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G5.U2.L12 - Boycotters & Homefront Support 

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Home List: Literary Terms ~ Historical Fiction

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Literary Elements and Techniques | Conflict | PBS LearningMedia

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Learn how to identify different types of conflict in literature in this animated video from WNET.

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Siege of Yorktown
September 14 - October 19, 1781
result: american victory

Between 1778 and 1781, after the British withdrawal from Philadelphia, George Washington placed his army outside of New York and waited for an opportunity to attack the forces of General Sir Henry Clinton while the British waged a largely successful campaign across the south.

Late in the summer of 1781, the British, specifically Lord Cornwallis, finally made the mistake Washington had been waiting for. Cornwallis entrenched his army around Yorktown, Virginia, where he waited for either reinforcement from Clinton or evacuation to New York. Washington quickly moved south with his French allies and coordinated with the Marquis de Lafayette to keep Cornwallis in place. At the same time, French naval forces maintained control over access to the Chesapeake Bay, which prevented naval assistance and reinforcements from reaching Yorktown.

Washington fired the first American cannon of the siege. The capture of key portions of the British entrenchments, and the opening of a second allied siege line signalled the end for Cornwallis, who formally surrendered on October 19, 1781.

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Congress created the Continental Army on June 14, 1775, and John Adams nominated George Washington to serve as the army's Commander-in- Chief. While there were over 230 skirmishes and battles fought during the American Revolution, below are the battles General Washington was present for.

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Centered on the stories of five African Americans in Virginia. Includes first-person narratives and primary source documents.

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It is important to examine all three factors - the location, the time period, and the social conditions - to fully understand the role setting in a piece of literature.

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Literary Elements and Techniques | Setting | PBS LearningMedia

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Explore how authors use setting to establish the time, place, and social conditions in which a story takes place in this short animated video from WNET.

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As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel.

When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.

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Blistering winds. Bitter cold. And the hope of a new future.

The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for free.

And then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forge—against her will. She and Curzon have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom.

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Isabel and Curzon are on the move, this time as reported runaway slaves – a severe crime. This won’t stop them from searching for Ruth, though. Their journey now brings them to the forefront of the Revolutionary War, traveling with the Continental Army and, whether they want to or not, joining the revolution.

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Resource

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Native Americans resisted the efforts of the Europeans to gain more land and control during the colonial period, but they struggled to do so against a sea of problems, including new diseases, the slave trade, and an ever-growing European population.

Subjects

Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, U.S. History

Image

Diplomacy between Cheyenne and Settlers

Whether through diplomacy, war, or even alliances, Native American efforts to resist European encroachment further into their lands were often unsuccessful in the colonial era.

Photograph of woodcut by North Wind Picture Archives

During the colonial period, Native Americans had a complicated relationship with European settlers. They resisted the efforts of the Europeans to gain more of their land and control through both warfare and diplomacy. But problems arose for the Native Americans, which held them back from their goal, including new diseases, the slave trade, and the ever-growing European population in North America.

In the 17th century, as European nations scrambled to claim the already occupied land in the "New World," some leaders formed alliances with Native American nations to fight foreign powers. Some famous alliances were formed during the French and Indian War of 1754-1763. The English allied with the Iroquois Confederacy, while the Algonquian-speaking tribes joined forces with the French and the Spanish. The English won the war, and claimed all of the land east of the Mississippi River. The English-allied Native Americans were given part of that land, which they hoped would end European expansion-but unfortunately only delayed it. Europeans continued to enter the country following the French and Indian War, and they continued their aggression against Native Americans. Another consequence of allying with Europeans was that Native Americans were often fighting neighboring tribes. This caused rifts that kept some Native American tribes from working together to stop European takeover.

Native Americans were also vulnerable during the colonial era because they had never been exposed to European diseases, like smallpox, so they didn't have any immunity to the disease, as some Europeans did. European settlers brought these new diseases with them when they settled, and the illnesses decimated the Native Americans-by some estimates killing as much as 90 percent of their population. Though many epidemics happened prior to the colonial era in the 1500s, several large epidemics occurred in the 17th and 18th centuries among various Native American populations. With the population sick and decreasing, it became more and more difficult to mount an opposition to European expansion.

Another aspect of the colonial era that made the Native Americans vulnerable was the slave trade. As a result of the wars between the European nations, Native Americans allied with the losing side were often indentured or enslaved. There were even Native Americans shipped out of colonies like South Carolina into slavery in other places, like Canada.

These problems that arose for the Native Americans would only get worse in the 19th century, leading to greater confinement and the extermination of native people. Unfortunately, the colonial era was neither the start nor the end of the long, dark history of treatment of Native Americans by Europeans and their decedent's throughout in the United States.

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Tyson Brown, National Geographic Society

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National Geographic Society

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Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society, National Geographic Society

Margot Willis, National Geographic Society

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Native Americans resisted the efforts of the Europeans to gain more land and control during the colonial period, but they struggled to do so against a sea of problems, including new diseases, the slave trade, and an ever-growing European population.

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The American Revolution was the war in which Great Britain’s 13 American colonies won their independence. The colonies became a new country, the United States. The revolution…

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Salem Maritime National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)

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"The Revolution affirmed the idea that freedom was a universal birthright. The outbreak of revolutionary conflict emboldened thousands of enslaved women to declare and claim their freedom... Inspired by natural rights ideology, Black women seized upon every opportunity to undermine the system of slavery through flight." -Karen Cook Bell

Long before the American Revolution, African women and women of African descent fought for their freedom. They hated being enslaved and understood that slavery robbed them of their natural rights.

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence claimed the British colonies of North America had a right to liberty. Enslaved women listened to their enslavers discuss their rights to freedom. They understood the implications for their own lives and chose to act on the ideals colonists professed.

Women who escaped slavery were abolitionists, abolishing the practice of slavery in their own lives.

Advertisements announcing the escape of enslaved people frequently appeared in Revolutionary Era newspapers. They speak to the power, ingenuity, and bravery of African women and women of African descent.

Some women took their fights to court. In 1765, Jenny Slew sued John Whipple Jr. of Ipswich in the Essex Superior Court in Salem. She argued she was a free woman and Whipple was illegally enslaving her. She ultimately won her case, and the news of her success would have been heard by other enslaved women in Salem and Essex County.

The following advertisements appeared in Massachusetts newspapers between 1775 to 1803.

Flora of Lake Champlain, June 29, 1775

Running away was a strategic act of self-emancipation. Some women escaped with men or with children. Escaping in groups usually required planning and thought.

Run away from the Subscriber, on the 18th of June, two Negro Men, one named Exeter, the other Ireland, and a Wench called Flora, with a small child; one of the Negro Men is about six Feet high, the other five Feet and nine Inches, with each of them a (Gun?), and poorly cloathed. Whoever will take up said Negroes and return them so that I may have them, or bring them to me, shall receive Twenty Dollars Reward, and all necessary Charges paid by me, WILLIAM GILLILAND.
????, on the Wet Side of Lake Champlain, 20 miles to the Northward of Crown Point.

Sarah of Jamaica Plain, September 25, 1777

Some women escaped to be with their husbands, parents, or children. It's likely Sarah was staying with a family member or friend. Other women fled to areas occupied by British troops, seeking safety, freedom, and work.

Jamaica Plain, Roxbury Sept. 15th, 1777
Ten Dollas Reward
Ran away from the Subscriber, a Negro Woman named Sarah, she is a short thick wench about 30 years old, she is supposed to be harboured by some free negro in Boston; any person that will take her up and send her to Goal (jail), or to the Subscriber shall have the above Reward and all necessary Charges.
TIMOTHY PENNY

Phillis of Manchester, September 18, 1783

Advertisements such as this may be evidence of the violent nature of slavery. Phillis may have injured her hand in a work accident or as a form of punishment by her enslaver.

Ran Away, on the 9th of August last, from Jacob Hooper, of Manchester, a Negro Woman named Phillis, aged 24 years-- she may be known by having a stiff joint in the fore finger of her left hand, her finger bending inward.-- A reward of Five Dollars will be given, and necessary charges paid, to any person who shall return her to the said Hooper, her master.

Phillis of Wethersfield, November 22, 1803

Although Phillis was from Connecticut, her enslaver placed this advertisement in a Salem newspaper. In slavery, women lacked freedom of movement. But this ad suggests that Phillis' enslaver believed she may have resisted by travelling north to Massachusetts. It's likely he placed this ad hoping someone in Essex County would recognize Phillis and capture her.

Enslaved women could face severe punishment if caught and returned to enslaver. Phillis may have lost her front teeth as punishment for a previous transgression. It may suggest previous and repeated attempts of resistance or escape and the value Phillis placed on her freedom. Her missing teeth could also be evidence of a dangerous working environment or lack of medical care during her enslavement.

Two Hundred Dollars Reward.
Absented herself last night from the Service of Mr. Rutledge, a negro Woman who is his property, named Phillis- the is 35 years old, about 5 feet 5 inches high, of a yellowish complextion, (between that of a negro and mulatto,) thin, has lost her front teeth, has thick lips, and a scar (from having been burnt when a child) upon her breast near the right shoulder, about half the size of a dollar. Phillis wears gold bobs in her ears, and a black straw bonnet. She carried with her, petticoats of blue cloth, dimothy, black calimanco, red homespun; dark calico gown with bright yellow spots, one of black and white, one of white checked muslin: She also took with her eight yards of dark calico with bright yellow spots, two check aprons not made up, new red and white cotton handkerchiefs, with many other articles of dress. Phillis is a good cook, washer-woman and cake-baker.
A black fellow, named Peter, also absented himself from the service of Mr. Rutledge, some weeks past, when he was at Boston. -Peter is not quite 6 feet high, much pock-marked, has red eyes, and his upper front teetch wide apart: He is an excellent coachman, a tolerably good cook, plays the tamborine, and is very fond of dancing. Peter is a little bald, wears his wool in a short queue, and occasionally wears ear rings: He took with him a variety of clothing. Whoever will apprehend and deliver these slaves to the subscriber, or secure them in any jail in New-England so that he may get to them, shall receive the above reward of 200 dollars or 100 for either of them.
Chester Clark
Wethersfield, (Connecticut) Oct. 15, 1803.

For more on enslaved women in the Revolutionary Era, see Karen Cook Bell's 2021 book, Running From Bondage: Enslaved Women and Their Remarkable Fight for Freedom in Revolutionary America.

A Note on Language

Over the course of American history, the language used to describe Black people has changed and most likely will continue to change. Some of the primary sources here used outdated terms as well as racist, sexist, and offensive language to describe Black people. Whenever using the documents, we recommend developing a plan or guidelines to ensure a respectful, reflective discussion.

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Enslaved Women & Self-emancipation - Salem Maritime National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)

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Enslaved women resisted their bondage by running away in during the Revolutionary Era. Evidence can be found in Massachusetts newspaper advertisements.

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Hannah Till lived and worked in the kitchen of the Isaac Potts house at Valley Forge.
NPS Photo / Hannah Till portrayed by Park Ranger Ajena C. Rogers

Hannah Till, also known as Hannah Archer or Hannah Mason after her enslaver Reverend John Mason, was an enslaved cook and servant to General George Washington during the Valley Forge encampment in 1777-78. She purchased her freedom during the American Revolution and continued to work as a salaried cook.

Born in Kent County, Delaware, Hannah was originally named "Long Point-a name given her father for his successful conflict with a buck at that place near Smyrna, Delaware." By 1776, Hannah was legally owned by Reverend John Mason of the Associate Reformed Church in New York. ²

Reverend Mason leased Hannah to cook for George Washington and his wartime staff, and so she joined her husband Isaac Till, an enslaved cook leased by Captain John Johnson of Bergen County, New Jersey. By the time they were both working for General Washington, Hannah and Isaac already had a daughter named Sarah. At Valley Forge, while living and working in the kitchen of the Isaac Potts house (known today as Washington's Headquarters), they had another child-Isaac Worley Till-probably born in January 1778.

Both cooks had an arrangement with the commander-in-chief and their respective enslavers whereby they would purchase their freedom. On October 30, 1778, Hannah reached the required sum. ⁴ Nine months later, the couple had Isaac Worley baptized in Philadelphia, apparently as a free child. ⁵ Now paid directly for her work, Hannah Till continued working as Washington's personal cook, except for half a year, which she spent working for Major General Marquis de Lafayette.

After the war, Hannah and Isaac Till employed themselves cooking for families in Philadelphia. ⁶ In 1824, John Fanning Watson interviewed a widowed Hannah before she briefly reunited with Lafayette, who had returned to Philadelphia as part of a national tour. In 1826, Hannah Till died. Her remains now rest at Eden Cemetery in Collingdale, Pennsylvania.

Endnotes

1. John Fanning Watson, Annals of Philadelphia, being a collection of memoirs, anecdotes, and incidents of the city and its inhabitants, from the days of the Pilgrim founders (New York: E.L. Carey & A. Hart, 1830), 552.

2. John Fanning Watson, Annals of Philadelphia, 552, and Supplement to Encyclopædia Britannica (Ninth Edition): A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature, Volume IV (Philadelphia: Hubbard Brothers, 1889), 326.

3. John U. Rees, "'To Cash paid the Revrd. John Mason for Servant Hannah's wages ...' Hannah Till, General Washington's Wartime Cook" (unpublished manuscript), 4. https://www.scribd.com/document/330715949/To-Cash-paid-the-Revrd-John-Mason-for-Servant-Hannah-s-wages-Hannah-Till-General-Washington-s-Wartime-Cook.

4. Washington, George. George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers: Revolutionary War Vouchers and Receipted Accounts, -1780. /1780, 1776.
Manuscript/Mixed Material, quoted in "The Mystery of Hannah Till & Isaac" (unpublished manuscript), 3.

5. Presbyterian Historical Society; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1907; Accession Number: 95-0725 51I Box 2.

6. John U. Rees, "'To Cash paid,'" 2. https://www.scribd.com/document/330715949/To-Cash-paid-the-Revrd-John-Mason-for-Servant-Hannah-s-wages-Hannah-Till-General-Washington-s-Wartime-Cook.

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Hannah Till (U.S. National Park Service)

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Hannah Till, also known as Hannah Archer or Hannah Mason after her enslaver Reverend John Mason, was an enslaved cook and servant to General George Washington during the Valley Forge encampment in 1777-78. She purchased her freedom during the American Revolution and continued to work as a salaried cook.

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The Legacy of Elizabeth Freeman: A Story of Justice and Freedom

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Explore the American Revolution and the Seeds of America Trilogy with this interactive timeline and map!

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Chains Laurie Halse Anderson Audio - YouTube

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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G5.U2.L9 - Simplified Declaration of Independence

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Read on to learn more about the New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies.

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Laurie Halse Anderson | Mad Woman in the Forest

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Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author who writes for kids of all ages.

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Elizabeth Freeman: Trailblazer for freedom

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Elizabeth Freeman: Trailblazer for freedom

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Elizabeth Freeman: Trailblazer for Freedom | Black Patriots | History

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Colonial America - 13 Colonies - Colonial Life - Flocabulary

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Compare the characteristics of the New England, Middle and Southern colonies with Flocabulary's educational hip-hop song and activities.

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French and Indian War - French and Indian War Video - Colonial America - Flocabulary

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Learn about the causes and consequences of the French and Indian War with Flocabulary’s educational hip-hop video and lesson resources.

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American Revolution - Causes of the Revolutionary War - Boston Tea Party - Flocabulary

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Learn about the causes of the American Revolution with Flocabulary's educational rap song and lesson plan.