Teacher Guide: Design Your Own Powder Horn

Teacher Guide: Design Your Own Powder Horn
This lesson gives students the opportunity to look closely at an object from the Concord Museum’s
collection and to learn about the tools that a soldier would have used during the American Revolution. This
powder horn is part of the Concord Museum’s collection, and belonged to Amos Barrett, a colonial
militiaman who was at the North Bridge on April 19, 1775, the first battle of the American Revolution.
Often, powder horns would be decorated with engravings similar to the ones here. Most militiamen would
not carve their own horns, but would instead ask someone more skilled to decorate their horn for a fee.
Barrett’s horn is decorated with his name, as well as the date April XIX to commemorate this important day
in history.
These powder horns also belong to the Concord Museum collection and illustrate the range of powder horns that
minutemen would carry.
Responses
Question 1: This question prompts students to consider the object carefully and challenges them to
describe the details that they find on the powder horn. This can lead to a discussion of what different
decorations might have meant to the owner. In the case of Amos Barrett, it is unknown what animal is
carved into the horn so students can take a guess!
Question 2: Animal horns were used as containers for substances such as gunpowder because of their hard
and water-resistant exteriors and convenient funnel shape. If students have never felt an animal horn before,
you can have them feel their own fingernails, or compare the texture to a durable plastic. Students should
think about the life of a soldier, and what it would be like to walk on foot through wind and rain while
carrying many important objects that they would rely on. The hard exterior of the powder horn would
keep the gun powder dry, which was essential to its function. The horn could also protect the gun powder
from stray sparks during a battle. During the colonial period soldiers had to reload their musket before
each firing, which took a skilled soldier about 30 seconds.
Question 3: This question allows students to relate this object back to their own lives. Students may think
of objects that they use every day such as backpacks, binders, lunch boxes, raincoats, or umbrellas.
Coloring sheets: Choose one or both of these sheets to have students enjoy designing or coloring their
own version of a powder horn!
Name: ________________________
Design Your Own Powder Horn
During the American Revolution, soldiers had to reload their muskets with gunpowder and
musket balls after every firing. Powder horns were an important tool because they were
used to store and transport gunpowder. These were usually made from the horn of a cow or
bull, which are naturally hollow. Soldiers used the narrow opening at the tip of the horn like
a funnel to pour small amounts of gunpowder when necessary. A strap would be attached to
the horn so that a soldier could wear it easily.
Powder horn of Amos Barrett
Courtesy Concord Museum
Looking Closely
1. What do you notice about the designs on the powder horn shown above? Describe
what you see.
2. Think about the challenges of trying to carry gunpowder on foot in all kinds of
weather. Why might an animal horn be a good container for gunpowder?
3. What do you carry your belongings in to keep them safe and dry? Do you decorate
them to show what’s important to you? How?
Create!
Design your own powder horn with words, dates, or symbols that are important to you.
Create!
Color in your own version of Amos Barrett’s powder horn.