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Revolutionary War

Revolutionary War

George Washington to Anthony Wayne, July 30, 1779, manuscript letter

The General Anthony Wayne Letters collections contains fifteen letters exchanged between Wayne and other generals during the Revolutionary War.

 

Overview

A great deal of fighting during the Revolutionary War took place in Chester County and Southeastern Pennsylvania. The are was home to the Battle of Brandywine, the Paoli Massacre, the winter encampment at Valley Forge, and several other skirmishes and incidents that impacted the conflict. Today, countless primary sources survive to illuminate the lives and events integral to the nation’s founding and the bloody battles that led to it.

Guiding Questions 
  • What role did Chester County play in the Revolutionary War? How did residents contribute to, or resist, the war effort?
  • At what point in the war did the two armies pass through, and fight, in the area? What impact did these events have on subsequent action?
  • Which local figures participated in battle? What were their lives like while traveling with the army?
  • How does the Revolutionary War continue to impact life in the area? Where is this evident?
  • How did local or national newspapers cover the events of the war? How did they shape the thinking of colonists’ before, during, and after the fighting?​​​​​​​
Where to Search
West Chester University   ---    WCU Libraries  25 West Rosedale Avenue, West Chester, PA 19383  610-430-4400