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Painting by Robert Wilson of Morgan, Tarleton, flag, canteen, weapon, and accoutrements

National Park Service

COWPENS NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD

CURRICULUM GUIDE

Grades 3-8, South Carolina & North Carolina

Dear Educators,

Education has been one of the guiding principles of the National Park Service since its creation in 1916. Helping visitors understand the history and stories of each unique area is still a vital function of the NPS (National Park Service.) During the 1960s, an emphasis on Environmental Education was begun and through this effort, curriculum materials and programs were instituted for that purpose. During the Bicentennial era, more educational programs were written to focus on our nation’s history.

Sign and tree at Cowpens National Battlefield front gate. Photo by Robert Hooper for NPS.

Since that time, parks have begun to develop curriculum materials for use both in the classroom and in the park that focus on not only the environment (science) but include other facets of instruction, such as the arts, cultural information, etc.

In 1999, Cowpens National Battlefield submitted a competitive request to fund a Parks As Classrooms resource and activity guide to aid educators. The document represents many hours of work by a dedicated cadre of individuals that have worked with this concept since March 2000.

Every effort has been made to include good background information to help teachers take the process of learning to a new level. The document has been written for grades 3-8, but adaptations could be made for other grades as well.

Please take time to tell us what works and what doesn’t. You may reach us via email at www.nps.gov/cowp.

Patricia A. Ruff

Chief Ranger

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Cowpens National Battlefield is dedicated to protecting and preserving the cultural and natural features within park boundaries, to commemorating and interpreting the Battle of Cowpens and the natural setting of the battle, and to educate and inform the public about the battle, the Southern Campaign, and the impact that fighting in the South had on the end of the war.

Cowpens National Battlefield commemorates the January 17, 1781, battle between American patriot forces under command of Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. The battle at the “Cow Pens” is recognized by historians as one of the most important of the American Revolution.

Coming on the heels of a patriot vistory at nearby Kings Mountain on October 7, 1780, it was the second successive staggering defeat for British forces under General Charles Cornwallis. Only nine months after the Battle of Cowpens, Cornwallis was forced to surrender his weak and weary army to General George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia, in October 1781.

Although Cornwallis’ surrender effectively ended the Revolution, sporadic fighting continued until late 1783, when the last British forces were withdrawn from the colonies.

The first physical recognition given the Battle of Cowpens took place in 1856 with construction of a monument by the Washington Light Infantry of Charleston, South Carolina.

On March 4, 1929, The United States Congress recognized the importance of the battle by creating Cowpens National Battlefield Site. It consisted of approximately one acre of land at the former intersection of South Carolina Highways 11 and 110. The area was placed under the management of the War Department. A second monument, the one now standing outside the park Visitor Center, was constructed with appropriated funds and unveiled in April of 1932. The monument was moved to its present location when the highways were relocated during the expansion of the park in the 1970s.

Management of Cowpens National Battlefield was transferred to the National Park Service on August 10, 1933, from the War Department. Today, 842.56 acres are incorprated into an area that serves to protect the historic battlefield scene. The cost of restoration and development, completed in June 1981, was $4.8 million.

The park plays host to approximately 212,900 visitors annually. We look forward to serving you and your group or family.

For further information, please call (864) 461-2828 or write: Cowpens National Battlefield, Post Office Box 308, Chesnee, South Carolina 29323, or contact us via the worldwide web at http// www.nps.gov/cowp.

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Coordinator:

Cowpens National Battlefield is a Revolutionary War battle site that commemorates the victory of Brigadier General Daniel Morgan over his dreaded foe, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, in the cause for American Independence. It was an important link in a chain of events that ultimately led to the defeat and surrender of the British commander Lord Earl Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, in October 1781. The battlefield is a unit of the National Park System, a bureau of the United States Department of the Interior.

Park Facilities: The 845-acre park is open year round, except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. There is a Visitor Center, battlefield, trail, auto tour road, and picnic area with a covered shelter.

The Visitor Center is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. The tour road is open from 9 a.m.-4:30p.m.

Directions: From Greenville, take I-85 Business North to Exit 83. Turn left onto Highway 110. Drive eight miles to the intersection of highways 110 and 11. Turn right. Entrance is 1/4 mile on the right. From Charlotte, take I-85 South to Exit 92. Turn right at stop sign onto Highway 11. The park entrance is about 10 miles on the left. From Asheville, take I-26 East to Exit 5. Turn left onto Highway 11. Park is about 20 miles on the right. From Columbia, take I-26 West to Exit 19B onto I-85 Business. North. Take I-85 Business North to Exit 83. Turn left onto Highway 110. Drive eight miles to the intersection of highways 110 and 11. Turn right. Entrance is 1/4 mile on the right.

Reservations: Please call the park at (864) 461-2828 or use our reservation form.

On the day of your visit, please remember to allow ample time (including restroom visits) to be able to arrive at the park and begin the program on schedule. If you are late, your group may be inconvenienced since there may be other groups scheduled during the day. They will be taken first if you are not punctual.

For us to serve you better, please try to limit the number of people per group to around 65. We request a teacher or chaperone to student ratio of 1:10. The park expects all teachers or chaperones to accompany the group at all times. Please plan about two hours for your visit.

Groups walking the battlefield should wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather.

Facilities: Restrooms and drinking fountains are at the Visitor Center and the picnic area. A soft drink machine also is at the Visitor Center. The picnic area is 1.5 miles around the auto tour road from the Visitor Center. Picnicking is only allowed in the picnic area.