Curriculum Materials

Winning Independence:
Westchester County and the American Revolution
This multi lesson, elementary school level social studies curriculum has been developed by the staff of St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site in anticipation of the 250^th anniversary of the American Revolution. It was produced in partnership with students and teachers at schools in Mt. Vernon, NY and Pelham, NY. Through 12 separate lessons, arranged in chronological order, the unit explores the story of the American Revolution in Westchester County, New York, from the local reception to the Declaration of Independence in 1776 to the final evacuation of British troops in 1783. Along the way, lessons focus on battles, civilian hardship, the life of the common soldier, a woman who dressed as a man and fought for American independence, the experiences of diverse groups of people, wartime family life and even the infamous Benedict Arnold treason story.
Westchester County’s experience in the American Revolution was particularly searing and dramatic, but it serves as a microcosm, writ large, for the broader story of the birth of the nation. In that context, this curriculum would be of interest to teachers and students across the country, as we approach our national recognition of the 250^th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026. The curriculum consists of student booklet and teachers guide. To obtain a copy of the unit, please contact us by phone at 914-667-4116 or through the on-line request form.

The Ties That Bind, From Slavery to Freedom

The Turner-Nelson Family. Three generations of an American American Family Living in the Shadows of St. Paul's Church

The staff of St. Paul's N.H.S. have produced an elementary school social studies curriculum that explores the remarkable story of the Turner-Nelson family, an African American family that lived for three generations from slavery to freedom, near St. Paul's Church. They were born in Westchester County, New York during the American Revolution, and were an integral part of the community now called Mt. Vernon. They owned land, paid taxes and raised generations of children. Life centered around their family farm, religion, the cemetery and nearby Eastchester Creek. This multi lesson unit also develops basic skills including comparison and contrast, literal understanding, cause and effect, drawing conclusions, reading comprehension and map skills. It was produced with assistance from the Rebecca Turner Elementary School, Mt. Vernon, NY, and Dr. Larry Spruill, City Historian of Mt. Vernon. To obtain a copy of the unit, please contact us by phone at 914-667-4116 or through the on-line request form.

For a copy of the teachers' guide.

For a copy of the student booklet.

 

Coming of Age in America

The staff of St. Paul's Church National Historic Site have developed a multi-lesson, elementary school curriculum unit that explores the early history of St. Paul's, "Coming of Age in America: A town in Westchester County, New York, from Colonial Settlement to the arrival of President Washington." Lessons utilize an interesting variety of primary source materials, and develop many basic skills. The unit was produced with assistance from Lincoln Elementary School, in Mt. Vernon, New York.

It includes a teachers' guide and student booklet. To learn more, click here.

 

A Special Role: St. Paul’s Church and World War II

an exhibition on display through January 2021 at
St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site
897 S. Columbus Av., Mt. Vernon, NY 10550. 914-667-4116

Click on the link below to read the exhibition text. After reviewing the text, try your hand at one of the research topics listed below the link. Good luck.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/st-paul-s-church-and-world-war-ii.htm


Topics of study:

Using the materials in the exhibition, and additional research as necessary and required, consider one of the following research topics:

Explore the theme of the American press and World War II. How did newspapers function as the major source of information about the war, and what was the role of radio? Describe the fabric of the newspaper industry on the eve of the war. What was the relationship between the press and the military? Was it cordial, hostile, competitive?

Chronicle the American military experience during World War II. What were strengths and weaknesses of the American military in December 1941? What were the distinctions between selective service (draft) and volunteering, and how did those distinctions work out in the armed forces? What were the motives of American service members fighting in the war, and what was the fabric of their daily lives on the combat fronts? Did the American military respond effectively to the challenges of fighting a war on multiple fronts? Why, or why not?

Describe the great paradox of the war on the home-front, in terms of record levels of employment, prosperity and wealth, and the lack of consumer goods. Sketch the scope of the growth of the wartime economy, in terms of particular industries that expanded. Why was there a shortage of consumer goods, and how did that affect the economic and cultural behavior of people on the home-front?

Explore the trials and tribulations of the scrap drives on the home-front during World War II. What items did the Government seek through the drives, and how did those drives function? Were the drives really helpful as a means of engaging people in the struggle, or did they really impact the resources the military needed to fight and win the war?

Explain the role of women in American during World War II, on the home-front and in the military. What were the major changes in the lives of American women? How typical was Rosie the Riveter in the experiences of American women working in defense industries during the war? To what extent did women serve in the armed forces, and what was their reception in those services? Did the war have a lasting impact on the lives and experiences of American women in the postwar period?

Discuss the experience of African Americans and World War II. How much discrimination did they encounter in the armed forces and defense industries, and what effect did those prejudices produce? Did the war years produce any important shifts in the migratory and residential patterns of black families in America? What was the Double V campaign, and how successful was it? To what extent were the war years a transformative time for African Americans?

Chronicle the history of funding the enormous costs of the World War II effort in America, and particularly the role of War Bonds. What were the various levels in value of the bonds and what percentage of the war’s cost did they cover? What were the various means through which the Government advertised and sold the bonds? Why did people purchase them? What emotional or psychological role did they play in establishing a link between the home front and the soldiers in the combat theaters?