The Evolving Legacy of Crispus Attucks, 1770-1863

The Evolving Legacy of Crispus Attucks, 1770-1863

Inquiry Question 1: In what ways have people of color been both present for and critical actors in turning points in American history? 


Inquiry Question 2: How and why has public memory of the Boston Massacre changed over time? In what ways do available evidence and point of view impact interpretations of historical events?

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    Investigating Multiple Perspectives on the Boston Massacre

    Investigating Multiple Perspectives on the Boston Massacre

    Inquiry Question 1: Although we don't know exactly what happened the night of March 5, 1770, what does the existing evidence from the Boston Massacre teach us about pre-Revolutionary America?

    Inquiry Question 2: In what ways did people's political beliefs, social networks, and lived experience shape their understanding of the Boston Massacre?

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      Revolutionary Abigail Adams

      Revolutionary Abigail Adams

      Inquiry Question: Who was Abigail Adams, and what roles did she take on during the Revolutionary Era?

      Through her letters and belongings we will explore the ways in which Abigail shaped—and was shaped by—the political and social events unfolding around her. 

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        "A Great Public Nuisance": Boston's segregated schools in the mid-1800s

        "A Great Public Nuisance": Boston's segregated schools in the mid-1800s

        Inquiry Question 1: Prior to 1855, in what ways did segregated schools harm Black children in Boston?

        Inquiry Question 2: What actions did Black families take to advocate for integration?

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          Women Debate the Right to Vote

          Women Debate the Right to Vote

          Inquiry Question 1: What claims did women make in support of and in opposition to suffrage?

          Inquiry Question 2: Who were they trying to persuade?

          In this source set, you will analyze cartoons, flyers, and graphs to understand the perspectives of suffragists and anti-suffragists in Massachusetts (and beyond) during the 1910s.

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            Anthony Burns and the Fugitive Slave Act

            Anthony Burns and the Fugitive Slave Act

            Students will trace Anthony Burns’ journey to freedom, and the growth of abolitionism in 1850s Boston, using broadsides, letters, and artifacts.

            Inquiry Question 1: What was the impact of the Fugitive Slave Act on freedom seekers?

            Inquiry Question 2: Who resisted the law, and how?

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