The Town that Fooled the British

The Town the Fooled the British

Section 1:  Content

Papp, Lisa.  The Town that Fooled the British:  A War of 1812 Story.  Ann Arbor:  Sleeping Bear Press, 2011.  Print.

There is a harbor town in Maryland that tried to save its citizens and structures from damage from a British naval attack.  The story of St. Michaels is one of trickery and creativity.  The townspeople used a “black-out” to protect the actual site of their town, and hung lanterns in trees in the area just outside town that the British mistook for the actual town.  The British shelled that area, and only one house received minor damage.

Section 2:  Creative Activities

Tell students they are the colonists, and they want to protect themselves from British war ships.  Ask how they would protect an entire harbor town from destruction. Solicit as many ideas as possible. (DOK 2)

Read the story The Town that Fooled the British:  A War of 1812 Story aloud.  See if any of their ideas match those of the townspeople.  (DOK 1)

Discuss the idea of signaling with lanterns.  When was that idea used before?  (Paul Revere, Boston, to warn the colonists that the “regulars” were coming.) (DOK 4)

Section 3:  Standards

History Standard

8.3.6.D:

Explain how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the history and development of the U.S.

·         Ethnicity and race

·         Working conditions

·         Immigration

·         Military conflict

·         Economic stability

Section 4:  Depth of Knowledge Questions

See lists in activities section

Section 5:  Danielson Domain Framework

Domain 1a, 1b, 1d, 2a, 2c, 3a, 3b, 3c

 

 

Further Reading/Resource Sites

http://www.townofstmichaels.com/history.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyfTxr0xwDo

Papp, Lisa.  The Town that Fooled the British:  A War of 1812 Story.  Ann Arbor:  Sleeping Bear Press, 2011.  Print.