Despite the fact that women were not allowed to join
the military until the 1940s, hundreds of women still fought as
soldiers in the American Revolution. These women often disguised
themselves as men and used aliases to avoid detection. Like the
secret female soldiers in the Civil War, they were often young,
poor, unmarried women looking to serve their country and earn money
for their families...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/deborah-sampson-woman-warrior-of-the-american-revoultion/
The history of Massachusetts from the days of the Mayflower to the American Revolution, Salem Witch Trials and beyond
Thursday, December 29, 2011
The Boston Massacre Victims
After five people were shot dead by
British soldiers during the Boston Massacre in 1770, many patriot leaders used the tragedy to stir up hostility against the British
government. Samuel Adams tugged at the heart strings of the public by
holding a public funeral for the five victims and portraying them as
martyrs of a brutal regime before burying them in Granary Burying
Ground and erecting a marker “as a momento to posterity of that
horrid massacre,” according to the book “Samuel Adams: The Life of an American Revolutionary.”...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-boston-massacre-victims/
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Was Samuel Adams an Embezzler?
Although known as a brave patriot of the American Revolution, Samuel Adams was also a tax collector
and bankrupt businessman who had been accused of embezzling public
funds shortly before the revolution began.
Portrait of Samuel Adams by Copley |
Monday, December 12, 2011
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a law passed by
Parliament in March of 1765 taxing all paper used to print materials
in the colonies. The act required that all printed materials be
printed on paper embossed with an official revenue stamp. These
materials included magazines, newsletters, legal documents and
newspapers.
Newspaper announcement of the Stamp act |
Thursday, December 8, 2011
John Adams
Portrait of John Adams by Stuart |
Born on October 30 in 1735 in
Braintree, Massachusetts, Adams was the son of Deacon John Adams and
Susanna Boylston of Braintree. The Adams family was an old English family descending from Mayflower pilgrim
John Alden. John Adams was also the cousin of Samuel Adams...Click here to read more:
Monday, December 5, 2011
When Christmas Was Banned in Boston
When the Puritans came to the New World
in 1620, they brought with them their strict ways, their religious
views and their distaste for Christmas. Although Christmas was widely
celebrated in Europe as a Christian holiday marking the birth of
Jesus Christ, Puritans saw it as a false holiday with stronger ties
to Paganism than Christianity. Known for being pious and reserved, Puritans also took a dislike to the drinking and dancing
associated with the holiday.
After the Puritans left the old world,
they decided to leave these holiday traditions behind.
Instead of feasting and giving gifts, Puritans commemorated Christmas by praying, reflecting on sin and
working instead of resting...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/when-christmas-was-banned-in-boston/
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Paul Revere
Portrait of Revere by Copley, circa 1768 |
Born in the North End of Boston in December of 1734, Revere's father was Apollos Rivoire, a French Huguenot immigrant who later changed his name to Paul Revere to fit in with the other English immigrants in the city. Revere's mother was Deborah Hichborn, a daughter of a local artisan family....Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/paul-revere/
Monday, November 28, 2011
Battle of Bunker Hill
"The Battle of Bunker hill" by Howard Pyle, circa 1897 |
The Battle of Bunker Hill, which took
place on June 17, 1775 in Charlestown, was one of the most
significant battles during the Siege of Boston. The battle started
after colonists heard British forces were planning to send troops
to occupy the hills surrounding Boston. To prevent this, Colonel
William Prescott and his men marched to nearby Breed's Hill, although
they originally intended to go to Bunker Hill, on the night of June
16 and hastily built a large earthen fortification...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/battle-of-bunker-hill/
Labels:
American Revolution,
Andrew McClary,
Battle of Bunker Hill,
Boston,
Charlestown,
Henry Burbeck,
Joseph Warren,
Paul Revere,
Thomas Gage,
William Burbeck,
William Prescott
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Timeline of the American Revolution
1754-1763:
The French and Indian War
October 1763:
The Proclamation of 1763
March 1765:
The Quartering Act of 1765
March 1766:
The Stamp Act
repealed
The Declaratory Act
June 1767:
The Townshend Revenue Act
October 1768:
British troops arrive in Boston to
enforce customs laws
March 1770:
June 1772:
The Gaspee Affair... Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/timeline-of-the-american-revolution/
The Boston Massacre
Depiction of the Boston Massacre |
The Boston Massacre was a riot that began when a group of 50 citizens gathered outside of the State
house on the night of March 5, 1770 to protest the large presence of British soldiers in the city. The soldiers had
been sent to Boston to protect customs commissioners as they enforced
the recent, and highly unpopular, Townshend acts, which placed an
import tax on goods such as tea, glass, paper and other products from
England.... Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-boston-massacre/
Thursday, October 27, 2011
John Proctor: First Male Accused Witch
John Proctor was a successful farmer
and the first male to be named a witch during the Salem Witch Trials
of 1692.
When the hysteria first began in Salem
village, Proctor believed the young girls accusing many of the
villagers of witchcraft were frauds and liars. He spoke openly
against the accusations and scoffed at the idea of witchcraft. When
his own young servant, Mary Warren, began having fits and behaving
strangely, Proctor beat the girl in an attempt to get her to behave...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/john-proctor-first-male-accused-witch/
Labels:
Abigail Williams,
Elizabeth Proctor,
George Burroughs,
George Jacobs Sr.,
Giles Corey,
John Proctor,
John Willard,
Martha Corey,
Rebecca Nurse,
Salem Witch Trials,
Witches
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Sarah Good: Accused Witch
Sarah Good was one of the first women
to be accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. A
homeless, and pregnant, beggar who would often wander door to door
asking for handouts while her husband worked as a day laborer, Good
was a prime target for the accusation of witchcraft in the small
Puritan-run town where nonconformity was frowned upon...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/sarah-good-accused-witch/
Labels:
Abigail Williams,
Ann Putnam,
Betty Parris,
Curses,
Dorcas Good,
Judge John Hathorne,
Reverend Nicholas Noyes,
Salem,
Salem Witch Trials,
Sarah Good,
Sarah Osburn,
Tituba,
Witches
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
The Curse of Giles Corey
Giles Corey was a successful farmer
from Salem village when he was suddenly accused of witchcraft during
the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. The 80-year-old farmer was never convicted because he died a slow, agonizing death while being tortured
by Sheriff Corwin. During the torture, Giles shouted ”Damn you!
I curse you and Salem” at the sheriff before dying...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-curse-of-giles-corey/
Monday, October 10, 2011
Bridget Bishop: Witch or Easy Target?
Bridget Bishop, one of the first
victims of the Salem Witch Trials, had been accused of witchcraft by
more people than any other victim. Since Bishop had a bad reputation
around town, wore a flashy red bodice instead of modest puritan
clothing, ran a tavern and quarreled often with her previous husband
and neighbors, it came as no surprise to the townspeople of Salem
when she was accused of being a witch...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/bridget-bishop-witch-or-easy-target/
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Historic Lyceum Restaurant, Former Site of Bridget Bishop's Apple Orchard, Recently Renovated
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Participants of the Boston Tea Party
Although considered heroic and brave by
many, the names of participants in the Boston Tea Party remained a
secret for years in order to protect them from persecution by the
British government. Destroying the tea was an act of treason
punishable by death. Some of the men were also from distinguished
families who did not want to be associated with such illegal
activity. Theses rebellious colonists were mostly members of the Sons
of Liberty, but some were random citizens who had joined the group en
route to the harbor. To protect their identities, tea party
participants disguised themselves as Native Americans complete with
ragged clothes, makeup and mohawks and refrained from acknowledging
each other during the act....Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/participants-of-the-boston-tea-party/
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The Boston Tea Party
On the night of December 16 in 1773, a
group of Boston citizens protested the British government's recent
tea tax by dumping millions of dollars worth of British tea into
Boston Harbor...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-boston-tea-party/
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Henry Burbeck Military Archive Sold for $95,000
An online auction house recently sold
the military archive of my ancestor Henry Burbeck (of my grandmother
Beatrice Burbeck's family) for the price of $95,000. The archive
spans the years 1763 to 1839 and consist of hand-drawn maps, military
documents, letters, notebooks and military reports...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/henry-burbeck-military-archive-sold-for-95000/
Monday, September 19, 2011
Louisa May Alcott: The First Woman Registered to Vote in Concord
Louisa May Alcott was not just a writer
and author of the classic novel Little Women, she was also the first
woman registered to vote in Concord, Mass...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/louisa-may-alcott-the-first-woman-registered-to-vote-in-concord/
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was a writer from
Salem, Mass best known for his novels The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables. Born on July 4, 1808 in Salem, Hawthorne was a
direct descendant of Judge John Hathorne from the Salem Witch Trials. Hawthorne was intrigued by his connection to his ancestor,
although it is speculated that he may have eventually added the “W”
to his last name to distance himself from his great-grandfather.
Hawthorne published two stories under the name “Hathorne” in 1830
but started spelling his name with a W after this date, for reasons
unknown...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/nathaniel-hawthorne/
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Louisa May Alcott
Although one of the most famous Concord
authors, Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania on
November 29, 1832. The Alcott family believed very strongly in
abolitionism and women's rights as well as transcendentalism; a
literary and philosophical movement during the 1800s that declared
knowledge and spirituality could be attained through one's own
intuition rather than traditional teaching methods...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/louisa-may-alcott/
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Traveling the Underground Railroad in Massachusetts
The underground railroad was a series of safe houses that stretch from the south all the way to Canada. These safe houses provided shelter and protection for runaway slaves trying to find freedom in the north. Although slavery was illegal in northern states, the Fugitive Slave Act passed in 1793 and 1850 make it legal for slave hunters to travel to free states and capture runaway slaves. Some slaves took their chances and settled in free states, but many others passed through these states as they headed for Canada where slavery was illegal and slave hunters could not enter...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/traveling-the-underground-railroad-in-massachusetts/
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The First Thanksgiving
Many myths surround the first Thanksgiving. Very little is actually known about the event because only two accounts of the feast were ever written. The first account is William Bradford's journal titled “Of Plymouth Plantation” and the other is a publication written by Edward Winslow titled “Mourt's Relation.”...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-first-thanksgiving/
Sunday, August 21, 2011
The Mayflower Compact
When the pilgrims left Plymouth, England in 1620 they had been granted permission from King Charles I to land in northern Virginia and build a colony. During the long 66 day journey on the Mayflower to the New World, the ship drifted off course and eventually landed in what would become modern day Cape Cod...click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-mayflower-compact/
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Salem Witch Trials
The Salem witch trials was a dark time in American history. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed during the hysteria in 1692. Ever since those dark days ended the trials have became synonymous with mass hysteria and scapegoating...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-salem-witch-trials/
Labels:
Abigail Williams,
Bridget Bishop,
Giles Corey,
John Alden,
John Alden Jr,
John Proctor,
Massachusetts Bay Colony,
Puritans,
Roger Toothaker,
Salem,
Salem Witch Trials,
Sarah Good,
Sarah Osburn,
Witches
Friday, August 12, 2011
The Mayflower
The Mayflower is one of the most important ships in American history. This cargo ship brought some of the first settlers to America and carried them to the safety of the Plymouth plantation. This journey made the Mayflower an icon of European colonization...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-mayflower/
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
How Boston Lost Its Hills
Anyone who has visited modern day Boston might be a little confused to hear it was once a small hilly peninsula less than 800 acres wide. The city is now a wide, flat landmass consisting of 89 square miles. It took close to 100 years but settlers managed to forever transform the landscape using nothing but primitive tools...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/how-boston-lost-its-hills/
Labels:
Back Bay,
Beacon hill,
Boston,
Boston harbor,
Copp's Hill,
Fort Hill,
Great Fire 1872,
Griffin's Wharf,
Mill Pond,
Mt. Vernon,
Native Americans,
Pemberton Hill,
Shawmut,
Trimont,
William Blackstone
Saturday, July 23, 2011
A Brief History of Early Boston
The peninsula of land jutting into the Atlantic ocean known as modern day Boston was once inhabited by Algonquin Indians from the Penacook, Wampanoag and Massachusetts tribes. These tribes had lived in the area since 2400 BC and named the peninsula Shawmut and the nearby river the Quinnebequi...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/a-brief-history-of-early-boston/
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The History and Career of the USS Constitution
Commissioned and named by George Washington in 1794 and launched in 1797, the USS Constitution is the oldest warship in the world still afloat. A British ship, the HMS Victory, is older, being built in 1778, but has been dry docked in Portsmouth, England since 1922...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-history-and-career-of-the-uss-constitution/
Friday, July 8, 2011
Maudslay Park in Newburyport, Mass
Maudslay state park is a large sprawling property in the small seaport town of Newburyport, Massachusetts. The 450-acre park was once home to a wealthy investment banker Frederick Strong Moseley and his family. The Moseleys were an old English family that first came to America in the early 1600s. The family first purchased the land in the 1860's and continued to buy surrounding property until they had created a large estate that they named Maudsleigh after their ancestral home in England...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/maudslay-park-in-newburyport-mass/
Boston Massacre Site Gets a Makeover
The Boston Massacre marker is moving..again. The current marker, which is made up of 13 rings of cobblestones with a center stone marked with a star, has been on a traffic island in front of the state house for decades. This is not actually the original location of the marker when the city decided to commemorate the massacre in 1887, nor is it the actual site of the massacre...Click here to read more: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/boston-massacre-site-gets-a-makeover/
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