If you’d like to learn how to make an American Revolution Code Letter, this post is for you! In a few easy steps, students will have a project that they’ll be thrilled to share with their classmates and parents.

When teaching the American Revolution, hands-on activities are always the things that students remember!

So, instead of just telling my students about American Revolution Code Letters, I show at least one primary source example and help my students to make their own code letters.

Code letters are one EASY way to bring the American Revolution to life in your classroom.

Before we dive in, I’d love for you to grab this free pack of American Revolution Cloze Passages. Enter your first name and email address to have them sent to you immediately. You’ll also become a member of my VIP email club just for upper elementary social studies teachers!

How were code letters used during the American Revolution?

As a child, did you ever write a secret message to a friend using a code?

If so, you’re on the right track to making a code letter.

Secrecy was one of the most important components of spying, so writing a plain, easy to read letter just wouldn’t be acceptable.

Information had to be concealed in some way. There were multiple ways to spy and pass information, of course. Code letters were easy to make, so this type of letter was used often.

To keep the information contained in a code letter secret, the letters and their corresponding keys would be moved separately to ensure that an intercepted letter was unusable.

If British soldiers obtained just the letter and no code to help them decipher its meaning, the letter became just a useless piece of paper.

Code Letter Primary Source Example

Before asking your students to make an American Revolution Code Letter, it’s a good idea to show them a primary source example.

The source below is an excellent example that gives students a crystal clear picture of what a real 18th Century code letter would have contained.

I like to display this primary source example of a letter from Benedict Arnold to John Andre written in 1780 from the University of Michigan on my technology board.

Make a Code Letter: Materials & Steps

Making a code letter requires nothing more than paper and a pencil.

If my students want to get fancy, I allow them to use markers or pens once they’ve created a rough draft and know exactly what they’ll write on their code letters.

Code keys and letters traveled separately in the 18th Century to reduce the risk that they’d be intercepted and read by the enemy.

To simplify things for my students, however, I allow them to do their codes and letters on one page.

Making a Code Letter: Student Examples

There are so many different ways to have students create their American Revolution Code Letters.

Personally, I like to have them create a symbol for each letter and then make spaces for each letter of their message.

They LOVE sharing their code letters with classmates and asking them to figure out the messages.

The examples below make it easy to trade papers and solve messages.

American Revolution Code Letters: Questions to Ask Students

The questions below are good for class/partner discussion and/or journal prompts:

• Why might an 18th Century spy choose to use a code letter to pass a message?

• Would you use a code letter to pass a secret message today? Why or why not? .

Before you go, I’d love for you to grab this free pack of American Revolution Cloze Passages. Enter your first name and email address to have them sent to you immediately. You’ll also become a member of my VIP email club just for upper elementary social studies teachers!

Here are three resources that you’ll love: