Daphne+N.+-+Historical+Fiction+Character

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Colonial Life
My name is Hannah Abrahamson, and I am thirteen-years-old. I have lived in Pennsylvania nearly a year now. We used to live out in the country in England, in a huge ranch where about twenty families lived together. One day the Englishmen came took our land, said we had no right owning it because we were Jews. So we came here. We docked at Rhode Island and spent a couple of weeks there, but Jews were treated even worse there. It seems that way everywhere. But here in Pennsylvania things seem better.

I have three brothers and three sisters. Aaron, my oldest brother just got engaged to a girl named Karren. I don’t know her very well, but she seems to make him happy. Sadie is almost seventeen, Mother and Father have been frantic trying to find a husband for her, she is getting old and we need the money. She doesn’t want to get married though, she would rather jus stay here on the farm. On the other hand, Analiese is nearly throwing herself at every boy who walks her way. Every night she plaits her hair to make it perfect for the next day. Matt is fourteen. He mostly spends the day following Father, helping Father, and doing whatever Father asks of him. He is trying to learn all his tricks, so he can go get a farm one day. Nate is my younger brother. He spends most of his days playing games with his marbles. Sometimes, he can actually convince Lily, my five-year-old sister, to stop playing with her dolls and they play tag for hours.

Mother made Lily that doll for her first birthday, and she almost never lets go of it. Mother used to be a seamstress. She along with some other women would sew all the clothes for all the people on our ranch. She made the most incredible clothes. She made me a beautiful red dress a few months ago, but I’m afraid that if I wear it, it will get ruined. Mother used to always say, “the nicer the clothes the better your treated.” She doesn’t sew so much anymore, since we moved away from England, she gets terrible headaches.

Father hardly spends anytime at our small house. Mostly he is out on the farm, planting, harvesting, and feeding the animals. We have a couple of workers, and our proud to say that we don’t have any slaves. We are one of the only families who don’t, instead we just hire workers when we need, them. It’s much cheaper that way. Father loves it here. He thinks there’s nothing better than a great farm, but I disagree, someday I’m going to live in the city. Mother is teaching me how to sew, and I want to sell dresses on a shop in town. But for now my job, is to help Mother cook and clean the house, along with taking care of my grandmother, who is ill. But soon, everything is sure to change.

Revolution

 * Topic:** People going in the army, George Washington as their leader

Hart, Diana and Bert Bower. // History alive!: the United States though industrialism. // Palo Alto, Calif.: Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, 2011. Print.
 * Source:**


 * Research:**

“Many soldiers enlisted for six months, or a year” (88)

“The continental Army was always short of men. General Washington never had more than 20,000 troops at one time and place.” (88)

“The patriotism of the people…(allowed them to) willingly gave give their lives to defend their liberty…” (88)

“George Washington…inspired courage and confidence. In the dark days to come, it was Washington who would keep the ragtag Continental army together” (88).

“Continental Army." // Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia // . Nov. 2010. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .
 * Second Source:**

Citizens who volunteered for the army were paid.
 * Research:**

Army never reached over 17,000 men.

“Turnover was a constant problem, particularly in the winter of 1776-77, and longer enlistments were approved.”

Topic: General Howe in Philadelphia September 26, 1777.

Hart, Diana and Bert Bower. // History alive!: the United States though industrialism. // Palo Alto, Calif.: Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, 2011. Print.
 * Source:**

“Colonists printed paper money to pay for the war. But the value of this money dropped so low merchants demanded to be paid in gold instead.” (88).
 * Research:**

“Howe headed for Philadelphia, the rebels capital. There he hoped to lure Washington into another major battle.” (93).

Second Source: "The Patriot Resource: William Howe." // Welcome to The Patriot Resource //. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .

“September 11, he defeated General Washington at the Battle of Brandywine and occupied Philadelphia on September 26th.”
 * Research:**

“He again defeated Washington at the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. He then entered winter quarters at Philadelphia”

 American Revolution - American War of Independence." // British Battles - Analysing and Documenting British Battles from the Previous Centuries // . Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .
 * Third Source:**

**Research:** “ General Braddock’s disastrous defeat in July 1755 in Western Pennsylvania struck a major blow to the prestige of the British Crown. The withdrawal of Colonel Dunbar with the survivors of Braddock’s regular troops to Philadelphia, leaving Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and even Western New York to be ravaged by Indian raiding parties, encouraged by the French, led many in those colonies to question the worth of the link with Britain and to look to their own colonial governments to fill the vacuum left by the Royal Forces.” “Braddock’s campaign provides a looming portent for the future of the colonies. Many of the participants went on to take major parts in the Revolutionary War: George Washington, Gage, Gates, Mercer, Lee and several others.”


 * Topic: Burgoyne’s Surrender**

Hart, Diana and Bert Bower. // History alive!: the United States though industrialism. // Palo Alto, Calif.: Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, 2011. Print.
 * Source:**

“By the time Burgoyne arrived in the Hudson River the area was swarming with militia. Again and again the rebels beat Burgoyne’s troops.” (94).
 * Research:**

“France came into the war as an ally of the United States. The French government sent money, weapons, troops to the Americans.” (94).

The Battle of Saratoga." // British Battles - Analysing and Documenting British Battles from the Previous Centuries // . Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .
 * Second Source:**

“British and German troops against the Americans.” “The British force comprised some 5,000 British, Brunswickers, Canadians and Indians. By the time of the surrender the American force was around 12,000 to 14,000 militia and troops.”
 * Research:**

“The British wore red coats and headgear of bearskin caps, leather caps or tricorne hats depending on whether the troops were grenadiers, light company or battalion company men. The German infantry wore blue coats and retained the Prussian style grenadier mitre with brass front plate.”

“The Americans dressed as best they could. Increasingly as the war progressed regular infantry regiments of the Continental Army wore blue uniform coats but the militia continued in rough clothing. Both sides were armed with muskets and guns. Many of the Pennsylvania and Virginia troops and militia, particularly Morgan’s men, carried long, small calibre, rifled weapons.”


 * Topic: Winter at Valley Forge:**

Hart, Diana and Bert Bower. // History alive!: the United States though industrialism. // Palo Alto, Calif.: Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, 2011. Print.
 * Source:**

“Howe’s forces still occupied Philadelphia” (94).
 * Research:**

“It gave each and everyman a gill (few ounces of rice) and a table spoon of vinegar!”(94).

“Baron Friedrich von Steuben…in change of training. The army grows stronger every day. There is a spirit of discipline among the troops that is better than numbers.” (95).

“Marquis de Lafayette, also helped raise the troops spirits…used his own money to buy the men warm clothing.” (95).

Taylor, Quintard. "US History Timeline: War of Independence." // UW Faculty Web Server //. Web. 09 Nov. 2010. .
 * Second Source:**

July 27, 1777: “Marquis de Lafayette, 19 year old French aristocrat, arrives in Philadelphia and volunteers to serve without pay. Congress appoints him as a major general in the Continental Army. Lafayette will become one of Gen. Washington's most trusted aides.”
 * Research:**


 * Topic: Troops Leave Philadelphia**
 * June 18, 1778**

Hart, Diana and Bert Bower. // History alive!: the United States though industrialism. // Palo Alto, Calif.: Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, 2011. Print.
 * Source:**

“Sir Henry Clinton had replaced General How as commander of the British forces. In Clinton’s view, taking over Philadelphia had gained the British nothing. He ordered his army to retreat to New York City”(95).
 * Research:**

“Sir Henry Clinton had replaced General How as commander of the British forces. In Clinton’s view, taking over Philadelphia had gained the British nothing. He ordered his army to retreat to New York City”(Hart 95).

Taylor, Quintard. "US History Timeline: War of Independence." // UW Faculty Web Server //. Web. 09 Nov. 2010. .
 * Second Source:**

“Fearing a blockade by French ships, British Gen. Clinton withdraws his troops from Philadelphia and marches across New Jersey toward New York City. Americans then re-occupy Philadelphia.”
 * Research:**


 * Topic: The Final March**

Hart, Diana and Bert Bower. // History alive!: the United States though industrialism. // Palo Alto, Calif.: Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, 2011. Print.
 * Source:**

“With Yorktown exploding around him…Cornwallis clung to the hope the British navy would come to his rescue. When no ships arrived, he finally agreed to surrender” (97). ”
 * Research:**

“American and French troops formed two long lines. Behind the lines stood civilians who had traveled for miles to witness this glorious event.” (97).

“Cornwallis did not take part in the ceremony, saying that he was ill. Inn reality, the British commander could not bear to surrender publicly to an army that he looked down as “a contemptible and undisciplined rabble.” His men surrendered their arms. Many of them wept bitter tears” (97).

The Paris Peace Treaty of 1783." // Archiving Early America: Primary Source Material from 18th Century America // . Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .
 * Second Source:**

Finally, in February of 1783 George III issued his Proclamation of Cessation of Hostilities, culminating in the Peace Treaty of 1783. Signed in Paris on September 3, 1783, the agreement — also known as the Paris Peace Treaty — formally ended the United States War for Independence.
 * Research:**

__**Story Plot**__

I. Exposition A. Story takes place in the summer of 1776 in a farm Pennsylvania. B. Father, Matt, and Aaron join the army. C. Hannah and Karren have to begin her own dress shop to help support the family. Rising Action

II. Rising Action A. General Howe arrives in Philadelphia. B. Describe how awful it is with the British in town. C. Indians attack Philadelphia destroying the shop.

III. Climax A. Father sends a letter home describing their victory against Burgoyne. Everyone is elated, and they throw a small party at home, hoping that they will come home soon. B. Instead of coming home however, they are sent to Valley Forge. No letters come for weeks and weeks, everybody thinks that they have died and are devastated. C. Hannah is growing and and maturing very quickly, more quickly than a kid should. She starts to loose the childish way about her. She and Karren become the head of the house, and have to take care of Mother, who is even more ill since Father stopped sending letters. D. People keep coming into Hannah’s shop with paper money. She has stopped demanding gold, because they need all the money they can get. E. Finally they get a letter saying how Matt had fallen sick with small pox, and was delirious for days. All the soldiers are starving and freezing, with no clothes or food. Steuben has arrived and is drilling them like dogs, they are improving as an army but Matt is deteriorating very quickly. F. Father sends in another letter. They are going to leave Valley Forge and move out very soon. The last few days have been very cold. The soldiers were very generous is trying to give Matt their clothes to keep him warm, but it wasn’t enough. June 15, 1778, Matt has died.

IV. Falling action. A. Army has left Philadelphia, Sir Henry has replaced Howe, and has decided to move the troops to New York. B. Hannah see’s them marched by her house and goes outside to see what’s happening. She soon realizes that the British left Philadelphia and is elated. C. Father sends home a letter. Treaty of Paris has been signed, and they are coming home.

V. Denouement A. Leave the ranch and go all the way to the city to see the British troops being marched out. B. Hannah and Mother see Aaron and Father for the first time in five years. The reunion is ended quickly as the soldiers form two lines, and the British march between them. Heads hung low, some even sobbing is disgrace. C. Hannah looks for Cornwallis, but can’t find him. She is confused at first but soon she understands his shame D. Afterward, they all walk home, a family united at last.

The focus of my story will be the economical impact on the people during the war. Because Hannah’s father and brothers have gone off to war, they don’t have enough people to harvest the land and become very poor. Hannah then has to open her own shop, which of course makes little to no profit because of the effects of the paper money verses the coins.