; qualify or justify views based on evidence presented regarding a topic, text, or issue.
- C.MC.2 Articulate ideas, claims, and perspectives in a logical sequence using information, findings, and credible evidence from sources.
- C.MC.1 Interact with others to explore ideas and concepts, communicate meaning, and develop logical interpretations through collaborative conversations; build upon the ideas of others to clearly express one’s own views while respecting diverse pe...
- C.MC Meaning and Context
Assessments
Download the "In Pursuit of Francis Marion Rubric" at:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JZr19oFF_eSlb5-Uvt5_z4zYoXnhKEeGN_GS...