As Rebecca Brewton Motte watched the arrows strike the home she had once lived in and the flames spread across the house, she took a deep breath. But she had pledged to support the Patriots, providing troops with rice, meat, corn, and fodder for their horses. And when Lieutenant Colonel Harry Lee had come to her with his plan, she knew it was the only way. So she agreed to let them burn down her house at Fort Motte to expel the British regiment that had taken it over. Motte was one of the many unsung heroes of the Revolutionary War, and her story isn’t one you’ll read in most history textbooks. To really draw kids into history on this 250th anniversary of America’s birth, story-driven textbooks like the Tuttle Twins history books are the key!
Celebrating the Unsung Revolutionary War Heroes for America 250
If you’re one of the many parents looking for kids’ books about freedom as we approach the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, you may be evaluating history books right now. You’ll find an extraordinary number of history books available, but not all of them will be kids’ books about freedom, and a relative few will tell about the everyday people like Rebecca Brewton Motte who helped change the course of the Revolutionary War.
Many kids just don’t connect with history-related topics because rote memorization of events and dates doesn’t pique their interest. Kids learn best from stories, and the Tuttle Twins history books are one example of a story-driven history series that connects with kids who don’t understand the importance of learning about history.
Why Learn About History?
As America 250 approaches, it’s understandable that you would want your kids to know more about the founding of this great country. But if they’re like some kids (and maybe even some parents!) when it comes to history, they may want to know the point of learning about the past when we’re living in the present.
If you’re wondering how to raise independent thinkers, you can do so through kids’ books about freedom like the Tuttle Twins history books. And you can explain to your kids the importance of thinking for themselves — and how learning about everyday historical figures demonstrates this ability. After all, it wasn’t peer pressure that convinced Rebecca to let the Patriots burn down her house. It was her independent understanding of the situation. Although she wasn’t a military general, she understood the importance of taking a strategic British stronghold, and she was willing to sacrifice for the cause.
If Rebecca hadn’t been able to think critically about what was happening, she probably would’ve let her emotions rule her decision. It was this ability to think critically that made Rebecca a hero of the Revolutionary War, and stories like hers make history come alive for kids, getting them learning critical, independent thought without even realizing it!
The Tuttle Twins history books present some excellent stories about the Revolutionary War, and there’s even a Volume Three for the Tuttle Twins series America’s History being released just in time for America 250! Volume Three covers 1791 through 1849, another exciting time in American history!