July, 2008 Summer Institute Workshop
Marblehead Museum and Historical Society, Marblehead, Mass.

These documentsshow varying degrees of response to the events leading to the American Revolution. The items from the Marblehead Museum and Historical Society are part of a larger collection of papers from the Lindsay family. They show a direct involvement of Nathaniel Lindsay in the armed forces. The documents from the City of Salem, Beverly Historical Society, and the Virginia Gazette show how citizens worked through the political system (via Committees of Correspondence and town meetings) to address issues which directly affected them here on the North Shore. Transcriptions of all documents are included on their pages at the end of each .pdf.

Documents for the Declaring Independence -- How Members of Local Communities Chose to Act lesson

The United States’ Declaration of Independence is one of our most familiar documents, but what was the actual impact of such a “declaration”. For many colonists the effect was not immediate, but became so as the Revolutionary War wore on. An examination of some documents and artifacts connected with the “declarations” and the Revolutionary War will allow students to see the greater impact upon everyday citizens of Essex County during this period. This lesson should act to reinforce history lessons connected with colonial and early national government, which have previously been taught, as well as raise questions pertaining to the impact that national events had on the local citizenry. After completing these lessons, students will create their own campaign to advertise a “protest” showing their knowledge of American historical events.

Documents ... from the Marblehead Museum and Historical Society, Marblehead, Mass.

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• Letter to Lieut. Lindsay, 1775 (includes article & transcript as .pdf)
• This letter to Lieutenant Nath. Lindsay, under orders from Washington, directs him to take his company of Marblehead soldiers to Cape Ann under the command of John Glover.

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• Draft document, 1777 (includes article & transcript as .pdf)
• This short note states that 60 men were drafted into the Continental army as per an act of the General Court of Massachusetts directed to raise 1/4 of the militia as reinforcements.

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• Accounting of Soldiers' Articles, 1777 (includes article & transcript as .pdf)
• This accounting page gives a running list of items bought by soldiers and to be deducted from their wages "at the making of the role(sic)." Most are items of clothing, but some are military supplies which they are expected to pay for themselves out of their wages.

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• Dispersal of Money, 1782 (includes article & transcript as .pdf)
• One of the most important functions of coastal towns was to provide "privateer" ships which captured cargo and vessels from Britain and kept the British fleet busy in providing protection to trading ships. Crews on these privateers took the risk of not returning should their ship be captured or engaged in a battle. This document is one of many, by which the crew authorized an agent (in this case Nathaniel Lindsay), to take any plunder that was due them and get it to their families if they were unable to.

Documents ...from the City of Salem Archives

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• Town meeting minutes, Salem, June 10 & 12, 1776 (includes article & transcript as .pdf)
• Almost fully one month before the July date, Salem joined many local communities to vote on a directive to their representatives in the Continental Congress to declare themselves independent from Great Britain. "We, the inhabitants of the town of Salem in the town meeting legally assembled, hereby advise you...shall for the safety of the United American Colonies declare them independent of the Kingdom of Britain, we will solemnly engage with their lives & fortunes to supply them in the measure..." This document includes the town warrant, as well as the call to vote.

Documents ...from the Beverly Historical Society

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• Protest Against Tea Tax, 1770 (includes article and transcript as .pdf)
• In 1770 citizens of Beverly issued a report after the town meeting which expressed their distress at the taxes on tea from foreign ports. Coastal towns were directly affected, as their businesses were tied up in trade with many nations. It is unclear as to whom this protest is addressed, but it stresses that the town is complying with the tax laws, but finds it a hardship.

Additional Teacher Resources ...from the Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia Gazette website

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• "Resolves of the Town of Marblehead" from the Virginia Gazette, January, 1774 (includes article and transcript as .pdf)
• Colonial Williamsburg maintains a searchable website for selected issues of the Virgina Gazette. Contained in a January edition is news from the sister colony of Massachusetts. The town of Marblehead has issued a resolve concerning the tea tax. For educators looking at the influence of Committees of Correspondence this article, shows the widespread reach of local groups.

Other websites of interest...

Salem Public Library - Salem Room -This room is devoted to local history resources. Located in the reference section of the Salem Public Library, it conatins a flat file which has a copy of an 1856 volume devoted to the telling of the story of Leslie's Retreat. Of special interest are the appendices which contain primary source accounts by eyewitnesses to the event.

Salem In History website - Another Teaching American History grant, this site features items from the Peabody Essex museum in Salem, MA. Pay particular attention to the teapot marked with "Stamp Act Repeal'd"