02: Revolutionary America

. Some 51 percent of his men were too sick to stand duty, unable to conduct the counter-siege operations that Cornwallis knew were required. American and French forces penned the troops in until Cornwallis surrendered in October, which in effect decided the outcome of the American Revolution. 

Next tuesday they are warned at Braintree all above 15 and under 60 to attend with their arms, and to train once a fortnight from that time, is a Scheme which lays much at heart with many.

It <span title="always">allways</span> <span title="appeared">appeard</span> a most iniquitious Scheme to me-fight ourselfs for what we are daily robbing and plundering from those who have as good a right to freedom as we have. You know my mind upon this Subject.

The Americans, when the stamp act was first proposed, undoubtedly disliked it, as every nation dislikes an impost; but they had no thought of resisting it, till they were encouraged and incited by European intelligence, from men whom they thought their friends, but who were friends only to themselves.

If slavery be thus fatally contagious, how is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of negroes?

<p>The time is now, perhaps, at hand, which sir Thomas Browne predicted, between jest and earnest: </p><blockquote> <p>"When America should no more send out her treasure,<br> But spend it at home in American pleasure."</p></blockquote>

If any person guilty of, or charged with, treason, felony, or other high misdemeanor in any State, shall flee from justice, and be found in any of the United States, he shall, upon demand of the Governor or executive power of the State from which he fled, be delivered up and removed to the State having jurisdiction of his offense.

would it not be as well to liberate and make soldiers at once of the blacks themselves as to make them instruments for enlisting white Soldiers? It wd. certainly be more consonant to the principles of liberty which ought never to be lost sight of in a contest for liberty,

You desire to know what I want that may be sent in the same manner-a <span title="piece">peice</span> or two of Holland Apron tape, a pair of silk mitts or Gloves, an Ell or two of Muslin or figured Lawn, and as a little of what <span class="add">you call</span> frippery is very necessary towards looking like the rest of the world, Nabby would have me add, a few yard of Black or White Gauze, low priced black or white lace or a few yards of Ribbon but would have <span class="name" title="Abigail (Smith) Adams (1744-1818). Married John Adams in 1764.">Mamma</span> write <span class="add">to <span class="name" title="John Adams (1735-1826)">Pappa</span></span> at the same time that she has no passion for dress further than he would approve of or to appear when she goes from home a little like those of her own age.

So many others will write you the state of <span title="politics">politicks</span> that I believe I shall not touch upon them. I have enclosed Philadelphia papers and journals. Our currency too is a Subject which you must learn from others; if I can procure sufficient to pay my taxes I shall be content, I want no more. I will just mention that the last years tax upon only two acres and half of <span title="Meadow">Medow</span> in Milton was 60 <span title="dollars">dollors</span> and a parish tax for the land you own in the next parish 50 <span title="dollars">dollors</span>. This year <span title="it is">tis</span> impossible to say to what amount they will rise. The tenants are all scared and declare they will quit Farms as <span title="it is">tis</span> impossible for them to pay half the taxes. Mine talked in the same strain but finally concluded to tarry <span title="another">an other</span> year.

nd as a little of what you call frippery is very necessary towards looking like the rest of the world, Nabby would have me add, a few yard of Black or White Gauze, low priced black or white lace or a few yards of Ribbon but would have Mamma write to Pappa at the same time that she has no passion for dress further than he would approve of or to appear when she goes from home a little like those of her own age.

Necessity not only authorizes but seems to require the measure, for should the disorder infect the Army in the natural way and rage with its usual virulence we should have more to dread from it than from the Sword of the Enemy.

The other matter just now hinted at and which I proposd in my last is to join you in attempting to secure some of the most valuable Lands in the Kings part which I think may be accomplished after a while notwithst⟨an⟩ding the Proclamation that restrains it at present &amp; prohibits the Settling of them at all for I can never look upon that Proclamation in any other light (but this I say between ourselves) than as a temporary expedien⟨t⟩ to quiet the Minds of the Indians &amp; must fall of course in a few years esp⟨e⟩cially when those Indians are consenting to our Occupying the Lands. any Person therefore who neglects the present oppertunity of hunting ou⟨t⟩ good Lands &amp; in some measure Marking &amp; distinguishing them for their own (in order to keep others from settling them) will never regain it.

I woud recommend it to you to keep this whole matter a profound Secret

if the Scheme I am now proposing to you was known it might give the alarm to others

They are&nbsp;less a reflection of&nbsp;the&nbsp;current&nbsp;state of&nbsp;historical knowledge than&nbsp;a&nbsp;collection&nbsp;of stories&nbsp;adults think&nbsp;will do children good, the&nbsp;educational&nbsp;equivalent of&nbsp;making the kids eat theirpeas.&nbsp;

What&nbsp;distinguishes&nbsp;one company’s books from another is&nbsp;not&nbsp;the&nbsp;stories&nbsp;they&nbsp;tell, but&nbsp;their&nbsp;“differentials”—the&nbsp;ancillary&nbsp;features&nbsp;that come&nbsp;bundled with&nbsp;a&nbsp;majoradoption: test banks,&nbsp;online&nbsp;primary sources,&nbsp;hefty teacher’s editions,&nbsp;downloadable flashcards,&nbsp;and just about every&nbsp;other&nbsp;shiny object&nbsp;that glistens

It wasn’t until the&nbsp;civil rights movement&nbsp;of the 1960sthat&nbsp;Attucks&nbsp;became&nbsp;a&nbsp;regular&nbsp;feature in&nbsp;textbooks

. Among the first was&nbsp;Henry Graff’s&nbsp;1967&nbsp;The Free and the Brave:&nbsp;“Attucks and his fellow victims had become the first martyrs in the American struggle against Britain.”&nbsp;A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-Martyr-Liberty-Crispus-American/dp/0199731616">review</a>&nbsp;of seven textbooks&nbsp;published&nbsp;between&nbsp;2003-2009&nbsp;found that all but one featured&nbsp;Attucks&nbsp;in their narration of the&nbsp;Boston Massacre.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Race-baiting&nbsp;proved&nbsp;a winning strategy. The jury found Captain Preston not guilty, along with six of his soldiers.

With the&nbsp;Kaplans’ text in hand,&nbsp;the authors of&nbsp;<strong>The</strong> <strong>Americans</strong>&nbsp;made a choice.&nbsp;Instead of&nbsp;helping young Americans see&nbsp;how a&nbsp;Black&nbsp;(or mixed race)&nbsp;body wasstamped from&nbsp;the beginning, to&nbsp;invoke&nbsp;Ibram&nbsp;X.Kendi’s phrase,&nbsp;and&nbsp;thereby&nbsp;prompt&nbsp;an&nbsp;examination ofthe hoary legacy of race-baiting,&nbsp;stretching fromCrispus&nbsp;Attucks to&nbsp;the&nbsp;Scottsboro&nbsp;boys to&nbsp;<a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2014/11/darren-wilsons-racial-portrayal-of-michael-brown-as-a-superhuman-demon-the-ferguson-police-officers-account-is-a-common-projection-of-racial-fears.html">Michael Brown</a>,&nbsp;they&nbsp;performed laser surgery on&nbsp;Adams’&nbsp;words in an act that would do Winston Smith proud.&nbsp;As Farah Peterson&nbsp;notes, Black people are allowed onto the stage of American history&nbsp;only if they satisfy&nbsp;certain conditions:&nbsp;“when they intersect with the triumphal tale of the creation of a white American republic.”

“We must clear away the twisted web of lies in our schools and classrooms” and teach our children&nbsp;a kind of history&nbsp;that will make them&nbsp;“love America with all of their heart and all of their soul.”&nbsp;

History&nbsp;that&nbsp;impels&nbsp;us to&nbsp;look&nbsp;at the past,&nbsp;unflinchingly and cleareyed,&nbsp;doesnot diminish&nbsp;us&nbsp;or make us less patriotic.&nbsp;The&nbsp;oppositeis true:&nbsp;It makes us grow up.&nbsp;Understanding&nbsp;who we were&nbsp;allows us to&nbsp;understand who we&nbsp;are&nbsp;now.&nbsp;Only&nbsp;then&nbsp;can we commit to doing something about&nbsp;it.&nbsp;That should be the goal of history education.&nbsp;