Hello SAVY Parents,

Thank you so much for sending your child to engage in this tremendously thought provoking student research and to be a part of these amazing discussions.  Today, as our studies moved through understanding the context of the issues and attitudes colonial America, we were driven to understand more about the “sacrifices of war” by common individuals, professional soldiers, militia members, and family members.  We observed the points of view of many different stake holders and observed cause and effect as different events unfolded, each marching steadily and with increasing hast towards war.

So many questions! Was the Boston Massacre actually a massacre? Did Paul Revere’s engraving depiction of that event accurately communicate the event, and what do you think was this artist’s purpose in showing the event in this way?  What is the role of a bystander to events, and how can our understanding of the concept of cause and effect be harnessed for positive influence?  How could today’s young students of history in America view and explain the disobedience of the colonists to the Acts of Parliament leading up to the Revolution the same or differently from similar students in a London classroom?  Based on each of our individual readings, what are the varying accounts of events at Lexington and what are the implications for each?

We have continued our lessons from various texts, and how different individuals interpret and communicate those stories and accounts of history.  We both enjoyed and found fascination with Lin Manuel Miranda’s music from Hamilton.  What is the purpose of an artists or historians individual works: to entertain, to inspire, to influence, to communicate, or other?  Tomorrow, “A Message from the King!”