Student Activities
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Math,Social Studies
- State Standards:
- NATIONAL/STATE STANDARDS:
NC: Math: 3rd 1.01- 1.15; 4th 1.15-1.18
Social Studies: 3.G.1; 4.G.1
SC: Math – 4thII-B, D; 5th II-B, D; 6th B, D
Social Studies - 3-1; 8-1
GOAL: To present to students a brief history of the Cowpens National Battlefield and of facts pertaining to the park.
Objective(s)
The student will take given facts about Cowpens National Battlefield and answer math questions concerning these facts.
The student will use thinking skills, as well as math computation skills, to solve math questions requiring applied math skills.
Background
Download and print the Brief History of Cowpens National Battlefield for the students.
BRIEF HISTORY OF COWPENS NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD
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effectively ended the Revolution, sporadic fighting continued until late 1783, when the last British forces were withdrawn from the colonies.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.
Procedure
PRE-SITE ACTIVITY
Students will read and discuss a Brief History of Cowpens National Battlefield
Did You Know That…?
1. On January 17, 2006, the Battle of Cowpens celebrated its ___________ anniversary.
2. The Washington Light Infantry of Charleston, South Carolina Monument was constructed in 1856. In the year 2016, how many years ago would the construction have been completed? ________________________
3. On March 9, 1989, the Cowpens National Battlefield Site celebrated what anniversary? ____________________
4. Today, there are more than 842.56 acres incorporated into the Cowpens National Battlefield. How many more acres are needed to have exactly 1000 acres? ____________________ acres
5. The cost of restoration and development of Cowpens National Battlefield was $4,800,000. Round this number to the nearest million dollars. __________________________________
6. Cowpens Battlefield has approximately 200,000 visitors each year. What is the average number of visitors to the park each month? _________________ visitors per month (Round to the nearest whole number.)
7. Cowpens National Battlefield is located 11 miles from Gaffney, South Carolina, and three miles from Chesnee, South Carolina. What is the difference in mileage for the two cities? _______________________ miles
8. The main road through Cowpens National Battlefield has several stopping points along the way. From the entrance of the park to the Visitor Center is 0.4 mile. From the Visitor Center to the From Cow Pasture to Battlefield point is 0.6 mile. From there to the picnic area is 0.7 mile. From the picnic area to the Robert Scruggs House is 0.3 mile. From here to the site of Morgan’s Camp is 0.4 mile. From Morgan’s Camp to the exit of the park is 0.3 mile. About how many miles long is this road? ______________________________ mile(s)
9. Cowpens National Battlefield covers over 842 acres. The cost of renovation and construction of the park was nearly $ 5,000,000. About how much money was needed to develop each acre? $_____________ (Round to the nearest hundred.)
10. Cowpens National Battlefield has about 200,000 visitors to the park each year. If each person that visited the park purchased a soft drink at the price of $.65 each, how much money would the park receive for soft drinks? $
Last updated: November 2, 2018