Describe how the historical context of the novel is pivotal to understanding Samuel’s circumstances and journey. What started the Revolutionary War and why are many families, like Samuel’s, caught in the middle? Why does Samuel decide to fight for the rebels? What is surprising to Samuel about the war and the activity of the British? Do you think the novel is one-sided, or does it present an accurate picture of both sides? What other groups were part of the Revolutionary War? How did the lack of technology influence the war?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may want to discuss their ideas in small groups prior to developing a written response to the prompt. Alternatively, because the prompt covers topics throughout the text, you might consider allowing students to develop a written response before discussing aloud; with this option, you can encourage them to note specific events, chapters, or page numbers from the text to support their reasons and ideas.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who are working on organization skills in writing and thinking tasks, you may wish to allow the student to work with a partner to create a timeline of events in the novel before responding. Referencing the timeline throughout discussion may be beneficial in analyzing the historical context of the novel.