• Scenic rural landscape with green lawn, cloud-flecked blue sky, and autumn foliage punctuated by a small, deep red farmhouse and red cannon carriages.

    Saratoga

    National Historical Park New York

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  • Horse Trail Closure

    Due to extensive recent rains, the Horse Trail at the Battlefield is temporarily closed. Equestrians will be permitted to ride the road shoulder on the Tour Road. Entrance fees do apply to horseback riders; please pay at Visitor Center.

Traveling Trunks

four views of the Traveling Haversack

Traveling Haversack

What is the Traveling Haversack? Lots of learning fun wrapped up in one small bag!

Using a copy of a soldier's haversack (food bag), this activity kit combines primary source materials and copies of items commonly carried by soldiers during the American Revolution to create a hands-on, small-group based exploration learning experience.

Each of the items in the Traveling Haversack forms the basis for a topic-based activity (tin cup for Drink, wooden dice for Entertainment, wooden bowl and spoon for Food, etc.). Each item is accompanied by laminated cards that contain primary source materials (such as journal or letter excerpts from people during the American Revolution) and questions based on the provided readings.

Schools within the WSWHE BOCES system (Washington, Saratoga, Warren, Hamilton, and Essex Counties of New York State) can request the loan of the Traveling Haversack by contacting the WSWHE BOCES MultiMedia Services office at 518-581-3730 or 746-3730, or e-mail their office. The BOCES item number is "051776"

 

Traveling Haversack Kit

Outside of WSWHE BOCES System



Not part of that BOCES network? Not a problem! You can put together your OWN Haversack Kit. You'll just need a few items:




  2. A copy of the Teacher's Guide (.pdf document, 406 kb);


  4. A list of the items required and possible sources (.pdf document, 24 kb) --NOTE: Other item sources exist, and prices listed here or elsewhere may differ from current item costs;


  6. Lamination equipment or self-adhesive lamination pockets;


  8. Time enough to print, cut, laminate, and familiarize yourself with the activity.

Did You Know?

A park volunteer, dressed as an American soldier, helps orient visitors to what they are seeing.

Not all American soldiers during the Revolutionary War used dark blue uniforms trimmed with red. Some did, but a number of different colors were in use. Some of the German soldiers at the Battles of Saratoga also wore dark blue uniforms. Think it could be confusing sometimes?