MassachusettsHISTORY EXPLORERS GRADES 3–8
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Quick glossary
evidence
Information from a source that helps us test a claim.
source
A document, object, image, or account we can examine.
inference
An explanation based on clues; it still needs checking.
migration
Moving from one place to another to live.
immigrant
A person who moves to another country to live.
estimate
An approximate amount, based on available information.
oral history
A recorded interview about someone’s memories and experiences.
community
People connected by a place, relationships, or shared activities.
ancestry
Family origins across generations.
primary source
Evidence created by someone who experienced a time or event.

The Battle of Bunker Hill

Choose a PDF, read on screen, and try the word game.

← All 100 events

Choose your PDF reading

All four include an image, vocabulary, comprehension questions, a follow-up reading, and teacher guidance. These English PDFs have selectable text; use the reading below for adjustable text and listening tools.

Read on this page

Thomas Hyde Page’s map of Boston and its harbor, circa 1775. The map offers geographic context, not a picture of the event.
Thomas Hyde Page’s map of Boston and its harbor, circa 1775. The map offers geographic context, not a picture of the event.

Words to know

defend
protect or speak in support of someone
cost
what must be given or lost to get something
courage
acting even when something is difficult or frightening

British troops captured a defended hill in Charlestown. Much of the battle happened on Breed’s Hill. The British won the ground but suffered heavy losses. Many people fought, including Black soldiers.

Talk about the reading

What happened? Point to a detail that supports your answer. What does the picture help you understand? What would you like to investigate next?

Follow-up: British forces leave Boston

George Washington’s army pressured British forces in Boston. Henry Knox helped bring cannon from Fort Ticonderoga. The Americans fortified Dorchester Heights. British troops and many Loyalists then left by sea.

How are the two events connected or different? Their order does not prove that one caused the other.

Read the follow-up event →

Word match: use the reading

Select a word, then select its meaning. You can use a keyboard or tap. Read the word bank if you need a clue.

Choose a word to begin.

Check the evidence

Research source for this event ↗

Thomas Hyde Page, Boston, its environs and harbour, c. 1775. Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division. Public domain. Image source and rights ↗

Historical images, later portraits, reconstructions, and modern topic illustrations are identified in their captions. They are different kinds of evidence.

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