View/Download PDF
General Braddock and His Last Battle
Lee Bailey
In 1755 a general came from Europe who was a great leader in combat. One of the best in leading troops in open fields, General Edward Braddock was known among his men as Bulldog. His task was to lead the British and colonial troops in an attack against Fort Duquesne. However, he knew very little about fighting in the wilderness of North America. Still, General Braddock was confident that he could sweep the French forces from the Ohio Valley enabling the colonies to begin to expand westward. Braddock was surprised at how quickly the French and Indians fought and at his inability to help his solders protect themselves or to protect himself.
Guided by a primary source document, students will not only follow events of a military conflict but also will evaluate leadership qualities, personal characteristics, and military actions of General Braddock.
2 or 3 Tic Tack Toe tosses or a sponge basketball and a bucket.
5 or 6 large post it paper and 5 or 6 different colored markers.
Excerpt from:
France and England in North America, Volume 2. New York: Library of America, 1984.
60 minutes
3
Universal Question:
How does knowledge or lack of knowledge of one's opponent affect the outcome of conflict?
Content Specific:
Why was the renowned General Braddock unsuccessful in the conflict in North America known as the French and Indian War?
Write on the board or use the overhead. (The students will have to think a little on this brain booster.)
CROSSING THE RIVER
Question: George Washington was standing on one side of the river and his dog was standing on the other side. Washington yells to his dog, "Come on across Buckie," and Washington's dog crossed the river. The amazing thing was that Buckie did not even get wet! How did Buckie do that?
Answer: There are two possible answers:
1. The river was frozen.
2. There was a bridge over the river, and Buckie crossed the bridge.
Explain to students that this is a problem-solving activity and that problem-solving plays a vital role in military conflicts. Today's lesson concerns a renowned general who did not assess all aspects before engaging in battle.
Use the list of vocabulary words from linked files (Vocabulary Tic Tack Toe Activity) with the Tic Tack Toe Toss. Divide the class into 2 teams. You will need 2 Tic Tack Toe bean bags games. Place the Tic Tack Toe board 10 to 15 feet away from the students.
To play the game, the teacher will ask each team to form a line and ask the first person to spell or define a word from the vocabulary list. If the first student spells his/her word correctly, that student gets a toss at the Tic Tack Toe. If the student misspells a word he/she goes to the back of the line. Follow this procedure until one team gets three Xs or 3 Os in a row. Only spend about 10 or 15 minutes on this at the beginning of class and finish this activity after the lesson. (Trash can: Use the same spelling list and the same teams.)
An alternate activity is sponge basketball. Get a sponge basketball and a round bucket or trash can, which should be placed 10-15 feet away from the students. Use the same spelling list and the same teams. If the student spells his vocabulary word correctly, he/she gets to try and ring the bucket and then moves to the end of the line. If the student misspells the word, he goes to the end of the line without having an opportunity to try and ring the bucket. Give 1 point for each ringer, and the team with the most points wins.
Have students read excerpt from linked file, Writings from the Library of America volume France and England in North America, Volume 2. New York: Library of America, 1984. (Pages 992,993,994,995, and 996) As they read, students should write 10 words that they do not understand. Go over these words and meanings. Then provide the following questions for the students to answer during the reading of the excerpt. These could be written on a transparency or the board.
1. Why was it so important to guard the baggage that was brought along?
2. Why were the Virginians better prepared to fight the French and Indians than Braddock and his British soldiers?
3.Why did Braddock wait so long to call a retreat for his soldiers?
4. Explain why the Indians fought from behind some kind of cover instead of fighting head on like the British.
Do a quick review of the lesson. After the review, have 4 or 5 sheets of the large sticky sheets of paper hung around the room or the hall. These will be called stations. This activity is called carousel brainstorming. On each sheet of paper you should have already written a different statement or word, or whatever you would like the students to respond to. Divide the the class into groups of 4 or 5 students per group. Give each group a different color of marker. Assign each group a station at which to begin. Have the students write whatever they can remember that goes with the statement at the top of the paper. Give each group one minute at each station. Once all groups have returned to their original stations, let each group read the results from that station and discuss the written remarks.
Word examples for the carousel activity: General Braddock, Wilderness Fighting, Indian Warfare, Virginians, British Warfare, etc.
In small groups, have students create a report card for General Braddock using such subjects as: Diplomacy 101, Military Strategy 102, Knowledge of Enemy 300, Flexibility/Adaptability 202, Rapport with His Men 204, Courage 103, etc. Students should assign a numerical grade with rationale for the grade described under "Comments".
Conduct a class discussion of report card grades and rationale. Direct students' focus to the Essential Question.
Additional resource:
The Oregon Trail, The Conspiracy of Pontiac. New York: Library of America, 1995.
None
Writings From LOA Volume_Parkman France and Englan
Vocabulary Tic Tac Toe Activity_LP3 Bailey