Maps are on seemingly every other page of textbook chapters about the American Revolution. Troops move, colonies become states, and transformations occur before a student’s eyes.

But how do we use these maps effectively with students instead of seeing them as one less page to read? How do we get past this is here and that is there and this used to be some place else? This workshop will explore the rudiments of maps, identify elements of interest to students, and practice some foundational strategies for teaching.

Teachers will also become familiar with the ARGO (American Revolutionary Geographies Online) database, along with items from the Leventhal Center map collection. We will tackle map reading skills, identify whose voices are and aren’t represented, and practice building curriculum activities to introduce maps as primary sources in the classroom.