Junior Rangers Wanted!The Junior Ranger program is a great way to learn about Kings Mountain National Military Park. Junior Rangers can complete an activity book to earn a junior ranger badge. The activity book is available in the visitor center or you may print the pages below. After visiting the park and completing the activity book, bring the book into the visitor center to take the Junior Ranger pledge and receive your badge!TO BECOME A JUNIOR RANGER-Watch the film at the visitor center-Do the correct number of activities for your age group Ages 5-8: 4 Activities Ages 9 and up: 6 Activities -Hike the battlefield trail -See a ranger and have them check your work Note: The Jr. Ranger program takes approximately 2 hours to complete. 
NPS Here Ye, Hear Ye!Enlist in the Junior Rangers!
Junior Rangers are peple just like you, who help protect National Park areas around the United States. Junior Rangers learn a lot about history and the environment. Learn the history of Kings Mountain today. Be ye a patriot or a loyalist, embark upon an amazing journey as you learn the stories of this National Park area! Upon completion of your booklet, you shall be presented with a badge and a certificate announcing your accomplishment. Start Today! 
NPS Symbol of the National Park ServiceHow do you know you are visiting a National Park Service (NPS) site?All NPS sites are indentified by this symbol. This design was selected to be the symbol of the National Park Service because it represents what the National Park Service is all about. Name 5 objects you see in this symbol and what each represents. Think protecting, preserving and enjoying. (Hint- What shape is the symbol?)
NPS Photo National Park AreasThere are many different types of areas in the system.Try to match the park areas to the definitions. Park Types A. National Recreation Area B. National Seashore C. National Monument D. National Battlefield E. National Historic Site F. National Scenic Trail G. National Park H. National Memorial I. National River J. Parkway Park Definitions1.____Used to honor something or someone2.____Large area of land set aside to preserve several special areas 3.____Long paths through scenic areas 4.____A small area of land set aside to save on special resource 5.____Land preserved because of an important battle 6.____An area important to American History 7.____Saves the area where the land meets the sea 8.____An area made for outdoor activities 9.____Portects a river 10.___Roads that pass through scenic areas 
NPS K. Jalone Preserve and ProtectIt is the National Park Service's job to protect these special places so future generations can injoy them. Many people work together to protect and preserve your national parks.Law Enforcement Rangers protect the site, the wildlife and you Interpretive Rangers share the history of the park with visitors, present talks, lead walking tours and conduct school programs. Administrative workers are not often seen by visitors. Some of their duties include managing the money, buying equipment and hiring Rangers. Maintenance workers keep the park in good condition by cutting the grass, repairing buildings and picking up trash. Superintendents are like the principal of your school. The Superintendent oversees the protection of all resources of the park. What job would you like to do if you worked at Kings Mountain NMP? Draw or write your answer. 
NPS J. Sehy Help a RangerPark Rangers protect the artifacts and natural resources (plants, animals and land) of the national parks. As a Junior Ranger, you can help a Ranger by understanding some of the NPS rules.Circle the correct answer for each situation. (There may be more than one.) 1. When walking the battlefield trail, if you see a person with a metal detector, you should: a. Help them b. bring your detector the next time you visit c. report it to a ranger d. do nothing 2. All dogs need to be on a leash while in the park. Why do you think this is necessary? a. so you can tie him to a tree while you are in the museum b. to prevent him from attacking other animals and visitors c. to control him when you bring him in the visitor's center d. to help control the pet population 3. You see a beautiful flower, you may a. take a picture b. pick it c. appreciate it d. knock it down with a big stick 4. When driving through the park, you should a. watch for wildlife b. play your car radio very loud c. hang out the window to take pictures d. obey posted speed limits 5. Can you think of two ways you, your family and friends can help National Park Rangers take care of your parks so others can enjoy them? 1.__________________________________________ 2.__________________________________________ Metal detecting is not allowed. Why? Artifacts are important pieces to solving the puzzle of the past. Musket balls, bayonets and other artifacts (as cool as they are...)must not be removed from where they are found to allow researchers to study them. These artifacts may help tell the story of the battle. Also, taking these artifacts home is Antiquities theft and is against federal law. Dogs must be kept on leash at all times. Why? Dogs can harm the wildlife that live in the park. They can destroy the land by digging holes and uprooting plant life, and they can disturb other visitors. Visitors must not remove plants from the park. Why? Removing plants from the park changes the appearance of the park and denies other visitors the opportunity of seeing the beautiful flowers and other plant life that is found here. 
NPS Men of WarBoth the Americans and the British were using standard equipment for their time, but because they came from different backgrounds, they used different items, even to do the same things.Take a look at the two soldiers in the glass cases in the visitor center lobby and try to answer the questions below. Ask your parents/guardians if you do not understand. Everything in the word bank is only used once. What country was the Patriot Militia Soldier (tan frock/coat) fighting for? __________ What country was the Loyalist Soldier (red coat) fighting for? __________ What would they carry supplies in? Patriot Militia Solider __________ Loyalist Soldier __________ What would they use in hand to hand combat? Patriot Militia Solider __________ Loyalist Soldier __________ What did they carry water in? Patriot Militia Solider __________ Loyalist Soldier __________ What type of guns did they use? Patriot Militia Solider __________ Loyalist Soldier __________ What did they use to hold gunpowder in? Patriot Militia Solider __________ Loyalist Soldier __________ What did they wear in their hats? Patriot Militia Solider __________ Loyalist Soldier __________ 
NPS WHAT WOULD YOU DO?Major Patrick Ferguson, who was in charge of the American Forces loyal to England, fought a series of small battles against Patriot forces. Trying to end these attacks, Ferguson sent out a warning. He told them to stop fighting or he would "hang their leaders, and lay their country waste with fire and sword." This made the settlers very angry. So they raised an army to defeat Ferguson. Instead of ending the Patriot attacks on his army, Patrick Ferguson's "fire and sword" speech led to his destruction. Put yourself in Patrick Ferguson's shoes. What would you have said to encourage the Patriots to give up and join the Loyalist forces? Major Patrick Ferguson's family was part of the Scottish Ferguson clan. Each Scottish clan had a special design, called a tartan, that decorated their clothing to identify who they were. You can see an example of the Ferguson tartan in the Ferguson rifle display case. After viewing Ferguson's tartan, draw your own family tartan that tells who you are. Get colored pencils at the visitor center desk. 
NPS Museum HuntMuseums are fun places loaded with lots of information.Can you find the answers to the following questions in the Kings Mountain museum? Be sure to stop and listen at every tree or you might miss something! 1. How many shots was Major Ferguson able to fire in one minute? __________ 2. Where di the British government forbid settling? __________ 3. What states did the Patriots come from (there are five)? ______________________________________________ 4. Who was the British commander in the South? __________ 5. Who was the only British person at the battle of Kings Mountain? __________ 6. Where did the Overmountain Men meet? ________________ 7. How many miles did the Overmountain Men travel? __________________ 8. A musket can fire _____ times for every 1 shot with a rifle but a rifle can shoot ______ as far as a musket. 9. How much money could a loyalist soldier earn in the military? ________ 10. When was the peace treaty signed? ____________ 
NPS Photo MUSEUM SPYMuseums are neat places to visit. As you tour the museum you will see objects called artifacts that were used a long time ago.Draw four museum artifacts you find as you walk among the trees in the museum.
OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND THROUGH THE WOODSThe Overmountain Men traveled a long way to get to Kings Mountain. THey gathered at Sycamore Shoals and traveled over the mountains to Gilbert Town, where they thought they would find Major Patrick Ferguson. When they did not find him, they met with local militia at Cowpens, who led them to Ferguson at Kings Mountain. Today the route they traveled is still part of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail.Find your own way to Kings Mountain through the maze. Would you have traveled this far to fight in a battle? Why or why not? GRABBING THE WAR BY THE HORNSBack in the 1700's, one of hte most important pieces of equipment that a frontiersman carried was his powder horn. This was a horn taken from a cow that was made into a container for his gunpowder. To decorate the horns, they were engraved or had pictures carved into the horn. This type of art was known as scrimshaw. They carved almost anything into their horns, but it was common to carve important events and places onto them.Below is a horn for you to "carve" with your own important events. 
NPS/K. Lynn BATTLEFIELD TRAIL ACTIVITIESComplete these activities as you walk the battlefield trail. Read the activities before you start your walk.TAKE A WALK IN THEIR SHOESBattlefields are sacred places, where many gave their lives for their contry. To get a better understanding of the battle, make sure you stop and read all the signs. The answers to the questions will be found in your reading.Hint: Not all signs have answers. 1. Name the 5 states that the Americans (Whigs/Patriots) came from: __________,_________,__________,__________,__________ 2. Name the 5 states the Loyalists (Tories) came from: __________,__________,___________,__________,__________ 3. During the battle Americans (Whigs) put __________in their hats, while Loyalists (Tories) put __________in theirs. 4. Most of the Loyalists were in civilian clothes. How many wore red coats? __________ 5. Many Loyalists had friends and relatives on the other side. (circle one) TRUE FALSE 6. Major Ferguson was the only British soldier in the battle. (circle one) TRUE FALSE 7. At some point during your walk take 5 seconds to pause and remember those who fought in the battle. What were your thoughts? TIC-TAC-TREEThe trees of Kings Mountain were very important to the battle, as they gave protection to the Patriot militia from Loyalist bullets. Here is a game to play identifying the trees on the battlefield.How to Play: Find a tree and identify it. Place a marker on the board as if you were playing tic-tac-toe (either an X or an 0). Continue until one person has three in a row. Each tree species can only be used once. Play against a friend, brother, sister, or a parent. 
TAKE ONLY PICTURES LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTSWhen people visit a park, they have to be careful not to damage the things that they find there. If they do not, important parts of the park may be destroyed. A good example of this is the Chronicle Monument. The stone on the left is the original marker dedicated in 1814. The stone on the right is a replacement marker.The monument has been destroyed over the years, but not just by weathering or nature. In the past, people visiting the battlefield would chip off parts of the monument to take home as souvenirs, or worse, carve graffiti on it. As you can see, this has taken a toll on the monument. How would you protect the park from things like this? 
NPS A MONUMENTAL TASKMany times, when something important happens, people erect a monument to honor the event. Monuments are normally some sort of special structure created to remind us of something. Monuments can also be made for special people.As you walk around the battlefield, keep your eyes open for different monuments. Draw your own monument to honor a person, place or event. Bonus Question: While you are out on the trail look for the Asbury Coward monument. He was a Colonel in the Civil War. What is a monument to a Civil War soldier doing in a Revolutionary War battleground? ________________________________________________________________ 
NPS LISTENWhen armies set up camp in an area, the first thing they would do was to post pickets. These pickets were soldiers whose job it was to watch and listen for enemies.As you are going around the battlefield today, stop for a moment and pretend you are a picket. Be sure to notice everything. Write or draw what you find and hear.ON THE HUNTIn the 1700's, preserving food was hard. Any meat that was taken with an army had to be dried and salted. This wasn't the best tasting food. To have better food that wasn't quite so salty, they would have hunted the wild animals they found along the way.Try figuring out which of the animals they would have hunted and circle them. 
NPS FIRE! FIRE!Kings Mountain today looks a lot different than it did when the battle took place. Back then, the trees were much larger, and there were fewer bushes and other small plants. What happened? The large trees were chopped down for wood, but the biggest difference is the lack of fire. Fire is a natural part of the forest and does many things to help it. People originally thought that fire destroyed forests, so they put out any fires that started. This changed the balance of the forest. Today the park rangers are trying to restore the forest back to the way it was with prescribed fire (a fire started on purpose).Below are some multiple choice questions about how fire affects a forest. Give it your best guess-the answers may surprise you. Answers are found below the questions. Note: There may be more than one correct answer! 1. What does fire provide for plants? A. Water B. Shelter C. Food D. None of the above 2. Most animals in a forest fire can.... A. Escape the flames B. Be killed C. Climb a tree D. None of the above 3. Some plants need fire to... A. Grow B. Make new plants C. Keep warm D. None of the above 4. Park Rangers... A. Start prescribed fires B. Put out fires C. Run from fires D. Try to restore forests 5. Most large trees in a forest fire... A. Become firewood B. Are killed C. Are not affected at all D. Can survive forest fires 6. Forest fires are started by... A. Lightning B. Smokey Bear C. Lava D. People 7. Having no fires in an area... A. Is good for the trees B. Is good for animals C. Increases the chance for a large fire D. Puts firefighters out of work 8. How long did the National Park Service stop all fires? A. 5 years B. 10 years C. 30 years D. 60 years 9. Fires are... A.A part of a healthy forest B. Good C. Evil D. A force of nature 
NPS FIRE! FIRE! ANSWERS AND INFORMATION1. C-Fire burns up leaves and dead branches on the ground. The food that is stored in them is then released for plants to use. 2. A-Most animals know a fire is coming and can run away from the flames. The animals that are too small to run away can burrow into the ground where the fire cannot reach them. 3. A,B-Some plants need fire in order to reproduce. The Ponderosa Pine in Yellowstone National Park has a waxy coating on its cones that can only melt in a fire. Other plants need fire to kill plants that are competing with them. At the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, if fire did not come and kill the trees, the tress would have taken over the grass, making the area a forest. 4. A,B,D-Park rangers do put out fires when they threaten lives and property. However, sometimes they start fires. This is called prescribed burning. They do this to get the beneifts of a fire, yet they still have control over it. 5. D-Large trees can survive forest fires because they have a thick layer of bark protecting them. Norally only small trees die. 6. A,C,D-Fires can be started by lightning or by people being careless. Sometimes, as mentioned above, park rangers start fires on purpose. Also, although it is rare, fires can sometimes be started by hot lava! 7. C-Having no fires in an area allows flammable things, like leaves, to build up so that when there is a fire, it can be a large fire that can kill trees. 8. D-The Park Service stopped fires for 60 years. This was bad for the forest and is still being felt today. 9. A,D-Forest fires are part of nature and should be respected. 
NPS TAKE HOME ACTIVITIESSPINNING AROUNDOne of the advantages that patriot forces had at Kings Mountain was better weapons. The loyalists were equipped with muskets that had a smooth barrel. These weapons were not accurate and had trouble hitting anything. However, when a lot of them were fired together, they became deadly.The patriot forces, on the other hand, were equipped with rifles. These were weapons that had grooves cut on the inside of the barrel. This caused the bullet to spin as it was being fired. The spin gave the weapon greater accuracy at a longer distance than the muskets. You can see how a spinning object has better accuracy and distance by using a common football. When you normally throw a football it spins, which allows you to throw the ball accurately and it is easier to catch. If you throw the football so that it does not spin, it just wobbles through the air and is more difficult to catch. Try this yourself with a football and a friend. What did you notice? FAMILY TREEA family tree shows how you ar elinked to your relatives. Tracing your family tree can help you put together a picture of your family's history. Genealogy is determining who belongs on your family tree. It is like a big puzzle with a lot of the pieces missing. It is also like a detective story because we have to find clues about the people who lived so long ago. So put on your detective hat and learn about your family.Fill in the names for each person. See how far back you can go on your family tree! Remember that genealogy is family history, so talk to your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. 
REVOLUTIONARY CLOTHESThe men who fought on both sides of Kings Moutain were normal poepl fighting for the cause they believed in. Because they were common people, both sides wore the frontiersmen clothes of their time. The only way the two sides told each other apart was that the Loyalists put pine twigs in their hats, while the Patriots put slips of paper in theirs. Below is a man dressed in frontier clothing for you to color.
NPS 1776 TUNESAs the armies marched, they would sing songs to set the marching pace and to relieve their boredom. Here are some revolutionary marching songs you can sing as you are on your way home.God Save the King(Sung to My Country 'Tis of Thee)God save our gracious King, Long live our noble King, God save the King! Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God Save the King. God Save America(Sung to My Country 'Tis of Thee)God save great Washington, Fair freedom's warlike son Long to command. May every enemy, Far from his presence flee, And many grim tyrant Fall by his hand. 
NPS The Battle of Kings Mountain‘TWAS on a pleasant mountain Cornwallis had detach’d him, The scamp had rang’d the country And Campbell, and Cleveland, Just as the sun was setting Up, up the steep together The royal slaves, the royal owls, I would not tell the number For all that were a living, 
NPS COLONIAL SPEECHBack in 1780, the people spoke differently than they do today. Below is a word search using Colonial words from the 1700's. How many of words from the puzzle can you use today?
Make a sentence using at least 5 of the Colonial words above.
THE KINGS MOUNTAIN JUNIOR RANGER PLEDGEAs a Junior Ranger, I _____________________ promise toexplore the nations parks with care, learn what they have to offer and protect them for future generations _____________________________________ (sign here) Remember the Junior Ranger Motto: Explore, Learn, Protect |
Last updated: March 13, 2025