By Brian Hanley

BOSTON, MA – A few british soldiers were protecting the british sentinel. Some colonists started joining together one by one and throwing snowballs, sticks and stones at the British soldiers. March 5, 1777 is when this all happened. Someone in the commotion yelled or thought someone yelled “fire” and shot which lead to even more bullets fired.  3 died right away, the first, black sailor, Crispus Attucks, Rope Maker, Samuel Gray and a mariner named James Caldwell. 8 found wounded and 2 of them died later.

A meeting was called to put the british soldiers and Captain Preston on trial for murder. At the trial only 2 men would defend the British. They were John Adams and Josiah Quincy II. All of the british soldiers were realeased except two of them, they were found guilty of manslaughter. John Adams did a great job defending the soldiers.

“The part I took in defense of Captain Preston and the Soldiers, procured me Anxiety, and Obloquy enough. it was one of the most gallant, generous, manly and disinterested actions of my whole life and one of the best peices of services i have ever done in my life…” -John Adams.

After the shootings the crowd dispersed. Many colonists were very angry at the soldiers.

“I want them dead!” said a colonist. Many colonists want revenge.

“They shouldn’t have been so loud and obnoxious, they were throwing things that could have severely hurt us, we fired in an act of defense,” said one British soldier.

By Jaden Milano

Boston Mass- John Adams, one of the most well respected Patriot leaders, put his legacy on the line this week.  Adams will represent the British soldiers who were involved in the the Boston Massacre and who are accused of killing five colonists.

Adams says his reasoning for this is that he believes everyone deserves a fair trial.

His very outspoken cousin Samuel Adams said, “I am behind John throughout the case. He is making a point to Britain letting them know we have more class and belive everyone is equal.”

September 14th, 1776

Greetings to you of Boston.

Today, musket smoke clouds the sky, and the sharp rat-tat-tat of the drums permeates the heavy silence that hangs before a battle. In your Revolution against conformity, you have sought freedom from the British regime. At last, it has come to this: full, brutal war. But even if you win your cause, only the white man will receive the individual, unalienable rights that accompany autonomy.

For years before the white people came to this land and made settlements here, we have lived off of the bounty of nature. I am no stranger to European customs and traditions, but I have the Wampanoag blood strong in me still. I too wish that the British would leave this continent for their gray, gloomy island and desist from polluting our land, but my people deserve the independence that all white civilians will receive upon their departure. We have fought against the Empire along with the colonists like brethren and my tribe has swelled your ranks. I can hear the murmurs and mutterings as you read this, saying, “Did not these traitors join with the enemy? How can they talk of such things as justice and egalitarianism?” Prithee, consider that the Wampanoag is in full agreement with the rebellion of the Patriots and shall continue to aid your movement. Our cousins the Iroquois have chosen to join the British out of vengeance; they will ne’er cease to try and purge this land of the colonists. But I make this clear that the Wampanoag will openly engage them if need be, so you may wholly see our faith in this endeavor. But when the Patriots prevail, we want entitlement to the same liberties that will be endowed to the white man.

Is it not that generations ago, we helped the first of you to survive the long, harsh winter in the Land by the Blue Hill? We gave your forefathers our land, relinquished our days to tirelessly help you plant, hunt, gather, and fish. If not for us, they might have died, and with them, the British culture that was inevitably to spread across the great sea.

When you see our wigwams, you laugh and point and deem us savages, as we mock your paleness and your foolishness. Your first impression is that of a hideous, uncouth madman twirling a tomahawk as battle cries rent the air. It is true that we may be violent if provocation so arises, and we have had our good share of war. We have raided your towns and kidnapped your children, I will not deny it, for we too have faults. But you forget that you have taken our land and forced us away into the deepest woods, that it is you, the white man, who must extend a hand in apology. Yet when we are willing to bury the hatchet you still condescend to look down upon us as ignorant and unfit to be your peers. As you then marvel when one of us has the education and the tongue to speak English.

It is not just us, the Wampanoag, who seek our prerogatives, but also the dark-skinned ones whom you call Negroes. Many a captive has escaped from the constraints of your society to live with us, like us, in the wilds and barrens that you would not dare venture into. They too, would claim the rights bestowed upon you by the government, but you insult them and elevate yourselves by making them your slaves. The Negroes are our adopted children and grandchildren, and what we desire for ourselves we desire for them as well.

Like the mighty bear or the majestic stag, we are a proud race, without the innocent naivety that you may think you perceive. We know that once this war is over and you have obtained from us the assistance you need, you will turn on us and look to confine us for your amusement. Be warned that a Wampanoag angered is a fierce rival, though you may not see fit to equate us and turn a blind eye to our skills in warfare. I know well, as do you in your hearts, that without our experience you would not be here today to act so arrogant. As that is so, then I say, give us what is unduly our right. When the time comes let us participate in governing this land first harvested by us, and do not persecute nor prosecute simply for the sake of it, as you would not violate the security of another white man.

Yours truly,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Chief Yellowfeather

April 19, 1775

The battle ended in minutes. The patriots lost that battle, but picked off the British all the way back to Boston. The British death toll was in the 73 with 174 wounded. The patriot death toll was 49 dead and 39 wounded. But the question on peoples mind is: Who fired the first shot? Who really started the war? Both sides had orders to fire only if the other side fired, but someone fired, and nobody knows who. A soldier went down on both sides. Then, a firefight between the two erupted.

 James Pattiner, a patriot captain in the local militia, explains what he saw.

“We waited for someone to take the shot,” Pattiner said. “Then, my friend Nick went down next to me. I tried shaking him, hoping he’ll get up but he didn’t. I picked up my gun, and shot those lobsters backs in the head. I had a thirst for vengeance.”

 Colonel Transbard, a British colonel in the 101th regiment, as also explained what he saw.

“We marched as close to those yanks as we could go,” said Transbard. ”We waited for those scallywags to fire, and they did. Private McGlang got shot right in the throat and died instantly. I raised my sword and ordered “fire!” Soon, each side was shooting the other.”

Nobody is yet sure who fired the first shot. Each side is still blaming eachother but more research will have to be done in order to confirm which side fired.

By Aparna Nair-Kanneganti

April 11^th, 1774 – British military in Boston have recently gained knowledge that arms are being gathered in Concord, a small town a few miles north of the city. Rebel Samuel Adams and fellow Patriot John Hancock are suspected to be the masterminds of the plot, and have been proclaimed public enemies to the city. Anonymous sources revealed that Adams has fled to the Massachusetts countryside while troops are on the lookout for anyone affiliated with the notorious Sons of Liberty.

Military authorities have been granted rights to a search warrant for every house in Concord to look for an alleged stash of ammunition and weaponry illegally stored in the village. The Governor of Boston has alerted the public to the imminence of a massive attack on the city using these stored arms, giving a sense of urgency to the search. Accusations of civilians assisting and harboring traitors to the Crown have triggered much uproar in the surrounding area. Several more soldiers have been commissioned to Massachusetts to help control the restive populace. Many fear that action will be taken in a more violent manner than necessary, and an all-out battle seems inevitable.

Reporters of this newspaper met with Samuel Adams before he left for Lexington. Adams would not reveal whether he was indeed responsible for this latest enacted scheme to amass weapons and form a colonial army.

Mixed perspectives and views on these recent events are not uncommon in the city of Boston, as a series of interviews with locals have proved. Milliner and long-time resident Sylvia Janesdaughter claims that “Samuel Adams and others like him are a threat to the public and have been poisoning the minds of many in Boston with malicious notions about the King”, while others, including the ardent patriot Samuel Johnson declare that, “What we need is change, and we aim to get it! The British have no right to keep persecuting us for what is our right! By all means, keep stockpiling weapons!” Engraver and silversmith Paul Revere, whose work was made famous with his depiction of the Boston Massacre, hinted at “more action in the coming days; just remember, one if by land, and two if by sea”. He gestured towards his long-time friend, pastor Sexton Newman, who was also present for the interview. Yet more Bostonians are undecided as to whether they support the Loyalist or the American cause.

By Luca Abatemarco

The Americans gained another monumental victory over  the British this week, for as of January 7th, 1778, France agreed to sign a Treaty of Amity with the colonies. This decision was made unanimously by the French Royal Council after the colonies’ victory at Saratoga; however, the leaders of the colonies had been contemplating foreign alliances. Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee represented the Americans and signed the treaty, and a French diplomat titled Conrad Alexandre Gérard de Rayneval signed for France. The colonies and France are now allies in politics and commerce, and there is speak of a Treaty of Alliance that will make France a military ally of the colonies as well as a ally of commerce. Our sources say that this treaty, if signed at all, will be signed in early February.

“More than anything we need the French to lend us soldiers, although I suppose that this treaty will help to keep our stomachs full,” says Samuel Meeker, a former soldier of the former American General Benedict Arnold.

To The Future Leaders of this Country

I need not to say much but to say everything.

You, the future leaders of this land which I have defended and helped bring into the light of glorious independence, have the largest of burdens to uphold. You must defend our fair lady, be her knight in shining armor, and the role model to mold the citizens of this land of endless possibility.

No building is made without a scaffold, and that is what you must be for your country. You must be the face of an ideal citizen, leader, soldier or captain, and you must never fear. Fear is the worm in the apple; it will destroy this prized land only if it destroys you.

This land belongs to neither king nor queen, nor race or religion. People should be able to freely worship whatever it is that they wish, for to damn another for one’s beliefs, is to kill a man for standing. Religion is such a part of you that it knows not our churches or our homes alone, it is in a man’s hello or a woman’s goodbye, it is the world’s way of hoping for a better tomorrow. How do you build a country, nay how do you live without hope? That is not living at all.

Your duties may tax your body, your health, and your mind, but know only of all the good that face the hardships with you. Even after I am long gone, America will always be shining in her glory, for she has taught me that anything is possible.

George Washington

The Quartering Act

By Cynthia Baseman

March 25th, 1765— The Quartering Act, which states that any colonist must submit to housing and feeding one or m0re British soldiers in his home at his own expense, enraged many colonists. The act was passed yesterday and will expire on March 24th, 1777. The British Parliament believes that the soldiers must be kept here so that the colonists will not ‘act up’, what we call fighting for our freedom and rights.

One rightfully angry colonist despises the act and stated, “We came here to be free. They let us come here to be free. So why can’t they stay out of our lives and just let us be free? And anyway, the French and Indian War is over, so why do we need soldiers stationed here now?”  In contrast, a British soldier, stationed on King Street, claims that “The soldiers, like me, are here only to protect the colonists. Why can’t they just settle down and get their heads straight? These colonists are turning into downright rebels, who cannot only hurt others, but also hurt themselves.”

Do you know how to protect yourself from diseases?  Inoculation is great for protecting against many diseases including small pox.

Self inoculating is an important part of staying healthy. You can self inoculate in hurry by preferating a small portion of skin and putting an infected substance onto the area. The next day you will know if you have done this successfully if the inoculated site is infected.

As most people know there are three ways to get off a British prison ship riddled with disease and danger.#1 – Fight with the British, there are less deaths on the battle field than in British ships , #2 – the war ends and they release the prisoners, #3- break out. Either way you need to be in good health condition to survive your stay.

This can keep you healthy to help you endure your stay in a war ship until you can get out.

New York Harbor

When I stepped off of the Queen Elizabeth onto the piers in the New York Harbor, I was immediately overwhelmed by the hustle of a commercial city that could rival London in its business. The stereotypical inexperienced tourist, I attempted to make everything I could of the colonies in the few days I had to spare for leisure, and ended up so tired that by the time the day came for me to begin my apprenticeship, I could barely lift a finger.

They say that occupation keeps one’s hands from idle, useless work. They also say that the pleasures of laziness during peregrination are vices that should be discouraged. Of course, one can assume that they have never really traveled or they would know how much work it is (whoever “they” may be representative of). This guide is made to ease the stress from your journeys as you tour the colonies for the first time, so that you might not make the same mistakes that I did.

The South

Ah, fair Carolina! Indeed, the land here is fair, with stout palmettos dotting the windswept, sandy beaches, and wealthy villas and mansions placed strategically to overlook wonderful ocean vistas. Now three separate colonies, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, this is the place of plantations and warm weather. The climate is mild and so are the people, delighting in lavishness and luxuriantly magnanimous.

I’d suggest a stay at a seaside inn, and then heading inland for a slave auction. A trip made in the spring or summer warrants a beautiful carriage ride, as the indigo flowers are in full bloom at this time of year. Fairly used, the roads are relatively well-maintained. Further inland, more adventurous travelers can stay in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains surrounded by Nature in all her glory.

The Chesapeake Bay

Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware have much to offer in the way of attractions as well. Cooler temperatures provide an escape from the humid heat of the South.

In Virginia, visit the historic site of Jamestown, the first English settlement in the colonies. Intrepid travelers may choose to explore the Chesapeake Bay by boat, much like the celebrated Captain John Smith did upon his arrival, while botany enthusiasts can venture into the hilly, green Piedmont region on the border with Maryland and delight in the pristine land filled with trees. Beware of shallow bay waters and swampy land in some areas.

Dining opportunities are readily available, and most inns serve the simple fisherman’s fare of crab or scallops along with some harvested greens.

Independence Hall, Philadelphia

Following the Eastern Seaboard north, one would come upon the mouth of the Delaware River in New Jersey. Sandy stretches entice any seaside-lovers, while further inland, Pennsylvania is a traveler’s delight.

As you ride into Pennsylvania, immerse yourself in the scenery of the Appalachian Mountains. In this hilly colony, stay in Philadelphia, a lively city full of spirited people. Several taverns offer dining and room choice. In and outside the city, learn of new theologies at a church of the religiously eccentric Quakers, as only Pennsylvania can boast of having such a large Quaker population. While you are here, make sure to visit the exhibition at Fairmount Park, which will only be held this year, 1776.

The Greater New York Area

New York is a fine colony in which one could spend days. Named after the Duke of York, who purchased the land after a transaction with the Dutch, New York still holds much of its Dutch heritage. Tour the city, from the bustle of Wall Street to the tranquility of Long Island, where the main enterprise is farming. Spend a few days here, indulging. Or else, you might decide to set up shop here and purchase a small cottage on Broadway.

Follow the Hudson River north, stopping in pleasant hamlets along the way, before spending a night a night in Albany. Originally known as Fort Orange, Albany used to be a Dutch fur trading post, and this area offers much in the terms of game for prospective hunters. Those for whom hunting is not suited may choose to experience new culture as they search for the Iroquois who live in and around Saratoga Springs.

New England

Some of the most colorful colonies are in New England, famous for its beautiful fall foliage, restive populace, and hearty seafood dishes. From New York, head to Connecticut, where the Loyalist residents are generous and very willing to rent out rooms for overnight stays. Don’t forget to visit the great college of Yale in New Haven and compare it with a critical eye to Oxford back at home.

A night in Boston will enrich this vacation; stop for a cup of tea in one of the many streetside cafes, or protest against the drink in the many riots that take place in this city. Head north, taking in the beautiful countryside that surrounds the area. See where the Pilgrims landed at the Plimoth Plantations, and witness firsthand the hill in Salem where the witches were tried.

A New Hampshire Farmhouse

In Vermont and New Hampshire, drink in the scenery as you ride through the forests and mountains. Stay in quaint roadside inns as you tour these rustic colonies, and attend Mass in the small but charming chapels and churches that dot the woods. I’d recommend not to arrive in the winter, as snowfall is heavy at that time of year, and the air is even colder than in England.

In Maine, which is officially part of Massachusetts, one can find abundant wildlife and breathtaking vistas of both mountains and ocean. Enjoy square meals of buttered lobster and greens while on the lookout for whales, or set up camp in the forest and sleep under the stars in this sparsely populated colony.

Not to be missed amongst its larger counterparts, Rhode Island is a tiny colony, but full of life. Visit the Providence plantations or simply stay by the sea and let the ocean waves lull you to sleep.

Pages and pages more could be used to describe the splendor of the colonies, but even without the excess chapters and appendices, America is still the dream of every traveler, with gorgeous landscapes and vibrant people.