Mapping Revolutionary Boston for Educators Lesson Four - Daily ...

1Mapping Revolutionary Boston for EducatorsLesson Four - Daily Accounts of Colonial LifeStudents will assume the persona of one of the historic figures from the Mapping Revolutionary Bostonwebsite and write diary entries for key events: Small Pox Epidemic, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party,Lexington and Concord, etc. and less well-known events: Runaway Slaves, Sacking of Hutchinson House,Minister’s Sermon, the beating of George Robert Twelves HewesLocation: Colonial North America Time Period: Revolutionary War Era Grades: 8-12Essential Question: How is the story of the American Revolution comprised of many individual tales?Objectives:1. Have students recognize the actions and attitudes of individuals from different backgrounds and howthey contributed to the American Revolution.2. Have students understand how much of the story has been lost to history.3. Help students learn about the ability of different individuals to make choices that affected their ownlives and that of others.4. Have students see how the physical layout of Boston brought individuals into the contact necessaryto see their common interests (or highlight their different ones!)5. Have students recognize the diversity of viewpoints people held at this crucial time, noting the rangeof opinions between the loyalist and patriot camps and within them.Skill Emphasis: Creative Writing/MemoirMassachusetts Social Studies Curriculum StandardsGeneral ThemesThe evolution of the concepts of personal freedom, individual responsibility, and respect forhuman dignityThe influence of economic, political, religious, and cultural ideas as human societies movebeyond boundariesHistory and Geography SkillsShow connections between particular historical events and ideas and larger economic, social, andpolitical trends and developmentsInterpret the past within its own historical contextUS History I, 1763-1877The Political and Intellectual Origins of the American Nation: the Revolution and Constitution, 1763-1789How freedom from European feudalism and aristocracy and widespread ownership ofproperty fostered individualism and contributed to the RevolutionAnalyze how Americans resisted British policies before 1775Explain the role of Massachusetts in the revolution, including important events and people

2Daily Accounts of Colonial Life Teacher Sheet, Page 1Our understanding of any historical event is incomplete. We are not able to hear from everyone whoparticipated in activities long finished, even when their involvement was integral to what transpired.The American Revolution is central to our nation’s history and there are many accounts from avariety of sources. Many of the events are well-known, but the story is incomplete. What of the thousandswho lived and worked, protested and boycotted in the colonies? How did they contribute to the Revolution?Did they all agree with those who sought to sever ties from England? How would this separation benefitthem? What would freedom be for them? How do all of these stories, taken together, really become the storyof our nation’s founding?Procedure1. Explore with students how we know about the past. Whose version of events do we have? Are theycomplete?2. In your studies of the American Revolution, emphasize that everyone is the colonies was affected bythe mounting tension, but we know very few of the individual stories. What are possible ways wecan learn about those besides Adams, Washington, and Franklin?3. Provide students with excerpts from the diaries of John Rowe and Anna Green Winslow and havethem complete Student Worksheet I. Discuss their responses.4. Direct students to the Mapping Revolutionary Boston website and assign them one of the followingpeople:Lydia GregoryCuming SistersThomas HutchinsonIsaiah ThomasGeorge Robert Twelves HewesPhillis WheatleyJohn JeffriesMather BylesBenjamin EdesJoseph WarrenJosiah Quincy Jr.John HancockAndrew OliverJohn RoweJames OtisJohn Singleton Copley5. Have them complete Student Worksheet II. They can present their results directly or you maydisplay them in the room. Have a follow up discussion. Be sure to explore what was important totheir historic figures. How did they experience the daily occurrences and the big events of this timein history? How were their stories part of America’s story?Time AllocationSection 1: 20-30 minutesSection 2: Time out of class to learn about their person and write diary entries. One class period to sharediaries.Materials Needed• Excerpts from the diaries of John Rowe, Anna Green Winslow• Access to Mapping Revolutionary Boston WebsiteEnrichment Activities1. Dialogue pairs—have students work in small groups and imagine a dialogue between their twohistoric figures or between one of their figures and a more well-known person from the time.2. Have students imagine other means to learn about someone who did not leave a written account andpresent that ‘evidence’.3. Have students learn more about John Rowe and his diary:http://www.masshist.org/revolution/resources/rowes.phpImagine his entries with those ‘pins’ with whom he would not have had contact: Phillis Wheatley,Lydia Gregory; or specific events: the Boston Tea Party or the Boston Massacre.

3Daily Accounts of Colonial Life Teacher Sheet, Page 2Assessment Criteria1. Did the students recognize the actions and attitudes of individuals from different backgrounds andhow they contributed to the American Revolution?2. Did the students understand how much of the story has been lost to history?3. Did the students learn about the ability of different individuals to make choices that affected theirown lives and that of others?4. Did the students recognize the diversity of viewpoints people held at this crucial time, noting therange of opinions between the loyalist and patriot camps and within them?

4Daily Accounts of Colonial LifeStudent Worksheet IThere are many ways to learn about the past. Some individuals left written records, but most did not.It is still important to learn what they have to tell us, whether or not they left the actual words. Perhaps it isthe food they ate, the clothes they wore, the books they read, or if they could even read at all. But everyonewho has ever lived has a story to tell us, and all of them together help us understand the past.Many individuals kept diaries, often filled with the most basic details of their lives. You will read thediaries of two people who lived in Boston during the pre-Revolutionary era.John Rowe was born in Britain and moved to Boston as a young man. He was a successful merchant whobecome enmeshed in the patriot cause when the tea from his ship was thrown into Boston Harbor in 1773.He was opposed to many British policies yet questioned the wisdom of complete independence from England.Anna Green Winslow was the daughter of the British Commissary General stationed in Nova Scotia. She livedwith an aunt and uncle in Boston from 1770 to 1773. Her diary is filled with the daily events of a youngwoman of privilege: lessons, sewing, dances, reading and writing. She lived in the heart of the Boston, and theevents of the time did not escape her notice.Read the diary excerpts of Jon Rowe and Anna Green WinslowAnswer the following questions:1. What was most important to them?2. Is there evidence of famous events or people in their diaries?3. Were their lives affected by the events of this period?4. How are their concerns both ordinary and extraordinary?5. What do we learn about this time period from their diaries?

5Daily Accounts of Colonial LifeStudent Worksheet IIYour teacher will assign you an historical figure. To find information about your person, begin with theMapping Revolutionary Boston website. After learning about your historical person, write 5 diary entries theywould make. Be sure to consider:The dates of each diary entryThe daily events that happened that dayThe other people your historical figure might encounterAny historic events he/she may have witnessed or participated inWhat might historians learn from his/her diary in the future?

6Excerpts from Letters and Diary of John Rowe, Boston Merchant, 1759-1762, 1764-1779, by John Rowe, edited by Anne Rowe Cunningham, Boston: W.B. ClarkeCompany, 1903.Mar. 1 [1768]. Spent the eve'ng at the Merchant's Meeting. Wm Phillips Esq was choseModerator. There were 98 merchts present. they voted, that it is the Opinion of thisCompany th'at every Legal Measure for freeing the Country from the presentEmbarrassments should be adopted & among, the stopping the Importation of Goods fromGreat Britain under Certain Limitations — then Chose a Committee of nine to fix andReport to this Company on adjournment, the best measures for carrying in execution theforegoing vote. The following Gentlemen were Chose — myself, Wm Phillips Esq. JohnHancock Esq, Arnold Wells Esq, Mr Edwd Payne, Mr Tho" Boylston John Erving junr,Melabiah Bourn, Henderson Inches, it was also voted that John Hancock Esq be desired toprocure a Copy of the Commissions of the Commissioners of the Customs & produce thesame at the next meeting — then the meeting was adjourned until Fryday evening.Mar. 3 [1768]. Spent the Forenoon with the Committee of Merchants. Spent the afternoon & partof the eve'ng with the Committee of Merchants, & part with the Charitable Society at Colo.Ingersoll's.Mar. 4 [1768]. This day the Govr Prorogued the Assembly to the 13 April Spent the day with thesame Committee of Merchants & in the evening wee reported to them as follows:The Committee of Merchants appointed at their meeting March 1m 1768, having duly consideredwhat they had in charge, do Report the following Resolutions vizIn consideration of the Great Scarcity of money which for several years has been so Sensiblyfelt among us & now must be Rendered much Greater not only by the immense Sums absorbedin the Collection of the Duties lately Imposed but by the great checks given thereby to Branchesof Trades which yeilded us the most of our money & means of Remittance,— In considerationalso of the great Debt now standing against us, which if we go on Increasing by the excessiveImport we have been accustomed to while our Scources of Remittance are daily drying up, mustterminate not only in Our Own & Our Country's Ruin but that of many of our Creditors on theother side of the Water —In consideration farther of the Danger from some Late Measures of our losing manyInestimable Blessings & advantages of the British Constitution which Constitution we have everRever'd as the Basis & Security of all we enjoy in this Life, therefore Voted1TM' That we will not for one Year send for any European Commodities excepting Salt,Coals, Fishing Lines, Fish Hooks, Hemp, Duck, Bar Lead, Shot, Wool Cards & Card Wire &c &that the trading towns in the province & other provinces in New England together with those inNew York, New Jersey & Pennsylvania be Invited to accede hereto —2"d That we will encourage the Produce & manufactures of these colonies by the use of themin Preference to all other manufactures —3rd That in the Purchase of Such Articles as we shall stand in need of, we will give a ConstantPreference to such Persons as shall subscribe to these Resolutions —4'h That we will in our Separate Capacitys inform our several Correspondents of the Reasons& point out to them the necessity of witholding our usual Orders for their Manufactures — thesaid Impediment may be removed & Trade & Commerce may again flourish —

75'h That these Votes or Resolutions be Obligatory or binding on us from & after the time thatthese or other Singular or tending to the same Salutary Purpose be adopted by most of theTrading Towns in this & the neighboring Colonies —6'h That a Committee be appointed to Correspond with merchants in the before mentionedTowns & Provinces & forward to them the foregoing Votes, & that s"' Committee be Impoweredto call a meeting of the merchants when they think necessary —Mar. 5. [1770] This night the 29'h Regim' on Duty. A Quarrel between the soldiers &Inhabitants. The Bells Rung A Great Number Assembled in King Street. A Party of the 29'hunder the Command of Cap' Preston fired on the People — they killed five — wounded severalothers, particularly Mr Edw Payne in his Right Arm. Cap' Preston bears a good Character — hewas taken in the night & Committed also seven more of the 29'h — the inhabitants are greatlyenraged & not without Reason.Mar. 6. [1770] Most all the Town in Uproar & Confusion. The Govr & Council" met. The Cryerwent about to warn a Town Meeting at Eleven of Clock. The Inhabitants met at Fanewill Hall,they chose a Respectable Committee to wait on his Honor the Lieut. Governour to desire theTroops might be removed from the Town — Upon which he Consulted Colo. Dalrymple & Colo.Kerr — the Lieut. Governour Returned for answer that the 29'h Regim' should go to the Castle &the 14'h Regim' Remain in Town. Afternoon the Inhabitants met at the Old South Meeting House& after some Debate they unanimously Voted not to accept the Lieut Governour's Proposals butChose another Committee of Seven to wait on him again & Insist on all the Troops BeingRemoved from the Town & without this is Complyed with it would not be Satisfactory to theInhabitants. The Committee went & Returned that His Honor would Order both Regiments to theCastle & Colo. Dalrymple consented to it — this gave Great Joy to the Inhabitants & I believe aGeneral Satisfaction — so that they went from the Meeting very Peaceably to their Habitations.April 19 [1775]. Last night the Grenadiers & Light Companies belonging to the severalRegiments in this Town were ferry'd over Charles River & landed on Phipps Farm in Cambridgefrom whence they Proceeded on their way to Concord, where they arrived early this day. Ontheir march they had a Skirmish with some Country People at Lexington. The First Brigadecommanded by Lord Percy with Two pieces of Artillery set off from this Town this morningabout Ten of Clock as a Reinforcement which with the Grenadiers & Light Infantry made abouteighteen hundred men. The People in the Country had notice of this movement early in theNight. Alarm Guns were fired thro' the Country & Expresses sent off to the Different Towns sothat very early this morning large Numbers from all Parts of the Country were Assembled. AGeneral Battle ensued which from what I can learn was Supported with Great Spirit on bothSides & continued uutill the Kings Troops got back to Charlestown which was near Sunset.Numbers are killed & wounded on Both Sides. Cap' Linzee & Cap' Collins in two Small ArmedVessels were ordered up Charles River to Bring off the Troops to Boston but Lord Percy &General Smith thought Proper to encamp on Bunker's Hill this Night — this Unhappy affair is aShocking Introduction to all the Miseries of a Civil War.April 20 [1775]. The General sent some more Troops to Charlestown last night & this morning,so that Lord Percy & the Troops under his Command Returned to Town. This night some Peopleab° Two hundred Attacked Cap' Linzee in the Armed Schooner a little Below Cambridge Bridge.

8he gave them a Warm Reception so that they thought proper to Retreat with the Loss of somemen. Tis said many thousands of Country People are at Roxbury & in the neighborhood. ThePeople in Town are alarmed & the entrenchments on Boston Neck double Guarded MTM Linzeedin'd at the Admirall's.April 21 [1775]. The Reinforcement that was sent to Charlestown by the Gen' are Returned too& the 64'h Regim' that was at the Castle are now in Boston Town House. All Business at an end& all Communication Stop'd between the Town & Country. No Fresh Provisions of any kindbrought to this market so that Boston is In a most Distressed Condition. This afternoon SeveralGentlemen met with the Selectmen to Consult on Our Situation & chose a Committee to draft aMemorial to Gen1 Gage — viz' — The Selectmen, James Bowdoin, Henderson Inches, AlexHill, Edward Payne & Jos Barrett — they adjourn'd until tomorrow Ten of Clock.July 18 [1776]. This day Independency was Declared in Boston from the Balcony of the CouncilChamber. A great Confusion in Town.July 20 [1776]. This Evening Advertisements were put up for the Inhabitants to meet on Mondaynext at Ten in the morning in the Common.

9Excerpts from The Diary of Anna Green Winslow: A Boston School Girl of 1771, by AnnaGreen Winslow, edited by Alice Morse Earle, Boston: Houghton Mifflin and Company,1895.Feb. 13th [1772].--Everybody says that this is a bitter cold day, but I know nothing about it buthearsay for I am in aunt's chamber (which is very warm always) with a nice fire, a stove, sittingin Aunt's easy chair, with a tall three leav'd screen at my back, & I am very comfortable. I tookmy second (& I hope last) potion of Globe salts this morning. I went to see Aunt Storer yesterdayafternoon, & by the way Unkle Storer is so ill that he keeps chamber. As I went down I call'd atMrs Whitwell's & must tell you Mr & Mrs Whitwell are both ill. Mrs. Whitwell with therheumatism. I saw Mad^m Harris, Mrs Mason and Miss Polly Vans there, they all give their loveto you--Last evening I went to catechizing with Aunt. Our ministers have agreed during the longevenings to discourse upon the questions or some of 'em in the assembly's shorter catechism,taking 'em in their order at the house of Mrs Rogers in School Street, every wednesday evening.Mr. Hunt began with the first question and shew'd what it is to glorify GOD. Mr Bacon then tookthe second, what rule &c. which he has spent three evenings upon, & now finished. Mr Hunthaving taken his turn to show what the Scriptures principly teach, & what is GOD. I rememberhe said that there was nothing properly done without a rule, & he said that the rule God hadgiven us to glorify him by was the bible. How miraculously (said he) has God preserv'd thisblessed book. It was once in the reign of a heathen emperor condemn'd to be burnt, at which timeit was death to have a bible & conceal it, but God's providence was wonderful in preserving itwhen so much human policy had been exerted to bury it in Oblivion--but for all that, here wehave it as pure & uncorrupted as ever--many books of human composure have had much painstaken to preserve 'em, notwithstanding they are buried in Oblivion. He considered who was theauthor of the bible, he prov'd that GOD was the author, for no _good_ man could be the author,because such a one would not be guilty of imposition, & an evil man could not unless wesuppose a house divided against itself. he said a great deal more to prove the bible is certainly theword of God from the matter it contains &c, but the best evidence of the truth of divinerevelation, every true believer has in his own heart. This he said, the natural man had no idea of.I did not understand all he said about the external and internal evidence, but this I can say, that Iunderstand him better than any body else that I hear preach. Aunt has been down stairs all thetime I have been recolecting & writeing this. Therefore, all this of own head, of consequence.March 26 [1772].--Yesterday at 6 o'clock, I went to Unkle Winslow's, their neighborGreenleaf was their. She said she knew Mamma, & that I look like her. Speaking about papa& you occation'd Unkle Winslow to tell me that he had kiss'd you long before papa knewyou. From thence we went to Miss Rogers's where, to a full assembly Mr Bacon read his 3dsermon on R. iv. 6, I can remember he said, that, before we all sinned in Adam our father,Christ loved us. He said the Son of God always did as his father gave him commandment, &to prove this, he said, that above 17 hundred years ago he left the bosom of the Father, &came & took up his abode with men, & bore all the scourgings & buffetings which the vileJews inflicted on him, & then was hung upon the accursed tree--he died, was buried, & inthree days rose again--ascended up to heaven & there took his seat at the right hand of theMajesty on high from whence he will come to be the supream and impartial judge of quick& dead--and when his poor Mother & her poor husband went to Jerusalem to keep thepassover & he went with them, he disputed among the doctors, & when his Mother ask'd

10him about it he said "wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business,"--all this hesaid was a part of that wrighteousness for the sake of which a sinner is justafied--Aunt hasbeen up stairs all the time I have been writeing & recollecting this--so no help from her. Sheis come down now & I have been reading this over to her. She sais, she is glad I rememberso much, but I have not done the subject justice. She sais I have blended things somewhatimproperly--an interuption by company.March 28 [1772].--Unkle Harry was here last evening & inform'd us that by a vessel fromHalifax which arriv'd yesterday, Mr H Newton, inform'd his brother Mr J Newton of thesudden death of their brother Hibbert in your family 21 January ult. (Just five months to aday since Grandmamma Sargent's death.) With all the circumstances relating to it. My auntDeming gives her love to Mamma & wishes her a sanctified improvement of all God'sdealings with her, & that it would please him to bring her & all the family safe to Boston.Jarvis is put up for Cumberland, we hope he will be there by or before Mayday. This minuteI have receiv'd my queen's night cap from Miss Caty Vans--we like it. Aunt says, that if thematerials it is made of were more substantial than gauze, it might serve occationally to holdany thing mesur'd by an 1-2 peck, but it is just as it should be, & very decent, & she wishesmy writing was _as_ decent. But I got into one of my frolicks, upon sight of the Cap.April 3 [1772].--Yesterday was the annual Fast, & I was at meeting all day. Mr Huntpreach'd A.M. from Zac. vii. 4, 5, 6, 7. He said, that if we did not mean as we said in pray's itwas only a compliment put upon God, which was a high affront to his divine Majesty. MrBacon, P.M. from James v. 17. He said, "pray's, effectual & fervent, might be, where therewere no words, but there might be elegant words where there is no prayr's. The essence ofpray's consists in offering up holy desires to God agreeable to his will,--it is the flowing outof gracious affections--what then are the pray'rs of an unrenewed heart that is full ofenmity to God? doubtless they are an abomination to him. What then, must notunregenerate men pray? I answer, it is their duty to breathe out holy desires to God inpray's. Prayer is a natural duty. Hannah pour'd out her soul before the Lord, yet her voicewas not heard, only her lips moved. Some grieve and complain that their pray's are notanswered, but if _thy will be done is_, as it ought to be, in every prayer; their prayers areanswer'd." The wind was high at N.E. all day yesterday, but nothing fell from the darkclouds that overspread the heavens, till 8 o'clock last evening, when a snow began whichhas continued falling ever since. The bell being now ringing for 1 o'clock P.M. & no sign ofabatement. My aunt Deming says, that if my memory had been equal to the memory ofsome of my ancestors, I might have done better justice to Mr. Bacon's good sermon, & thatif hers had been better than mine she would have helped me. Mr Bacon _did_ say what ishere recorded, but in other method.[September] 22d [1772].--The king's coronation day. In the evening I went with mamma toCol^n Marshal's in King Street to see the fireworks.31st May [1773].--Monday last I was at the factory to see a piece of cloth cousin Sally spunfor a summer coat for unkle. After viewing the work we recollected the room we sat down

in was Libberty Assembly Hall, otherwise called factory hall, so Miss Gridley & I didourselves the Honour of dancing a minuet in it. On tuesday I made Mrs Smith my morning &p.m. visits as usual, neither Mr. Holbrook nor Turner have any school this week, nor tilltuesday next. I spent yesterday with my friends in sudbury St. Cousin Frank has got a fever,aunt Storer took an emmetick while I was there, cousin Betsy had violent pains almost allthe forenoon. Last tuesday Miss Ursula Griswold, daughter of the right Hon. MatthewGriswold Esq governer of one of his Majesty's provinces, was made one of our family, & Ihave the honor of being her chambermade. I have just been reading over what I wrote tothe company present, & have got myself laughed at for my ignorance. It seems I shouldhave said the daughter of the Hon Lieu^t. Governor of Connecticutt. Mrs Dixon lodg'd atCapn Mitchell's. She is gone to Connecticutt long since.11