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Reading Comprehension Worksheets
A New Nation
(1776-1830)

Flag Day
Francis Scott Key and "The Star-Spangled Banner"

A New Nation<BR>(1776-1830)
A New Nation
(1776-1830)


Francis Scott Key and "The Star-Spangled Banner"
Print Francis Scott Key and "The Star-Spangled Banner" Reading Comprehension with Sixth Grade Work

Print Francis Scott Key and "The Star-Spangled Banner" Reading Comprehension


Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 6 to 8
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   5.8

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    Beanes, unorganized, conscription, helping, impressment, destruction, defeat, commander, historic, fuses, persuade, valuable, prisoner, immediately, victory, government
     content words:    Revolutionary War, United States, When Britain, American Indians, On June, Great Britain, White House, President James Madison, George Washington, Fort McHenry


Francis Scott Key and "The Star-Spangled Banner"
By Jane Runyon
  

1     The British did not take their defeat in the Revolutionary War too well. They would not believe that they could be beaten by a group of unorganized colonists. The British government believed that if it gave the colonists a few years, the American government would fail and the United States would be begging the British to come back and take over. When Britain went to war with France in 1793, it needed more men to fight on its ships. Britain also needed to control shipping routes across the Atlantic. British ships stole American sailors to fight in the British navy against France. This was called conscription or impressment. Britain also tried to restrict trade between the United States and other countries in Europe. Americans were also upset with the British for helping American Indians defend their land against American encroachment. On June 18, 1812, America declared war on Great Britain.
 
2     In August 1814, the British boldly entered the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C., and took it over. By this time, the war with France was over. The Canadians had held off the weak American effort to take them over. More soldiers were available to be sent on the attack. The British set fire to the White House, which was the home of President James Madison. Luckily, he was away at the time, and his wife, Dolley, was able to save many valuable belongings. One of these belongings was a portrait of George Washington. The British also set fire to the Capitol building. A rain storm was the act of nature that saved those structures from total destruction.
 
3     The British set their sights on taking Baltimore, Maryland, when they left Washington, D.C. They were angry with the citizens of Baltimore for allowing private ship owners to capture British trading ships. They were much like pirates stealing British treasures. When the British reached Baltimore some forty miles from Washington, they found that the citizens had sunk ships in the harbor, keeping them from getting too close to the city. They were stopped near Fort McHenry and decided to make that their target instead.

Paragraphs 4 to 7:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable



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A New Nation
(1776-1830)

             A New Nation
(1776-1830)



Flag Day
             Flag Day


United States
             United States


    American Government  
 
    Black History and Blacks in U.S. History  
 
    Children in History  
 
    Government Careers  
 
    Hispanic Heritage  
 
    How Can I Help?  
 
 
    Immigration  
 
    National Parks and Monuments  
 
    Native Americans  
 
    Presidents of the United States  
 
    Women's History  
 


United States History
    A Nation Divided
(1840-1861)
 
 
    A New Nation
(1776-1830)
 
 
    After the Civil War
(1865-1870)
 
 
    American Revolution  
 
    Cold War
(1947-1991)
 
 
    Colonial America (1492-1776)  
 
    Lewis and Clark
(1804-1806)
 
 
    Pearl Harbor  
 
    Spanish American War (1898)  
 
    The 1890's  
 
    The 1900's  
 
    The 1910's  
 
    The 1920's  
 
    The 1930's  
 
 
    The 1940's  
 
    The 1950's  
 
    The 1960's  
 
    The 1970's  
 
    The 1980's  
 
    The 1990's  
 
    The 2000's  
 
    The Civil War
(1861-1865)
 
 
    The Great Depression
(1929-1945)
 
 
    The United States Grows
(1865-1900)
 
 
    The War of 1812  
 
    Wild, Wild West  
 
    World War I
(1914-1918)
 
 
    World War II  
 


50 States

             Fifty States Theme Unit


Document Based Activities
      Document Based Activities



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