When it comes to war, it can be easy to get caught up in the drama and excitement of battles, strategies, and personal sacrifice. It's natural for youngsters to be interested in heroes and fighting, and it's fine to let them explore such things, but it's also important that they understand why there was a war in the first place.

The War of Independence was about American ideals of freedom, justice, and representation. This section helps kids see how those ideals are named in the country's key founding documents, the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

The language of those documents is difficult, and beyond the reading level of most elementary level students, so we've added notes that simplify the wording. Still, understanding the documents will be a challenge for most youngsters. You can help by reviewing the materials with them, perhaps pausing over each line or paragraph to check comprehension.

As you review the ideas, you might also help kids see that wars are horrible, that the Patriots only went to war as a last resort, and that Patriots understood that it was only worth fighting over major issues, not over trivial matters.

THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR:
What Were We Fighting About?
What Were The Patriots Fighting For?
What Were The Patriots Fighting Against?
What Kind Of Government Did The Patriots Want?
The First 10 Amendments To The Constitution As Ratified By The States
Where Did The Patriots' Ideas About Liberty And Government Come From?