CONTENTS
Text Structure: Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Learn how authors organize information.
Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Read, write, and learn the meanings of new words.
“When Washington Crossed
the Delaware” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
by Lynn Cheney • illustrated by Peter M. Fiore
• Learn the features of narrative nonfiction.
• Learn how to use a graphic organizer to keep track of
the sequence of events.
“In 1776” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
by Jean Marzollo • illustrated by Bryan Haynes
Read a poem about the Revolutionary War.
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
• Compare texts.
• Review vocabulary.
• Reread for fluency.
• Write a narrative paragraph.
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Genr e: N
ar
e Non
v
i
t
a
r
f ic t ion
G e n r e : Po e t r y
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Text Structure:
Sequence
Authors of nonfiction text organize their ideas in certain ways,
called text structures. One kind of text structure is sequence.
In texts with this structure, events may be
arranged in chronological, or time, order.
Authors of historical texts often use this
text structure to present real events in
the order in which they happened.
First
Event
Next
Event
Next
Event
Last
Event
As you read, look for dates and
other points in time that tell you what
happened first, next, and so on.
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The events in the paragraph below are organized in
chronological order. Read the paragraph. Then look at the
graphic organizer. It shows the sequence of events in the
paragraph.
George Washington was born in 1732.
At the age of fifteen, he became a surveyor.
This job paid well and helped Washington
learn why some pieces of land were more
valuable than others. As good land came up
for sale, he bought what he could. By the
time Washington was twenty, he owned
more than 2,000 acres. During that same
year, Washington joined the colonial troops.
First Event
George
Washington
was born in
1732.
Next Event
At the age
of fifteen,
he became a
surveyor.
Next Event
He bought
good land
that came up
for sale.
Last Event
By the age
of twenty, he
owned 2,000
acres of land.
Try This
Look back at the paragraph. How old was George Washington
when he joined the colonial troops? How do you know?
www.harcourtschool.com/storytown
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Build Robust Vocabulary
Bunker Hill
persuading
crucial
maneuvered
encountered
crisis
In 1775, fighting between British troops
and American colonists began. In the battles
of Concord and Lexington, about one
hundred colonists lost their lives. Word of the
fighting spread rapidly, persuading hundreds
of colonists to gather outside Boston. They
were ready to fight. Both the British and
the Americans felt that occupying the hills
outside Boston was crucial. The Americans
took a position at Breed’s Hill.
appealed
perseverance
destiny
The Americans were poorly trained and had inferior weapons,
but they had great spirit.
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Soon, the British troops maneuvered into positions
around the hill and attacked. The Americans encountered
heavy fire but held their ground. In time, though,
the colonists faced a crisis. They were running out of
gunpowder. American leaders appealed to the soldiers to
use their ammunition sparingly. The troops did as they
were asked, but eventually ran out of ammunition. Despite
their perseverance, the colonists lost the battle. However,
they still felt that it was their destiny to win the war.
The fight for Breed’s Hill
became known as the
Battle of Bunker Hill.
www.harcourtschool.com/storytown
Word Champion
Your mission this week is to use the Vocabulary
Words outside your classroom. Use as many
of the words as you can when you talk with
family members and friends. For example, you might tell
a family member that it is crucial for you go to the library
to complete a school assignment. Write in your vocabulary
journal the sentences you used that contained the words.
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N a r r a t ive Non f ic t ion
Genre Study
Narrative nonfiction tells about
people, events, or places that are
real. As you read, look for
• events told in time order.
• factual information that tells a
story.
First Event
Next Event
Next Event
Last Event
Comprehension
Strategy
Use graphic organizers like the
one above to show the order of
events in the text.
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by Lynne Cheney
paintings by Peter M. Fiore
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It was November 1776, a time of trouble for our young country.
We were fighting for our independence from Britain, and the
war was not going well. The British had defeated General George
Washington and his men on Long Island, had driven them out of
New York, and were pursuing them across New Jersey.
George Washington was discouraged. How could the Americans,
who were mostly new to fighting, ever hope to defeat the welltrained redcoats?
“The rebels fly before us.”
William Bamford, Captain, British Army
The Americans retreated through cold and rain. Many had
no jackets to keep them warm. Many had no shoes and marched
with rags wrapped around their feet. Everyone was hungry.
In early December the Americans made it across the Delaware
River into Pennsylvania. Under General Washington’s orders they
had taken every boat they could find with them, so they knew
they were safe from the British for a while. But they were sick,
exhausted, and cold.
Even when the struggle seemed hopeless, George Washington did
not give up. On the other side of the river the British had stationed
Hessians—German soldiers the British had hired to fight for them.
The Hessians didn’t have much respect for American soldiers. They
didn’t think the Americans would do anything bold or daring—
and so George Washington decided on a bold and daring course.
He called a meeting of his generals and worked out a plan.
On Christmas night American troops would cross the Delaware
River in several different places. Before dawn on December 26 they
would attack the Hessians at Trenton, New Jersey.
Washington warned his officers to keep the plan a secret.
It could only succeed, he believed, if the Americans caught
the Hessians by surprise.
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Also crucial to success was the spirit of the American troops.
Beaten down as they were, could they fight another battle?
A man named Thomas Paine had marched with the Americans
as they retreated across New Jersey. Now he came up with words
to encourage them. “These are the times that try men’s souls,” he
wrote. “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this
crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it
now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
In the camps along the Delaware, George Washington’s men read
Paine’s words and drew strength from them for the battle ahead.
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On Christmas night, 1776, General Washington led twenty-four
hundred men, the main body of his army, to a crossing point about
nine miles upstream from Trenton. There the soldiers crowded into
the large black boats that would take them to the opposite shore.
The night was cold, and the men faced a difficult crossing. They
had to break through ice to get the boats into the river. They had to
fend off large chunks of floating ice once they were underway.
But Washington had seafarers with him that night who knew
how to navigate treacherous waters. The sailors of Massachusetts’s
Marblehead Battalion maneuvered boat after boat across the icy
river. As soon as they got one group of men to the New Jersey shore,
they returned to pick up another.
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Washington arrived on the New Jersey side of the Delaware
in the early hours of the crossing. Wrapped in his cloak, he
watched his cold, wet soldiers make their way onto land. Their
spirits were good, but he was worried. The crossing was taking
longer than he had planned.
Washington’s army had eighteen cannon, and getting them
across the river was especially hard. A gun with its carriage and
ammunition could weigh two thousand pounds, and loading
it on and off a slippery ferry was slow and dangerous work.
Downstream two of Washington’s commanders also struggled
to get men and guns across the river. In the end neither General
James Ewing nor Colonel John Cadwalader could get through
the ice on the Delaware. They had to give up on the idea of
fighting at Trenton.
But at three o’clock in the morning George Washington’s
crossing succeeded. The last gun was onshore, and the general
and his men prepared for the nine-mile march to Trenton.
“Perseverance accomplished
what at first seemed impossible.”
Henry Knox, Colonel, Continental Army
It was four o’clock in the morning before the army was
ready to move out, hours later than Washington had planned.
He had hoped to attack the Hessians while it was still dark,
but now the sun would be up before the Americans reached
Trenton. Would an attack in daylight still be a surprise?
But there was no turning back. Through cold and sleet
the American troops moved along icy roads toward Trenton.
Washington and his officers rode alongside the men,
encouraging them onward.
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“Remember now
what you are about
to fight for.”
General George Washington
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When the Americans encountered the first Hessians, it was
clear that the surprise had worked. The startled Hessians retreated.
The Americans pressed forward with such determination that the
Hessians had little time to organize a defense. When American artillery
began to bombard them, the German soldiers had no choice but
to abandon the streets of Trenton and withdraw to an orchard nearby.
Nineteen-year-old Captain Alexander Hamilton led one of the
companies firing on the Hessians. He would later sign the U.S.
Constitution and help insure that the states accepted it. He would
become our country’s first secretary of the treasury.
Another soldier fighting that day was eighteen-year-old
Lieutenant James Monroe. When the Hessians managed to get
two of their cannon into operation, Monroe was one of the officers
who charged the guns. He was badly wounded, but he would live
to become our nation’s fifth president.
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The Hessians tried an attack of their own. With drums beating
they marched from the orchard toward the center of town. But
the Americans were strong. In the fight that followed, the Hessian
commander, Colonel Johann Rall, was mortally wounded and many
of his men were killed.
The rest of the Hessians retreated, but the Americans soon had
them surrounded. Two German regiments decided it was time to quit
fighting, and they lowered their flags to the ground. Then the third—
and last—regiment surrendered.
Two hours from the time it had started, the Battle of Trenton
was over. With few losses of their own the Americans had captured
nearly nine hundred Hessians. After many defeats they had won
a great victory.
“This is a glorious
day for our country.”
General George Washington
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Most of Washington’s men had the right to go home at the end
of the year, but Washington needed them to stay. Persuading them
to keep fighting would be hard, he knew. He could see how tired
they were as they transported their Hessian prisoners across the
Delaware to Pennsylvania. He could see that they were cold. Many
marched without shoes and left bloody footprints in the snow.
Once his men were back in New Jersey, Washington promised
extra pay to those who would serve longer. And he appealed to
their love for their country. This was an hour of destiny, he told
one regiment, a time that would decide America’s fate. If they
wanted their country to be free, they had to keep fighting.
Drums rolled. A few of the men stepped forward, then more,
and then more. Many of Washington’s battle-tested soldiers
resolved to stay at his side.
There were thousands of British and Hessian troops gathering
at Princeton, New Jersey, a pretty college town northeast of
Trenton. Certain that they would soon attack, Washington sent
out a call for more forces. Veteran fighters joined him, as did
many men who had never fought before.
Washington ordered most of his troops to line up along a
ridge on the south side of Assunpink Creek. He also sent a force
to the north side of the creek, where the British and Hessians
were advancing. Washington ordered these men to slow the
enemy down.
“I pressed against the shoulder
of the General’s horse and
in contact with the boot of
the General. The horse stood
as firm as the rider.”
John Howland, Private,
Lippitt’s Rhode Island Regiment
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Near evening on January 2, 1777, the troops sent to delay the British
had done all they could. They ran for a narrow bridge that would take
them back across the Assunpink. As they crowded onto it, they saw
General Washington at the far end. The enemy was right behind them,
but the sight of their commander, firm and steady, gave them courage.
General Charles Cornwallis, the British commander, thought he had
Washington trapped. He thought he could wait until morning to attack
the Americans.
But Washington had other plans. He knew that Cornwallis had
brought most of his forces with him. That meant there would be far
fewer of the enemy in Princeton, and so Washington readied his army
for a march that would take them around Cornwallis’s troops and
toward the college town.
He ordered some of his men to stay behind. They were to keep
campfires burning and to make noises with their axes and shovels so
that the British wouldn’t realize what the Americans were doing.
About one o’clock in the morning on January 3, Washington and
the main body of his army moved out. Cannon wheels were muffled
with rags. Officers whispered orders. The Americans did everything
they could to be quiet, and their plan worked. It was dawn before
Cornwallis realized they were gone.
The morning was clear and cold as Washington and his men neared
Princeton. In farmland outside the town a part of the American army
encountered British troops. During the fight that followed, many of the
Americans fell. The dazed survivors retreated.
Washington rushed to rally his troops, and astride a white horse he
led them forward, taking them to within thirty yards of the British line.
American muskets were pointed at the British. British arms were leveled
at the Americans. Washington was in between. Once the two sides
started firing, it seemed impossible that he would survive.
Muskets roared, but when the smoke cleared, General Washington
was safe. His troops held steady, but the British line broke and fell back.
The Americans advanced. British officers tried to rally the redcoats,
but soon they began to flee. When the American troops ran after
them, Washington paused just long enough to give a few orders. Then,
spurring his horse, he joined in the pursuit.
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“Away, my dear colonel,
and bring up the troops—
the day is our own.”
General George Washington to
Colonel John Fitzgerald
Within a few hours the battle was over. George Washington
and his men had once again defeated the greatest military power
in the world.
General Washington and his men had stood with their country
in a time of crisis. When they were cold and hungry, they did
not quit. When the conflict was hard, they fought on. And when they
won, the victory was sweet. News of Trenton and Princeton spread
across the land, lifting the spirits of patriots everywhere. Many a battle
lay ahead, but now Americans could think of winning their war
for independence. Now they could imagine that their great struggle
would have a glorious end.
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Think Critically
1 Two young American soldiers described in “When Washington
Crossed the Delaware” later became important figures in United
States history. Who were they, and what office did each hold?
NOTE DETAILS
2 After the Battle of Trenton, Washington’s soldiers were tired, sick,
and cold. They agreed to keep fighting, even though they did not
have to do so. Why did they make this decision? DRAW CONCLUSIONS
3 How did the author organize the information in “When Washington
Crossed the Delaware”? Is this text structure appropriate for the
topic? Explain your answer.
TEXT STRUCTURE: SEQUENCE
4 Why did the author include quotations from people who were
present when George Washington and his troops crossed the
Delaware? What effect do these first-person observations have on
readers today? AUTHOR’S CRAFT
5
WR ITE Do you think the Americans could have won the
Revolutionary War without George Washington’s leadership?
Explain. Use details and information from the selection to support
your answer. SHORT RESPONSE
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About the Author
Lynne Cheney
Lynne Cheney has loved history for as long as she can remember.
She feels that it is important for young people to study history and
understand how the events of the past affect their lives. Lynne Cheney
has written many articles and books for both children and adults.
She is married to Dick Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the
United States.
www.harcourtschool.com/storytown
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Social Studies
Po e t r y
D[,GCP/CT\QNNQKNNWUVTCVGFD[$T[CP*C[PGU
In seventeen hundred and seventy-five,
A long, long time ago,
Great Britain ruled America—
There was some trouble, though.
In seventeen hundred and seventy-six,
Excitement filled the air;
But what the colonists needed
Was a statement to declare.
The colonists were angry
Because they had no say
When the British king gave orders
Three thousand miles away.
So their leaders met in Philly,
In June and in July,
They picked some men to tell the king,
“We must be free—here’s why!”
The king said, “Pay more taxes!”
Americans said, “No!”
Some even told the British,
“It’s time for you to go.”
The committee talked and wrote for days;
At times it wasn’t fun;
Then Thomas Jefferson penned the words,
And the Declaration was done.
The British marched from Boston;
The farmers didn’t run;
In Lexington and Concord
The fighting was begun.
We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are
Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
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The Declaration of Independence
Said everyone has the right
To life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;
For this, men said, we’ll fight!
On the Fourth of July, in seventy-six,
After a long and heated morn,
The Declaration was approved,
And the U.S.A. was born.
Americans had their statement—
Ideals worth fighting for,
A country of their very own
With liberty at the core.
American forces continued to fight;
George Washington was the chief.
Through heat and cold, they won the war . . .
And felt a great relief.
No longer ruled by a bossy king
On a distant British throne,
Americans voted in eighty-nine
For a president of their own.
Can you guess who won the vote?
Can you guess who won the day?
The winner was George Washington—
Number One in the U.S.A.
The war was over long ago;
The U.S. and Britain are now good friends.
The Declaration still guides us all;
The struggle for liberty never ends.
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Comparing Texts
1. How do the events in “When Washington Crossed
the Delaware” connect to the rights you enjoy?
2. How are “When Washington Crossed the Delaware”
and “In 1776” alike? How are they different?
3. Henry Fox, a colonel in the Continental Army, said,
“Perseverance accomplished what at first seemed
impossible.” To what other event could you apply
this quote?
Vocabulary Review
Word Pairs
Jenn appealed to
her sister, saying it
was her destiny to
have the top bunk.
Work with a partner. Write the Vocabulary
Words on index cards. Place the cards face
down. Take turns flipping over two cards and
writing a sentence using both words. Read
aloud the sentence to your partner. If you use
the words correctly, you keep the cards. The
player with more cards at the end wins.
crucial
crisis
maneuvered
perseverance
encountered
persuading
appealed
destiny
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Fluency Practice
Par tner Reading
With a partner, choose a paragraph
from “When Washington Crossed
the Delaware.” Read it aloud as
your partner follows along. Use the
punctuation marks in the text to
help your phrasing. Switch roles with your partner, and repeat
the process. Give each other feedback about your phrasing.
Writing
Write a Narrative
Paragraph
Write a paragraph describing how
George Washington led his soldiers
across the Delaware River on
Christmas night, 1776. Tell about
the challenges he and the troops
overcame.
First Event
Next Event
✔ I used details
the topic.
Organization
to develop
✔ I used a grap
organize the
hic organizer
to
events.
✔ I used inform
ation from th
e
selection in m
y writing.
Next Event
Last Event
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