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Vol. 10 No. 4 — September 2003

April Morning by Howard Fast is on many core reading lists and addresses several of the standards in reading/language arts as well as social studies. My column this month focuses on Web resources that support the analysis of this piece of literature in the historical context of the American Revolution, specifically April 19, 1775. In addition, several references are listed for events leading to the war.

There were no cameras present to record the clashes between the Colonists and British during the struggle for independence. Our historical record relies on the stories told through paintings, drawings, broadsides, newspapers, government documents, and eyewitness accounts. The details of a skirmish or battle depend on whose account you read and the person's interpretation. These quotes illustrate two opposing viewpoints at a time when most Colonists considered themselves to be British.

"The Colonies were acquired with no other view than to be a convenience to us, and therefore it can never be imagined that we are to consult their interest."

­The London Chronicle, 1764

"If our trade be taxed, why not our lands, or produce... in short, everything we possess? They tax us without having legal representation."

­Samuel Adams, 1765

To understand what happened on April 19, 1775, the historical record needs to be studied and carefully analyzed. The following Web sites provide a vast array of resources that support this activity.

ROAD TO REVOLUTION

American Revolution (John Bull and Uncle Sam)

A series of illustrations accompanies a brief overview about the American Revolution in this special presentation at the Library of Congress. Some of the featured items include a 1-penny stamp required on newspapers and pamphlets, a color engraving of the Boston Tea Party, a mezzotint by Phillip Dawe showing a group of ladies in North Carolina agreeing not to drink any tea, and a French etching depicting the surrender at Yorktown. This virtual exhibit is an excellent starting point.

The Boston Massacre

The Archival Research Catalog at the National Archives is a great place to search for early illustrations and engravings. Typing the keywords Boston Massacre will retrieve illustrations by Alonzo Chappel, John Buford, and Paul Revere. Each engraving portrays a slightly different scene. Compare these images with the written record. How accurate are the details? Were any of these illustrations used as propaganda?

Boston Massacre Trials

Who would defend the British soldiers who fired upon a crowd in Boston? Although John Adams knew that taking the case might affect his law career, he also believed in justice and that everyone was entitled to a defense. He took the case without hesitation. Key figures in the trial, the trial account of the soldiers, accounts of the massacre, John Adams' summation, illustrations, and a timeline offer a wealth of information for research.

Liberty! The American Revolution

Liberty!, the complementary Web site for the television series of the same name, offers interviews with experts, explanations of key events, and games. To better understand Colonial life, you click on different areas of a farm scene and information is displayed. For example, by clicking on livestock, you learn that "a comfortable farmer in the North owned 10 cattle, 16 sheep, six pigs, two horses, and a team of oxen." Test your students' knowledge on events leading to the American Revolution through an interactive quiz. To round out the site, there are links to other resources to encourage further investigation.

APRIL 19, 1775

Print

The 19th of April 1775: Historic Doubts on the Battle of Lexington

Harold Murdock's 1923 book is a fascinating look at the Lexington-Concord controversy. The dispute was sparked by Samuel Hoar's statement that the "first forcible resistance" had been in Concord rather than Lexington. Murdock examines the evidence depicted in the illustrations by Doolittle, Billings, Pendleton, and Sandham and describes the fine points of each interpretation. In addition, he analyzes the records of the British at Concord and Earl Percy's retreat to Charlestown.

Periodicals

Challenge your high school students to explore 19th century magazines from the Cornell University Library. These magazine articles contain first person accounts, fabulous engravings, and perspectives of writers from the mid- to late 19th century. Keywords allow you to search the full text of the magazines. Harper's New Monthly Magazine and Scribner's are more likely to contain engravings, photographs, and maps than other periodicals of that era.

English, Thomas Dunn. "Fight at Lexington," Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 20, Issue 119, April 1860. Thomas Dunn English writes a ballad about the fight at Lexington. An engraving of the battle accompanies the poem.

Hudson, Eric. "The Concord Fight," Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 50, Issue 300, May 1875. Hudson chronicles the events of April 19, 1775, in this comprehensive article written 100 years after the action. It is loaded with resources that include engravings such as Paul Revere's "Midnight Ride" and "Let Us Stand Our Ground"; maps of the Lexington and Concord battles; and inscriptions found on local monuments. The wealth of material in this secondary source should not be overlooked.

Eyewitness Accounts and Depositions

Abigail S. Stafford, February 20, 1861 (Deposition on Battle of Lexington). Grab a magnifying glass and print out this document for further inspection. If you are looking for a hand-written letter for students to study, try this one by Abigail Stafford. Two of her uncles were killed and her father was wounded on April 19, 1775. Smith also lists the names of Minutemen who fought and the British soldiers who were taken prisoner.

Battle at Lexington Green, 1775. In a sworn affidavit, Sylvanus Wood, from Woburn, Massachusetts, said that the militiamen never fired any shots at the Battle of Lexington. His vivid description of the British order to fire and what followed is a wonderful example of an eyewitness account. Sylvanus Wood was 74 years old when he gave his deposition. In addition to the Battle of Lexington, there are also eyewitness accounts, including that of George Hewes, a participant in the Boston Tea party.

British Documents About April 19, 1775

Read the orders from General Thomas Gage to Colonel Frances Smith that set in motion the events of April 19, 1775. Then, examine the various reports that Colonel Smith, Major Pitcairn, and Lord Percy sent to General Gage after the battle. Although short, the reports contain sufficient details to present the views of the men who were in charge of the troops.

Maps

Boston Bay, 1775, and Boston, 1775. The American Memory collection contains two maps that are contemporary to April 19, 1775. The first, published in London, shows the battles of Lexington, Concord, and the retreat of the British back to Boston. The second, created from the observations by the Majesty's Corps of Engineers, shows the rebels' lines. Use these maps as a bird's-eye view of troop movements and to see the entire battlefield.

Music

The Drum—Battle of Lexington. Imagine the call to arms and the beat of the drum as the militia assembled on Lexington Green. Featured on this page are a color postcard of the actual drum beaten by William Dimond and a brief biography about his life.

Old Barracks Museum. To bring the drum roll alive for students, visit this Web site. Listen to the drummer's call, assembly, water call, wood call, and cease-fire. All selections are public domain, so you can use them for all sorts of presentations.

Today in History April 19

Did you know that the British soldiers under Percy's command played "Yankee Doodle" on their march to reinforce the troops at Concord? The tune was intended to deride the Colonials.

Yankee Doodle came to town, For to buy a firelock;
We will tar and feather him And so we will John Hancock.

For an interesting history of "Yankee Doodle" and the way it was sung before, during, and after the American Revolution, be sure to read Today in History April 19. "Yankee Doodle" will have a new meaning.

EYEWITNESS ACTIVITY

Eyewitness accounts of an event help others understand what happened. Each person has his or her own perspective or viewpoint. Read the depositions of Sylvanus Wood and Major John Pitcairn about the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775. Compare their versions with Adam Cooper's in April Morning. Then, have your students write a first- person narrative from the viewpoint of one of the following:

Be sure to visit the MultiMedia Schools home page [http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools] with active links to all of the Web sites mentioned in this article. Then fly over to CyberBee [http://www.cyberbee.com] for more curriculum ideas, research tools, and activities to use with your students and staff.

ROAD TO REVOLUTION American Revolution (John Bull and Uncle Sam) http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/british/brit-2.html The Boston Massacre http://www.archives.gov/research_room/arc/index.html Boston Massacre Trials http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ ftrials/bostonmassacre/bostonmassacre.html Liberty! The American Revolution http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/ April 19, 1775 The Nineteenth of April 1775: Historic Doubts on the Battle of Lexington http://history.vineyard.net//allen/ AmFamilyChronicle/19April1775/19_Apr_pt1.htm Periodicals English, Thomas Dunn. "Fight At Lexington." Harper's New Monthly Magazine. Volume 20, Issue 119, April 1860. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/ r?ammem/ncpsbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(ABK4014-0020-94_bib)) Hudson, Eric. "The Concord Fight." Harper's New Monthly Magazine. Volume 50, Issue 300, May 1875. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/ r?ammem/ncps:@field(DOCID+@lit(ABK4014-0050-89)) Eyewitness Accounts and Depositions Abigail S. Stafford, February 20, 1861 (Deposition on Battle of Lexington) http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=mal&fileName=mal1/ 074/0742300/malpage.db&recNum=0 Battle at Lexington Green, 1775 http://www.ibiscom.com/lexington.htm British Documents About April 19, 1775. http://www.winthrop.dk/reports.html Maps Boston Bay, 1775 http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/gmd:@field (NUMBER+@band(g3764b+ar090000)) Boston, 1775 http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/ r?ammem/gmd:@field(NUMBER+@band(g3764b+ct000070)) Music The Drum—Battle of Lexington http://members.rogers.com/fredd/TheDRUM.html Old Barracks Museum http://www.barracks.org/thingsdo/music.html Today in History April 19 http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr19.html A young man from Lexington A young woman from Lexington A farmer who was a Loyalist A farmer who was a Patriot A female child A male child A father A mother A sister A brother A wife A teacher A Minuteman A British soldier The owner of Buckman's Tavern To view the interactive lesson and movies, print the lesson plan, and to find more resources, go to Revolutionary Viewpoints at http://www.cyberbee.com/viewpoints.