Why You Should Be Teaching American Revolutionary War History To Your Kids

As a parent, it’s natural to wonder how to make history come alive for your children. When it comes to teaching them about the American Revolution, it might seem like a challenge to connect this significant historical event to their everyday lives. However, understanding this pivotal period is more relevant than ever.

Why Teaching American Revolutionary War History To Your Kids Matters

The American Revolution wasn’t just a historical event, it was a foundation for the values we hold dear today—liberty, justice, and democracy. By learning about this era, children gain insight into the principles that shaped our nation and continue to influence our world. Understanding these concepts helps them appreciate the importance of civic responsibility, equality, and the rights they enjoy.

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Moreover, studying history fosters critical thinking and helps children connect past events to current issues. It’s an opportunity to discuss how historical figures overcame challenges and how those lessons can be applied to their own lives.

Using Liberty’s Kids to Bring History to Life

Sometimes, the most effective ways to teach kids about anything is through cartoons. I taught my sons about the American Revolution through the cartoon Liberty’s Kids (link below). I watched the entire series with my two sons when we doing remote schooling during the pandemic. I’d homeschooled my youngest for his kindergarten and first grade year, so it was really easy for me to move back into the role of homeschool mom, augmenting the remote school’s curriculum with resources I found on my own.

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It was also a nice refresher for me, since it’s been many moons since I read about American Revolutionary war history. My kids were 13 and 8 at the time and both enjoyed watching the show. I made stovetop popcorn and we’d watch a few episodes every night before bedtime. Sometimes I’d bring certain issues to light, ask them questions to see if they were paying attention and relate it to current events.

Five Ways To Explore Themes In Liberty’s Kids

This animated series offers a captivating way to explore the era through the eyes of young characters who live through key events of the revolution.

Here’s how you can use Liberty’s Kids to make learning about history both fun and impactful:

Introduce Key Figures and Events: Liberty’s Kids introduces children to important historical figures like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Abigail Adams in a way that’s accessible and engaging. Watching these characters navigate significant events can spark curiosity and make history feel more relevant.
Explore Core Values: Use the series to highlight the core values of the American Revolution—liberty, equality, and justice. After watching an episode, talk with your children about how these values were fought for and how they continue to be relevant today. Ask questions like, “What does liberty mean to you?” or “How can we practice fairness in our everyday lives?”
Relate Historical Events to Modern Life: Draw parallels between the historical events depicted in Liberty’s Kids and current events. Discuss how the ideas of self-governance and individual rights from the revolution still apply today. For example, you might relate a character’s quest for freedom to modern discussions about civil rights and community involvement.
Encourage Critical Thinking: After watching an episode, engage your children in discussions about the decisions and actions of the characters. Ask them to think about what they might have done differently or how they would feel in the characters’ shoes. This helps develop their critical thinking skills and deepens their understanding of historical context.
Incorporate Fun Activities: To further enrich their learning experience, consider incorporating related activities such as drawing scenes from the series, creating their own “revolutionary” stories, or visiting local historical sites. These hands-on activities can make history more tangible and memorable.

Why It Matters

Teaching your children about the American Revolution using resources like Liberty’s Kids helps them understand the historical roots of our nation and the values that continue to shape our society. It provides a foundation for them to appreciate their rights and responsibilities as citizens and encourages them to think critically about the world around them.

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By making history engaging and relevant through modern media and thoughtful discussions, you’re not just teaching them about the past—you’re helping them build a deeper connection to their own values and the world they live in. So, take the time to explore Liberty’s Kids together and open the door to a richer understanding of history and its impact on our lives today.

Ten Guided Discussion Questions

When teaching your child about the American Revolutionary War and its lessons, you can use these key talking points to make the history both engaging and relevant:

The Importance of Liberty and Freedom: Explain how the American Revolution was about fighting for fundamental freedoms and individual rights. Emphasize how essential it is to value and protect personal liberties in the face of any threat to freedom.
Unity and Solidarity: Discuss how the diverse groups in the revolution came together with a common purpose. Highlight the importance of unity and working together to overcome challenges, showing how people can support each other in difficult times.
Strategic Resistance: Share how the revolutionaries used guerrilla tactics and formed strategic alliances. This can illustrate the importance of smart planning and seeking support from allies when facing difficult situations.
Effective Leadership: Talk about the role of strong leaders like George Washington. Use this to explain how good leadership can guide people through tough times and inspire them to keep going.
Resilience and Persistence: Point out how the revolutionaries faced many setbacks but never gave up. This can teach the value of perseverance and resilience, showing that it’s important to keep trying even when things are tough.
Engaging International Support: Describe how the American revolutionaries reached out for help from other countries. Explain how seeking support and building relationships with others can be crucial during challenging times.
Communicating a Vision: Discuss how the revolutionaries had a clear vision for their new nation. Highlight how sharing goals and values helps inspire and motivate people, and why it’s important to have a clear direction in any struggle.
Adapting Tactics: Explain how the revolutionaries adjusted their strategies based on circumstances. This can teach your child the importance of being flexible and learning from setbacks to find new solutions.
Empowering Citizens: Share how ordinary people played a crucial role in the revolution. Use this to show how everyone can contribute and make a difference, encouraging them to take an active role in their own communities.
Preserving Cultural and Historical Identity: Talk about how maintaining a sense of cultural and historical identity helped unify the revolutionaries. Explain how knowing and valuing one’s heritage can strengthen resolve and foster a sense of belonging.

By discussing these questions you can help your child understand not only the historical significance of the American Revolution but also how its lessons can be applied to challenges they may face today.

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Resources

Liberty’s Kids
This animated series is set during the American Revolution and follows the adventures of three young characters who witness key events in American history. It provides a detailed and historically accurate portrayal of the era.

The entire series is free on Youtube. Or you can purchase it on Amazon.

This cartoon is really targeted to ages 9-12 but I think children a little young or older will enjoy it as well. I’ll also add a few books on the American Revolutionary War for the same age group.