Beginning with the Stamp Act that angered the patriots, readers meet George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other historical figures, and learn about the documents and battles that kept the fight for freedom alive. Each striking illustration introduces readers to the people, places, and events that gave birth to our nation.
Benjamin Lincoln's Sword
Grade Range: K-12
Resource Type(s): Artifacts, Primary Sources
Date Posted:
12/30/2009
General Charles Conrwallis was so mortified by his defeat that he dispatched his second-in-command, Brigadier General Charles O'Hara, to surrender his forces. When O'Hara offered Cornwallis's sword to George Washington, Washington, in keeping with the rigid hierarchies of military protocol, asked his second-in-command, Major General Benjamin Lincoln, to accept it.
During the surrender ceremonies on the afternoon of October 19, 1781, British Brigadier General Charles O'Hara led a column of British troops out of Yorktown. He surrendered to Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who then directed British troops to lay down their weapons.
National Standards
United States History Standards (Grades 5-12)
Era 3: Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820s)
2: The impact of the American Revolution on politics, economy, and society
3: The institutions and practices of government created during the Revolution and how they were revised between 1787 and 1815 to create the foundation of the American political system based on the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights