Jeffrey+K.+-+Historical+Fiction+Character

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Colonial Life
**HFC** Good after noon, my name is Tom Banker. I was born in Norfolk, Virginia. I was one of the two boys. My father was a banker, mom worked as a house-mother. When I got older, about seven, my brother and I were sent to an orphanage because our parents died in a fire at our home. The reason we weren’t there was because we snuck out to go swimming in the inlet of water. While we were swimming we looked back and saw the smoke and ash coming from our house. When we got back there my brother and I were devastated. Now here we are today, my brother and I are in the orphanage.

**Research: The American Revolution**
Hart, Diane. __History Alive!.__ Palo Alto, Ca: Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2005

I. American Strengths & Weaknesses (88) A. American Weaknesses 1. Short on men 2. Never had more than 20,000 troops at once 3. Few were trained for battle 4. Shortage on gunpowder, food and uniforms 5. Low value of money B. American Strengths 1. They had good patriotism 2. They received help overseas 3. Great leader – George Washington 4. French helped with most of the gunpowder, about 90% 5. GW – experienced and inspired II. British Strengths & Weaknesses (89) A. British Strengths 1. Had 50,000 troops 2. Had 30,000 mercenaries 3. Well supplied 4. Well trained 5. Accurate when shooting B. British Weaknesses 1. Sending troops and supplies were hard, slow and costly 2. Had poor leadership III. Britain Almost Wins the War (90) A. African Americans & the War 1. Black Militiamen fought at Lexington, Concord 2. British promised blacks freedom that fought 3. Whites began to question the blacks 4. Having blacks in war helped states stop slavery. B. Defeat in New York 1. 2 days – British lost 377 and Americans lost 1,407 2. GW retreats C. Fading Hopes 1. Little food to eat for the Americans 2. Soldiers grew weak of starvation IV. A Pep Talk and Surprise Victories (92) A. The Crisis 1. Washington was running out of troops fast 2. Washington outlined his attacks B. Victory in Trenton “Victory or Death” 1. December 25, 1776, Washington’s army crossed the Delaware river 2. Caught them by surprise 3. Took 868 prisoners + 300 British troops 4. The victory excited the patriots V. The Tide Begins to Turn (93) A. New British Strategy 1. Divided rebels and take control of NY Hudson R. valley. a. New England cut from other b. No men or supplies – a collapse B. Problems with Burgoyne’s Plan 1. Route from Canada to Albany was rough 2. Too many wagons and personal stuff C. Turning Points 1. October 17, 1777 Burgoyne accepted defeat and Saratoga 2. France came to war as an ally with money, weapons and troops. 3. Spanish helped the British D. Winter at Valley Forge 1. They won at Saratoga 2. In 1777, congress declared a day of thanksgiving 3. Uniforms and blankets priced way high E. The Battle of Monmouth 1. General Howe was replaced 2. Washington’s army found Britain’s army and faught VI. The War Goes South (96) A. Saving the South 1. In 1780 Washington sent Nathaniel Greene to slow the British down. 2. Greene sent his troops through the southern backcountry 3. He moved his army to Yorktown in 1781 B. A Trap at Yorktown 1. France had sent 5,000 troops to join Washington’s army at Yorktown 2. The trap was sprung on October 6, 1781 C. Cornwallis Surrender 1. On October 19, 1781, Americans and French formed two, one mile, lines along the road to Yorktown. 2. Americans on once side, French on the other. 3. After hours of waiting, 8,000 British troops left Yorktown to lay down their arms. 4. Cornwallis did not attend, saying he was ill. VII. The War Ends (100) A. The Treaty of Paris 1. In 1783, representatives of the U.S. and Britain signed a piece treaty in Paris 2. Many loyalists did not trust the treaty’s promise. B. The Influence of the American Revolution 1. It had a major impact on other parts of the world.

Constitution
I. Exposition A. Time: October 1, 1781 B. Place: Norfolk, Virginia C. The British are in the south and seem to be winning but General Green has been chasing the British around down south. D. Following the war from his orphanage through the newspaper E. Tom is taking the side of the British II. Rising Action A. The British go to Yorktown, Virginia to rest B. Tom runs away from the orphanage and finds the British army and joins C. Washington secretly moves his army to Virginia – 16,000 troops with the help of the French D. French warships close off Chesapeake Bay III. Climax – October 6, 1781 – The Battle at Yorktown A. To inexperienced to step foot so he stayed in the back as a water boy and medic B. He manages to stay alive the few days IV. Falling Action A. Sees his brother shot on the ground 1. He stays and tends to his wound 2. John his brother, thanks him, but they’re back off to war B. Tom feels that the American way of life has not benefited him 1. As a child he was dumped at and orphanage 2. The British army showed structure, discipline and security 3. Therefore, he felt that the British army would be right for him V. Denouement ***I am having trouble thinking of an ending and I would like some help/guidance to end my story. I need some help from you or Ms. Raj*******