Revolutionary War Espionage MUSEUM ESCAPE ROOM

ESCAPE ROOM

MUSEUM

Main room

ROOM 2

ROOM 1

ROOM 3

Work through the discriptions of the spies that helped the Americans win the Revolutionary War! Answer questions to unlock rooms in the museum and to learn more about these individuals.

Oh, no!

Spies Are Everywhere!

wc

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ROOM 1

Continental Army

Counterfeiting

Congress

1/5

What did the British Governor of New York oversee?

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ROOM 1

Destroy enemy intelligence

Help the patriots

Destabilize the colonies economy

2/5

What could creating fake money do to the American economy?

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What was the punishment for counterfeiting back then?

ROOM 1

Death

Penitentiary

5 Years Prison

3/5

Use Source 2 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 2

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ROOM 1

He was captured

He was loyal

He had a lot of debts

4/5

Why might Benjamin Church have turned against the Patriots?

Use Source 2 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 2

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ROOM 1

An encyrpted letter

Currency

A Telegraph

5/5

What was intercepted that proved Church was a spy?

Hover over the eyes to reveal the letter for each painting, this code will unlock the next room!

ROOM 1

CONTINUE

5/5

You have completed this room!

Wrong choice. Would you like to go back?

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ROOM 1

You have lost a museum piece!

This page is password protected!

Use the code that you unlocked

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French and Indian War

FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation

Knowlton’s Rangers

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ROOM 2

CIA - Central Intelligence Agency

What was the name of the army's first military intelligence agency?

1/5

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Teacher

Blacksmith

Baker

Lawyer

What was Nathan Hale’s profession before becoming a spy for the Patriots?

Use Source 4 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 4

ROOM 2

2/5

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Use Source 4 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 4

"My only regret is that I have but one life to lose for my country"

“My only regret is spying for my country.”

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone see it”

What was Nathan Hale’s last words of Hale before his execution?

ROOM 2

"The grass is greener where you water it”

3/5

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Mennonnites

Quakers

Puritans

Lydia Darragh came from which religious denomination that believed wars were wrong?

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ROOM 2

Catholics

4/5

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Using a carrier pigeon

She carried the messages with fresh baked bread

She sent her son with the messages sewn into his clothing.

How did Lydia Darragh bring secret messages to Washington?

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ROOM 2

Using the pony express

5/5

You have completed this room!

ROOM 2

CONTINUE

5/5

ROOM 2

You have lost a museum piece!

This page is password protected

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5th president of the United States

A Patriot general in the Revolutionary War

An African American spy during the Revolutionary War.

A member of the British nobility

Use Source 6 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 6

Which of the following best describes James Armistead?

ROOM 3

1/5

He reinforced British troops with much needed supplies

He was disguised as a runaway slave

He worked for George Washington

He was disguised as a pirate

How did Armistead pass British lines into Yorktown?

ROOM 3

Use Source 6 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 6

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ROOM 3

2/5

The Culper Ring

Cumulative investigators

The FBI

The CIA

What was the name of Washington's spy network?

ROOM 3

Use Source 7 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 7

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ROOM 3

3/5

They relieved George Washington of his duty

They encountered British legions

Stopped the British counterfeiting operation

Stopped the assassination of Benjamin Franklin

What was an accomplishment of Washington's spy network?

Use Source 7 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 7

ROOM 3

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ROOM 3

2/5

The spies told them the war was over

The spies lead them to believe they had vast amounts of Gold

The spies lead the British to believe Washington had died

The spies said Patriots would attack New York to divert the British army

What is one way that the Patriot spies tricked the British?

Use Source 7 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 7

ROOM 3

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ROOM 3

5/5

Got a copy of British naval codes helping the French win a naval battle

Received information that was vital to the Battle of Bunker Hill

Uncovered a secret plot to destroy the American navy

Recovered a copy of battle plans and ranks of British officers

According to the text what was the “crowning achievement” of the spy ring?

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Use Source 7 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 7

ROOM 3

5/5

ROOM 3

You have completed this room!

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ROOM 3

CONTINUE

5/5

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ROOM 3

You have lost a museum piece!

This page is password protected

Enter the password

they created a number code dictionary for the Patriot spies

They kept it secret by executing turncoats

Use Source 8 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 8

main room

Only members of a spies family were taught the messages

They wrote all messages in Latin only

Question 1

How did the Patriots stop the British from deciphering their messages?

1/5

Use Source 8 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 8

They executed any suspicious person

They wrote using chemicals found in acidic foods

MAIN ROOM

They wrote in invisible ink

Question 2

Based on Source 8, what is another way that the Spies kept the messages secret to only the Patriots?

2/5

He planned to work for the British government from the beginning

He had a French wife

Use Source 9 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 9

MAIN ROOM

He was not given recognition or promoted for his skills in battles

Question 3

What is one reason that Arnold turned against the Patriots?

3/5

He needed money due to his wife's spending habits

He believed that the British would ultimately win the war

He did not wish to be executed for his crimes

Use Source 9 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 9

MAIN ROOM

Question 4

What is another reason Arnold turned against the Patriots?

4/5

The execution of several upper ranking Generals

A treaty that would end the Revolutionary war

Use Source 9 to answer the question. Click here to view Source 9

MAIN ROOM

Info on West Point & the capture of George Washington

Question 5

What did Arnold offer the British as a spy?

5/5

MAIN ROOM

CONTINUe

You have completed this room!

5/5

Click here to submit your secret message

Start Over?

You should have all of the letters to get your secret message!

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Source 1

William Tryon, British governor of New York, oversaw a currency counterfeiting workshop, part of a concerted British effort to produce and circulate forged Continental money. With such operations threatening to sabotage and destabilize the colonies’ fragile economy and bankrupt the Continental Army, the Continental Congress made counterfeiting a crime punishable by death, and even took the extraordinary step of recalling all of its paper currency in 1780.

Source 2

Benjamin Church had many debts and had an English wife. Church was originally a Patriot, however he became a longtime British spy. Church’s treachery was discovered months later, when Colonials intercepted an encrypted letter that was delivered to the British in Boston. The captured correspondence was brought to the attention of General George Washington, the newly appointed head of the Continental Army. Though Church claimed the letter was innocent, it was found to include a number of sensitive details about the composition of the Continental Army, and the longtime Patriot activist was immediately imprisoned.

Source 7 - Washington's Spies

In October 1778, with the Continental Army encamped outside British-occupied New York City, George Washington and Benjamin Tallmadge masterminded what would become the most successful and enduring espionage network of the war. It was named the Culper Ring, an adaptation of Culpeper, the small Virginia community where George Washington had worked as a surveyor in his youth. Among the Culper Ring’s espionage successes was its foiling of a British counterfeiting operation to weaken the young republic by devaluing Continental notes. The British had even stolen reams of the paper used in the printing process, adding to the perceived authenticity of the counterfeit dollars. Ring members also alerted Washington about British plans in the summer of 1780 to ambush 6,000 French soldiers arriving in Rhode Island to aid the Americans. The British had been tipped off about the French landing by their own spy, Benedict Arnold. After informing French allies of the impending attack, Washington ordered his operatives to spread disinformation that he was preparing to raid New York. The British took the bait, choosing to defend the city rather than attack the arriving French forces. This would not be the last time Washington used deception to hobble his adversaries; he later convinced the British of an impending attack on New York City, thus preventing British forces there from reinforcing the garrison in Yorktown, Virginia. In perhaps its crowning achievement, the Ring obtained a copy of the British naval codes in 1781, providing the French Navy with a profound advantage against the British fleet during the Battle of the Chesapeake that year. The French sea victory was instrumental to Washington’s siege of the British Army at Yorktown, hastening an end to the war.

You have lost a museum piece! Try Again.

You have lost a museum piece! Try Again.

Source 2

Benjamin Church had many debts and had an English wife. Church was originally a Patriot, however he became a longtime British spy. Church’s treachery was discovered months later, when Colonials intercepted an encrypted letter that was delivered to the British in Boston. The captured correspondence was brought to the attention of General George Washington, the newly appointed head of the Continental Army. Though Church claimed the letter was innocent, it was found to include a number of sensitive details about the composition of the Continental Army, and the longtime Patriot activist was immediately imprisoned.

Source 5

Following the British seizure of Philadelphia in 1777, the ranking British commander established his residence in the vacated house of one of Washington’s generals. Across the street lived the Darragh family, who, like most Quakers, appeared to be neutral toward the war. Once British senior officers – including John André, then serving on the staff of the British Commanding General – began using the conveniently located Darragh home as a meeting site, the family of Quakers became a family of spies. Lydia, the family matriarch, secretly collected intelligence she overheard. Her husband then encoded messages in a unique shorthand, which were sewn into the clothing of their 14-year-old son. He carried the messages to Washington’s headquarters several miles away at Whitemarsh, where they were decoded by his brother, serving in the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment.

You have lost a museum piece! Try Again.

You have lost a museum piece! Try Again.

You have lost a museum piece! Try Again.

You have lost a museum piece! Try Again.

Source 4- The Execution of Nathan Hale

This Painting depicts the hanging of Nathan Hale, a teacher from Connecticut who spied on the British army during the American Revolution. Hale was captured by the British and sentenced to a hanging. Before he was hanged he was reported to have said “My only regret is that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Spies like Hale played an integral role in the Revolutionary War.

Source 3:

In the summer of 1776, with the ink barely dry on the new Declaration of Independence, Washington established a unit of rangers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton, a former ranger in the French and Indian War and veteran of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Knowlton’s Rangers became the Army’s first military intelligence organization, using information collected from reconnaissance missions to carry out raids on British encampments. The Rangers had a short existence: Knowlton was killed in action at the Battle of Harlem Heights just a month after its formation, but the “1776” incorporated in the emblem of U.S. Army Intelligence today is a tribute to Knowlton and his trailblazing path.

Source 1

William Tryon, British governor of New York, oversaw a currency counterfeiting workshop, part of a concerted British effort to produce and circulate forged Continental money. With such operations threatening to sabotage and destabilize the colonies’ fragile economy and bankrupt the Continental Army, the Continental Congress made counterfeiting a crime punishable by death, and even took the extraordinary step of recalling all of its paper currency in 1780.

Source 9- Benedict Arnold

In the early years of the Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold was one of George Washington’s most accomplished field generals. His legacy today is quite different, with Arnold branded the most notorious traitor in American history. Arnold’s patriotism and battlefield exploits earned him little reward. Though the British surrender at Saratoga was hailed throughout the colonies, other officers took credit for Arnold’s tactical success and diminished his role. As a further insult, Congress refused to promote Arnold in rank, elevating several junior officers above him. As Arnold gradually became more disaffected, his wife, Margaret “Peggy” Shippen, was immersing herself in lavish spending, deeply indebting the general. As Arnold gradually became more disaffected, his wife, Margaret “Peggy” Shippen, was immersing herself in lavish spending, deeply indebting the general. Adding to the swirl of troubles, Arnold faced a court-martial on charges of misconduct and financial impropriety. Though he was largely proven innocent, he received a stinging rebuke from Washington, fanning a deep-seated resentment. Bitter, indignant, and desperate for money, Arnold decided to turn away from his country, brokering a secret agreement to begin spying for the British. Through his wife, Arnold contacted Major John André, Adjutant General and intelligence chief to British Commanding General Sir Henry Clinton, proposing to turn over West Point in exchange for a large payment. He offered an additional lure, the potential capture of George Washington during a planned visit. The British readily agreed. Arnold began discreetly weakening the stronghold while surreptitiously reporting to André on troop strength, planned movements, and defensive positions. After returning from one of their secret meetings, André was captured and searched by local American militia, who discovered documents implicating Arnold.

Source 7 - Washington's Spies

In October 1778, with the Continental Army encamped outside British-occupied New York City, George Washington and Benjamin Tallmadge masterminded what would become the most successful and enduring espionage network of the war. It was named the Culper Ring, an adaptation of Culpeper, the small Virginia community where George Washington had worked as a surveyor in his youth. Among the Culper Ring’s espionage successes was its foiling of a British counterfeiting operation to weaken the young republic by devaluing Continental notes. The British had even stolen reams of the paper used in the printing process, adding to the perceived authenticity of the counterfeit dollars. Ring members also alerted Washington about British plans in the summer of 1780 to ambush 6,000 French soldiers arriving in Rhode Island to aid the Americans. The British had been tipped off about the French landing by their own spy, Benedict Arnold. After informing French allies of the impending attack, Washington ordered his operatives to spread disinformation that he was preparing to raid New York. The British took the bait, choosing to defend the city rather than attack the arriving French forces. This would not be the last time Washington used deception to hobble his adversaries; he later convinced the British of an impending attack on New York City, thus preventing British forces there from reinforcing the garrison in Yorktown, Virginia. In perhaps its crowning achievement, the Ring obtained a copy of the British naval codes in 1781, providing the French Navy with a profound advantage against the British fleet during the Battle of the Chesapeake that year. The French sea victory was instrumental to Washington’s siege of the British Army at Yorktown, hastening an end to the war.

Source 7 - Washington's Spies

In October 1778, with the Continental Army encamped outside British-occupied New York City, George Washington and Benjamin Tallmadge masterminded what would become the most successful and enduring espionage network of the war. It was named the Culper Ring, an adaptation of Culpeper, the small Virginia community where George Washington had worked as a surveyor in his youth. Among the Culper Ring’s espionage successes was its foiling of a British counterfeiting operation to weaken the young republic by devaluing Continental notes. The British had even stolen reams of the paper used in the printing process, adding to the perceived authenticity of the counterfeit dollars. Ring members also alerted Washington about British plans in the summer of 1780 to ambush 6,000 French soldiers arriving in Rhode Island to aid the Americans. The British had been tipped off about the French landing by their own spy, Benedict Arnold. After informing French allies of the impending attack, Washington ordered his operatives to spread disinformation that he was preparing to raid New York. The British took the bait, choosing to defend the city rather than attack the arriving French forces. This would not be the last time Washington used deception to hobble his adversaries; he later convinced the British of an impending attack on New York City, thus preventing British forces there from reinforcing the garrison in Yorktown, Virginia. In perhaps its crowning achievement, the Ring obtained a copy of the British naval codes in 1781, providing the French Navy with a profound advantage against the British fleet during the Battle of the Chesapeake that year. The French sea victory was instrumental to Washington’s siege of the British Army at Yorktown, hastening an end to the war.

Source 6: James Armistead: Double Agent

James Armistead was one of several African American spies during the Revolutionary War and perhaps the most consequential, serving at the 1781 Battle of Yorktown under the Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat and officer commanding American troops. Armistead was also a double agent. An enslaved person, Armistead’s owner allowed him to join the Continental Army earlier that year. He was assigned to Lafayette, who became aware of Armistead’s extensive local knowledge and, as a regular visitor to the city, his familiarity among the British garrison in Yorktown. Posing as a runaway enslaved person, Armistead crossed British lines into Yorktown and began collecting intelligence for Lafayette. To discourage local British troops from being diverted to Yorktown, he also passed disinformation about non-existent Continental forces – cleverly prepared in Lafayette’s own handwriting for the British to recognize. That ploy, along with Washington’s own efforts to deceive British forces in New York City and tie down the main army, effectively deterred the British from relieving or reinforcing the besieged garrison at Yorktown. After the war, Lafayette attached a convincing endorsement to Armistead’s petition for freedom. The petition was approved by the Virginia government in 1787 and Armistead became a farmer, even earning a modest pension from the Virginia legislature for his wartime service.

Source 7 - Washington's Spies

In October 1778, with the Continental Army encamped outside British-occupied New York City, George Washington and Benjamin Tallmadge masterminded what would become the most successful and enduring espionage network of the war. It was named the Culper Ring, an adaptation of Culpeper, the small Virginia community where George Washington had worked as a surveyor in his youth. Among the Culper Ring’s espionage successes was its foiling of a British counterfeiting operation to weaken the young republic by devaluing Continental notes. The British had even stolen reams of the paper used in the printing process, adding to the perceived authenticity of the counterfeit dollars. Ring members also alerted Washington about British plans in the summer of 1780 to ambush 6,000 French soldiers arriving in Rhode Island to aid the Americans. The British had been tipped off about the French landing by their own spy, Benedict Arnold. After informing French allies of the impending attack, Washington ordered his operatives to spread disinformation that he was preparing to raid New York. The British took the bait, choosing to defend the city rather than attack the arriving French forces. This would not be the last time Washington used deception to hobble his adversaries; he later convinced the British of an impending attack on New York City, thus preventing British forces there from reinforcing the garrison in Yorktown, Virginia. In perhaps its crowning achievement, the Ring obtained a copy of the British naval codes in 1781, providing the French Navy with a profound advantage against the British fleet during the Battle of the Chesapeake that year. The French sea victory was instrumental to Washington’s siege of the British Army at Yorktown, hastening an end to the war.

Source 6: James Armistead: Double Agent

James Armistead was one of several African American spies during the Revolutionary War and perhaps the most consequential, serving at the 1781 Battle of Yorktown under the Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat and officer commanding American troops. Armistead was also a double agent. An enslaved person, Armistead’s owner allowed him to join the Continental Army earlier that year. He was assigned to Lafayette, who became aware of Armistead’s extensive local knowledge and, as a regular visitor to the city, his familiarity among the British garrison in Yorktown. Posing as a runaway enslaved person, Armistead crossed British lines into Yorktown and began collecting intelligence for Lafayette. To discourage local British troops from being diverted to Yorktown, he also passed disinformation about non-existent Continental forces – cleverly prepared in Lafayette’s own handwriting for the British to recognize. That ploy, along with Washington’s own efforts to deceive British forces in New York City and tie down the main army, effectively deterred the British from relieving or reinforcing the besieged garrison at Yorktown. After the war, Lafayette attached a convincing endorsement to Armistead’s petition for freedom. The petition was approved by the Virginia government in 1787 and Armistead became a farmer, even earning a modest pension from the Virginia legislature for his wartime service.

Source 3:

In the summer of 1776, with the ink barely dry on the new Declaration of Independence, Washington established a unit of rangers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton, a former ranger in the French and Indian War and veteran of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Knowlton’s Rangers became the Army’s first military intelligence organization, using information collected from reconnaissance missions to carry out raids on British encampments. The Rangers had a short existence: Knowlton was killed in action at the Battle of Harlem Heights just a month after its formation, but the “1776” incorporated in the emblem of U.S. Army Intelligence today is a tribute to Knowlton and his trailblazing path.

Source 1

William Tryon, British governor of New York, oversaw a currency counterfeiting workshop, part of a concerted British effort to produce and circulate forged Continental money. With such operations threatening to sabotage and destabilize the colonies’ fragile economy and bankrupt the Continental Army, the Continental Congress made counterfeiting a crime punishable by death, and even took the extraordinary step of recalling all of its paper currency in 1780.

You have lost a museum piece! Try Again.

Source 9- Benedict Arnold

In the early years of the Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold was one of George Washington’s most accomplished field generals. His legacy today is quite different, with Arnold branded the most notorious traitor in American history. Arnold’s patriotism and battlefield exploits earned him little reward. Though the British surrender at Saratoga was hailed throughout the colonies, other officers took credit for Arnold’s tactical success and diminished his role. As a further insult, Congress refused to promote Arnold in rank, elevating several junior officers above him. As Arnold gradually became more disaffected, his wife, Margaret “Peggy” Shippen, was immersing herself in lavish spending, deeply indebting the general. As Arnold gradually became more disaffected, his wife, Margaret “Peggy” Shippen, was immersing herself in lavish spending, deeply indebting the general. Adding to the swirl of troubles, Arnold faced a court-martial on charges of misconduct and financial impropriety. Though he was largely proven innocent, he received a stinging rebuke from Washington, fanning a deep-seated resentment. Bitter, indignant, and desperate for money, Arnold decided to turn away from his country, brokering a secret agreement to begin spying for the British. Through his wife, Arnold contacted Major John André, Adjutant General and intelligence chief to British Commanding General Sir Henry Clinton, proposing to turn over West Point in exchange for a large payment. He offered an additional lure, the potential capture of George Washington during a planned visit. The British readily agreed. Arnold began discreetly weakening the stronghold while surreptitiously reporting to André on troop strength, planned movements, and defensive positions. After returning from one of their secret meetings, André was captured and searched by local American militia, who discovered documents implicating Arnold.

Source 9- Benedict Arnold

In the early years of the Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold was one of George Washington’s most accomplished field generals. His legacy today is quite different, with Arnold branded the most notorious traitor in American history. Arnold’s patriotism and battlefield exploits earned him little reward. Though the British surrender at Saratoga was hailed throughout the colonies, other officers took credit for Arnold’s tactical success and diminished his role. As a further insult, Congress refused to promote Arnold in rank, elevating several junior officers above him. As Arnold gradually became more disaffected, his wife, Margaret “Peggy” Shippen, was immersing herself in lavish spending, deeply indebting the general. As Arnold gradually became more disaffected, his wife, Margaret “Peggy” Shippen, was immersing herself in lavish spending, deeply indebting the general. Adding to the swirl of troubles, Arnold faced a court-martial on charges of misconduct and financial impropriety. Though he was largely proven innocent, he received a stinging rebuke from Washington, fanning a deep-seated resentment. Bitter, indignant, and desperate for money, Arnold decided to turn away from his country, brokering a secret agreement to begin spying for the British. Through his wife, Arnold contacted Major John André, Adjutant General and intelligence chief to British Commanding General Sir Henry Clinton, proposing to turn over West Point in exchange for a large payment. He offered an additional lure, the potential capture of George Washington during a planned visit. The British readily agreed. Arnold began discreetly weakening the stronghold while surreptitiously reporting to André on troop strength, planned movements, and defensive positions. After returning from one of their secret meetings, André was captured and searched by local American militia, who discovered documents implicating Arnold.

Source 4- The Execution of Nathan Hale

This Painting depicts the hanging of Nathan Hale, a teacher from Connecticut who spied on the British army during the American Revolution. Hale was captured by the British and sentenced to a hanging. Before he was hanged he was reported to have said “My only regret is that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Spies like Hale played an integral role in the Revolutionary War.

Source 8- Names, Ciphers, and Secret Inks

To stop the British from decoding intercepted messages from the Ring, a number code dictionary was employed, substituting numbers for people, places, and things. This shielded the sensitive components of each message, provided the writer did not reveal important context in the unencoded portions. The Culper Ring also had access to limited amounts of invisible ink developed by James Jay, a chemist and brother of John Jay. The ink – a unique creation that required a separate chemical reagent to reveal concealed text – was used in letters between the two brothers, and quantities were provided to Washington and others for use during the war.

Source 8- Names, Ciphers, and Secret Inks

To stop the British from decoding intercepted messages from the Ring, a number code dictionary was employed, substituting numbers for people, places, and things. This shielded the sensitive components of each message, provided the writer did not reveal important context in the unencoded portions. The Culper Ring also had access to limited amounts of invisible ink developed by James Jay, a chemist and brother of John Jay. The ink – a unique creation that required a separate chemical reagent to reveal concealed text – was used in letters between the two brothers, and quantities were provided to Washington and others for use during the war.

You have lost a museum piece! Try Again.

You have lost a museum piece! Try Again.