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Teaching Children Social Studies




Focus: student writing



Challenge: Your character was present in Boston in August, 1765 when the Sons of Liberty vandalized the home of Governor Hutchinson. Write a letter to a friend or relative in England or another colony informing them of what had happened.

August 30, 1765,

Dear William of Dorchester, England

Here in Boston there has been a big robbery. The robbery was at Governor Hutchinson's house. Many items were stolen. I happen to know what happened that day.

First of all, it was only one group of people. That group of people were called the Sons of Liberty. The Sons don't usually do things like this. They just got out of control.

They took clothes, furniture, money, jewelry. Everything else was destroyed. They stole all the furniture except for some things in the kitchen. The damage was so much, it left the Governor and his family homeless.

Sometimes the people here get way out of control. The Sons of Liberty will try to stay under control. They have a short temper but they will make sure to control their temper the next time.

Your friend,

John Hopkins (SJ)

August, 1765

Dear Emma,

Everything has been different ever since you went to England. The people here are so wild, especially the Sons of Liberty. They are very much against the British and those who support them. They would do anything to make them regret it, even vandalize their houses.

That's the exact thing that happened to Thomas Hutchinson's house on August, 1765. They broke into his house and took all his children's, servant's, and his own furniture. All the plates, family pictures, books and papers were gone too. They also scattered and destroyed all the manuscripts and other papers he had been collecting for 30 years. They even had the nerve to carry off $ 900 dollars.

Thomas Hutchinson had no choice but to leave the house with his family. The next day was colder and he didn't have enough clothing so he had to borrow some from his friend. He was forced to shelter his family at the castle on Castle Island for that night.

I still support the British but I fear the Sons of Liberty. I don't know what will happen to my house, my family, and me if they find out. I might come back to England. It's probably safer for me and my family there.

Yours truly,

Anne (LT)

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