1775 Immersion:

A Workshop for Teachers

Presented by Minute Man National Historical Park in cooperation with the Concord/Carlisle Schools and the Concord Historical Collaborative.

-Teachers and other students of American history are invited-

To make reservations, please contact Concord/Carlisle Community Education: (978) 318 - 1540/days, (978) 318 - 1432/nights. Or write to: Concord/Carlisle Community Education, 120 Meriam Rd. Concord, MA. 01742

April 19, 1775, the day of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, is undoubtedly one of the most important yet utterly misunderstood dates in American History. Despite the fact that America’s national existence hinged upon the events of "that famous day and year," most Americans have only a sparse knowledge of what really happened. So much of the story that has lived on in the popular imagination is derived from poetry and folklore that have little to do with the actual history. At Minute Man National Historical Park, it is our mission to bring this history back to life and through it gain a better understanding of its evolving legacy and profound impact on our world today.

1775 Immersion is a workshop teachers, museum educators and other students of American history. Its purpose is to provide teachers with a better understanding of the early Revolutionary movement and start of the war as well as to separate fact from fiction. The workshop will span two days and PDP’s will be awarded to participants. It is our hope that through a variety of activities, lectures, demonstrations and tours, this workshop will prove both informative and fun, as American History should be.

Saturday, November 4th: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Meet at the Minute Man Visitor Center, Rt. 2A, Lexington

8:30 - 9:00: Greetings & Introduction: "The Shot Heard Round the World": This brief introduction will set the tone for the workshop, discussing the historical significance of April 19, 1775 as well as popular themes associated with the American Revolution.

9:00 -9:30: "The Road to Revolution": This is Minute Man NHP’s award winning multi-media theater show detailing the events of April 18 & 19, 1775.

*9:30 - 9:45: Travel to Noah Brooks Tavern (coffee provided!)

10:00 – 10:45: "Town Meeting": This is an interactive program where participants step into the role of Concord citizens of 1774 attending a town meeting. They will have the opportunity to debate "current" issues with costumed actors. The program is based on the minutes of an actual meeting held in Concord in January, 1774 and is designed to reveal the complexity of pre-war issues from the perspective of everyday citizens.

10:45 – 11:15: Curriculum Applications: At this time, we will divide into small groups in order to process what we have discussed thus far and share ideas on how to apply it to the classroom.

11:30 – 12:30 "Beyond the Minute Men": From the stern Puritan warriors of the 17th century, to the audacious "minute men" of Revolutionary fame, the citizen-soldiers of the Massachusetts Militia played a crucial role in the building of our nation. First organized in the 1630's, the Massachusetts Militia successfully defended their colony for more than 140 years prior to the Revolution. Join Park Ranger Jim Hollister (wearing 18th century period clothing and weapons) for a one hour exploration of the Old World origins and New World adaptations of the Massachusetts militia, the many threats they faced and the impact of this military tradition on the events of April 19, 1775.

12:30 – 1:00: Lunch

1:00 – 2:00 :"’A moment of exceptional awkwardness’ - 18^th Century Battle Tactics and Training with Sergeant Hollister" This is a "hands on" activity where participants are put through the paces of 18^th century drill maneuvers in order to better understand the realities of combat in the Revolutionary War. The drill would be followed by an examination of a soldier’s equipment and knapsack and a musket firing demonstration.

2:00 – 3:00 "Liberty’s Daughters": What were women doing while the men were forming minute companies and preparing to fight? Learn about the women who rolled musket cartridges; about Mary Hartwell and the slave Violet who spread the alarm, and Martha Moulton who saved the Concord townhouse. Find out about the patriotic spinning bees advocating home manufacture. This one hour program, presented by Park Ranger Margie Hicks wearing 18th century period clothing, includes demonstrations of cartridge rolling and spinning wool and flax (linen) fibers into thread.

3:00 – 3:30 Curriculum Applications

Sunday, November 5th: 12:30 – 4:30

Meet at the Hartwell Tavern Parking Area

12:30 – 2:00 "Life Along the Battle Road": Participants will visit the historic Hartwell Tavern, preserved as part of Minute Man National Historical Park, and learn about the people who lived on "Battle Road," what their lives were like and how they were forever changed by the events of April 19, 1775.

2:00 – 2:15: Break then travel to North Bridge

2:30 – 3:30: "A View of the Participants"": This special tour of the North Bridge Battlefield is based on the interpretation of primary resource documents. Participants, accompanied by a Park Ranger, use excerpts from letters, journals and military reports in conjunction with the physical environment as tools to uncover the clues of the past and piece together the events of this famous battle.

3:30 – 4:30: Transfer and Application. Where do we go from here?: Following the tour, we will gather inside at the North Bridge Visitor Center. Here we will open the floor for questions and comments and once more gather into small groups to discuss the practical, classroom applications of what we have experienced. This will bring the 1775 Immersion to an end. (coffee provided)

We hope that you will come away with a new appreciation for our Revolutionary past. The challenge will be to take your knowledge of the period and work it into an effective lesson plan for your students, and through it inspire the imaginations of the next generation of American historians.

To make reservations, please contact Concord/Carlisle Community Education: (978) 318 - 1540/days, (978) 318 - 1432/nights. Or write to: Concord/Carlisle Community Education, 120 Meriam Rd. Concord, MA. 01742