How to Use the Images

Table of
Contents

Photo 3: Withdrawing room, John Marshall House.

Photo 4: Dining room, John Marshall House.

Photo 5: Master bedroom, John Marshall House.

The furnishings in each room are authentic pieces from the period when John and Polly Marshall occupied the house. The John Marshall House remained in the possession of his descendants until 1909, when it was acquired by the city of Richmond. In 1911 the care of the house was turned over to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (APVA). Today the APVA operates the house as a museum.

Questions for Photos 3-5

1. Write a paragraph on your impression of the rooms and the furnishings of the Marshall home. What is revealed or suggested about the lifestyle and standard of living of the Marshall family?

2. List similarities and differences between the rooms and furnishings of Marshall’s house and your own home.

3. Why might the APVA have been interested in preserving Marshall’s house?

4. Does the early date of their acquisition seem surprising? What does this reveal about the way Marshall’s house was viewed in the early 20th century?

* The photos on this screen have a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a high quality version of Photo 3, Photo 4, and Photo 5 but be aware that each file will take as much as 35 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.