In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress ordered the towns across the colony to prepare for war with England. In response, the colony entered a wartime phase that included creating minute companies, stockpiling arms, ammunition, and equipment, and establishing a defense network ready to mobilize if the redcoats marched from Boston into the countryside. Join […]

Did my Ancestor Serve in the American Revolution? Boys as young as 16 were allowed to serve, so any male ancestors who were between the ages of 16 and 50 between 1776 and 1783 were potential candidates. Those who didn’t serve directly in a military capacity may have helped in other ways – by providing […]

Media and information literacy are essential 21st century skills in order to be an informed citizen. These are also skills that when applied in a historical context, help us become better historians. In this discussion, we will analyze perspective, language, and bias in 18th century newspapers with a critical lens to learn how news was […]

On April 19, 1775, the American Revolution began at the Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. The “shot heard round the world” catapulted this sleepy New England town into the midst of revolutionary fervor, and Concord went on to become the intellectual capital of the new republic. The town–future home to Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne–soon […]