Unit 5 3-5: Learning Plan

Background Story:

Titus was born into slavery in New Jersey. His owner, John Corlies, was a Quaker who was supposed to free enslaved people at age 21—but refused. Titus worked hard but was treated unfairly.

At age 21, Titus took a brave step: he escaped, hoping for freedom. He reached Virginia, where he heard the British promise:
“If you fight with us, you can be free.”

Titus joined the British and became part of the Ethiopian Regiment, changing his name to Colonel Tye because of the leadership he earned. Tye returned to New Jersey, leading surprise attacks from hidden marshes, freeing other enslaved people, and disrupting Patriot forces.

Tye became famous for:

• His courage

• His strategic planning

• His dedication to helping others gain freedom

Sadly, in 1780 he was wounded in battle, got an infection, and died. But his legacy lives on as one of New Jersey’s most important—and heroic—Revolutionary War figures.

Lesson Activities:

1. Homework Before Today:

• • Answer: Why do you think some people became Patriots before the Revolutionary War?

2. Warm-Up (Do Now):

• • List at least five Patriots you know (like George Washington, Paul Revere, etc.).

3. Class Reading & Discussion:

• • Read a part of the Declaration of Independence together.
  • Talk about why the Patriots fought the British.
    • Write answers on the board.

4. Guided Reading & Questions:

Part I: Colonel Tye’s Story

• • Why did Tye leave New Jersey?
  • Why did Quakers free enslaved people at age 21 and teach them to read?
  • What happened to John Corlies because he didn’t follow Quaker rules?
  • Why did Lord Dunmore offer freedom to enslaved Africans who fought for the British?

Part II: More About Colonel Tye

• • Why did Tye and his men hide in the swamps?
  • Why did they attack their former enslavers?
  • Why did they use boats in New Jersey?
  • Why did they move to Nova Scotia after the war?

5. Extra Reading:

• • Read John Corlies’s ad about Titus running away (printed in Ben Franklin’s newspaper).
    • Talk about how Franklin later became a leader against slavery.

6. Wrap-Up:

• • Ask: Was Colonel Tye right to fight for the British?
    • Write answers on the board.
  • Explain: Even though Lord Dunmore promised freedom to fighters, Britain still allowed slavery.
    • The U.S. also had free and formerly enslaved men fight, like Peter Salem, who became a hero at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

7. Homework:

• • Choose ONE:
    • Write a paragraph defending Colonel Tye’s choice to fight for the British.
    • Write a paragraph explaining why he should have joined the American Army.
    • OR write your own opinion about what you think Colonel Tye should have done.

Time Needed:

• This lesson will take one to two class periods (about 45 minutes each).

Resources

• Adelberg, Michael, The American Revolution in Monmouth County: The Theatre of Spoil and Destruction (Charleston, SC: History Press, 2010).
• Felix Brenton. “Colonel Titus Cornelius Tye (1753-1780).” Black Past. December 30, 2008. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/people-african-american-history/colonel-tye-1753-1780/
• Chopra, Ruma, Choosing Sides: Loyalists in the American Revolution (Plymouth U.K.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2013).
• “Colonel Tye Full Biography.” Crossroads of the American Revolution. https://revolutionarynj.org/people_biography/colonel-tye-full-bi/.
• “Cornelius Titus.” Gateway: National Recreation Area, NY, NJ. National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/cornelius-titus.htm
• Hodges, Graham R., African Americans in Monmouth County During the American Revolution (Lincroft, NJ: Monmouth County Park System, 1990).
• Isaac Makos. “Colonel Tye: Colonel of the Black Brigade.” American Battlefield Trust. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/colonel-tye.