Discovering Shipwreck Secrets

Throughout the 18th century, Lewes was a port town at the center of international trade. Using the Roosevelt Inlet Shipwreck, archaeological illustration and analysis, students will draw their own conclusions about this history and the ways that archaeologists and shipwreck artifacts can help us better understand the past.

Grade Level: Grade 4-5
Length of Time: 20-45 minutes
Maximum Students: 25
Standards: History 2 4-5a, Economics 4 4-5a

Life at Sea

During the 18th century, international trade and wars between nations made ships and their crews more important. Students will learn more about this history by standing in sailors’ shoes through interaction with artifacts recovered from the DeBraak, a British Royal Navy ship, which sank off the coast of Lewes in 1798. By seeing, touching, and using the food, tools, and clothing that would have made up a sailor’s daily life students will gain a better understanding of Delaware’s history and Lewes’ place in that more globalized world.

Grade Level: Grade 4-5
Length of Time: 20-45 minutes
Maximum Students: 25
Standards: Geography 4; Economics 4 4-5a; History 4 4-5a