In 1777, out of the confusion, fear, and chaos of battle, soldiers of the Continental Army forged a victory over professional British and German soldiers near Saratoga (New York). The two battles fought there changed the course of the American Revolution and insured the independence of the former British colonies that became the United States of…

Background readings and project ideas to involve elementary and secondary school students in fundraising for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty are provided. Materials can be divided into two sections. The first section, background readings, contains President Ronald Reagan's opening remarks at the ceremony introducing the Statue of…

This lesson traces the use of Eleanor Roosevelt's retreat, Val-Kill, a "shack" (actually a stone cottage) built in 1925 on the grounds of the Roosevelt family estate at Hyde Park (New York), and how it nurtured her spirit, personal style, and humanitarian efforts. The lesson explains that Eleanor and her women friends later expanded the…

Springwood, the birthplace and home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, is a large, rambling structure faced with stucco and fieldstone, situated in a landscaped clearing on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River. Roosevelt was born there to a family of wealth and position on January 30, 1882. It is the only site in the U.S. where a president was born,…

Forty historic sites around the state of New York are listed in this guide to landmarks of the American Revolution. Each entry includes a photograph of the site, a map showing where it is located, a description of its history, and visitation facts. Most of the landmarks are buildings containing artifacts and displays, which visitors can enter and…