Vanessa+G.+-+Historical+Fiction+Character

toc

Colonial Life
Hello my name is Adam Smith. I'm 18 year old. I didn’t completely come to the new world by choice. My life at home uses to be pretty good. Even thought my family wasn’t really wealthy, I still got an education from my uncle. About a year ago thing started to go bad. My father accidently killed my aunt when coming home one night from the tavern after a few drinks to many. He ran her over with the horse crushing her and killing her. Even though it was an accident he still got charged for murder. A week after the accident father got hanged. The worst part of it all was my family disowned my sister and I. Our aunts, uncles, and cousins ignored are presents of ever being alive. My sister’s name is Emily she is 9, I take care of her because both of are parents are dead- mother died at the birth of Emily. When our family disowned us we got left with my fathers huge debt. To avoid going to debtors prison we came to the new world. We both came to the new world in 1684. We arrived in Rhode Island and became an endangered servant to a wealthy man to pay off my father debt. The man we worked for was cruel, he forced us to work all day and night and feed us very little. We work there for about a year then we escaped. We were suppose to work on his farm for 5 straight years but we ran away to New York to start off fresh. Since I have an education I am hoping to find a high paying job as a lawyer but momentarily I’m a fisherman. We have only lived in New York for only about 2 months.

Revolution
 American Revolution Topic Research

**Topic:** The Battle of Trenton Dec, 25 (christmas) 1776 > > >
 * 1)  **Source:** Hart, Daine, and Bert Bower. //History Alive!:The United States through industrialism.// Palo Alto, Calif: Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, 2011. Print.
 * 1) Conditions
 * 2) “....a driving snow chilled them to the bone. Ice and rocks cut through their worn-out shoes. One officer reported to washington that the troops’ guns were to wet to fire.” [hart 92]
 * 3) Crisis/why it happened
 * 4) End of 1776 everyone thought that the British were just about to win the war
 * 5) “General howe offered to pardon all rebels who signed a statement promising to “remain in peaceful obedience” to the king. Thousands took him up oh his offer.” [hart 92]
 * 6) In result of the Washington “had to do something and quickly” [hart 92] he gathered his last troops and planed an attack on Hessian troops who were in trenton for the winter
 * 7)  What happened?
 * 8) “ ..they found the Hessians happily sleeping off their christmas feast. caught completely by surprise, the mercenaries surrendered.”
 * 9)  The american did lose one mad and “ took 868 prisoners” [hart 92]
 * 10) “ New of Washington’s victories electrified patriots.” [hart 92]
 * 11)  **Source:** "Washington Crosses the Delaware, 1776," EyeWitness to History,[|__http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/washingtondelaware.htm__], 2004.
 * 1) Conditions
 * 2) “During the night of December 25, Washington led his troops across the ice-swollen Delaware about 9 miles north of Trenton. The weather was horrendous and the river treacherous. Raging winds combined with snow, sleet and rain to produce almost impossible conditions. To add to the difficulties, a significant number of Washington's force marched through the snow without shoes.”
 * 3) What happened?
 * 4) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“The next morning they attacked to the south, taking the Hessian garrison by surprise and over-running the town. After fierce fighting, and the loss of their commander, the Hessians surrendered.”
 * 5) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“The news of the American victory spread rapidly through the colonies reinvigorating the failing spirit of the Revolution. The battle's outcome also gave Washington and his officers the confidence to mount another campaign.”
 * 6) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“Although not apparent at the time, the battles were a decisive turning point in the Revolution.”
 * 7) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">Changes in the info
 * 8) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“The hessians suffer approximately 900 casualties during the battle (killed wounded or captured) while the Americans losses amounted to 4 killed and 8 wounded”
 * 9)  **Source:** “The Battle of Trenton”, British Battles, <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">[|__http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-trenton.htm__] ,2010.
 * 1) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">Conditions
 * 2) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“It was a cold dark night and the river was running with flowing ice. At about 11pm a heavy snow and sleet storm broke. Washington’s force did not reach the east bank until around 3am. His soldiers were badly clothed and many did not have shoes. Washington’s men then marched to Trenton, some of the men leaving traces of blood on the snow.”
 * 3) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">Crisis
 * 4) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“After being driven out of New York by the British and forced to retreat to the West bank of the Delaware during the late summer of 1776”, The American cause was in a poor state
 * 5) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“In the harsh winter Washington was faced with the annual crisis of the expiry of the Continental Army’s period of enlistment. He resolved to attack the Hessian position at Trenton on the extreme southern end of the over extended British line along the Delaware, before his army dispersed.”
 * 6) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">The Plan
 * 7) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“Washington’s plan was to cross the Delaware at three points with a force commanded by Lt Col Cadwallader with a Rhode Island regiment, some Pennsylvanians, Delaware militia and two guns, a second force under Brigadier Ewing of militia and the third commanded by himself which would cross the river above Trenton and attack the Hessian garrison in the town. Washington had as his subordinates, Major Generals Nathaniel Greene and John Sullivan.”
 * 8) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">But it ended up that “Ewing and Cadwallader failed to make the river crossing and took no part in the attack.”
 * 9) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">What happened?
 * 10) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">The American force under Washington (the main force) entered Trenton from the North-West. John Sullivan force marched around the town and attacked from the South. The remainder force (Major Generals Nathaniel Greene force) took a position to the North East cutting off the Hessians’ retreat.
 * 11) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“The Hessians attempted to form in the town but were under artillery fire and attack from front and rear. The Americans occupied the houses and shot down the German gunners and foot soldiers during which Colonel Rahl was fatally wounded. Rahl’s troops retreated to an orchard in the South East of the town where they surrendered.”
 * 12) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">Facts
 * 13) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“2,400 American troops with 18 guns. 1,400 Hessians with 6 light guns.”
 * 14) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“The Hessian commander Colonel Rahl had been ordered to construct defence works around the town but had not troubled to do so. On the night before the attack Rahl was at dinner when he was brought information that the Americans were approaching. He ignored the message which was found in his pocket after his death.”
 * 15) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">Changes in the info
 * 16) <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px;">“Casualties: The Americans suffered 4 wounded casualties. It is said that in addition two American soldiers froze to death. The Hessians suffered 20 killed and around 100 wounded. 1,000 were captured.” (that info changed)

__Story Plot__

 * <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">**Exposition**: Pennsylvania, 1776. Adam Smith, the main character, who was a local fisherman before he joined the American army to fight to for representation. Adam and the rest of the American force is now by the Delaware River, after being driven out of New York by British and Hessian force.
 * <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">**Rising Action**: The American force is getting weaker and losing hope during the harsh winter. People are giving up and thinking that the British were just about to win the war. Adam is faced with all the fears, doubts, and conditions as a soldier.
 * <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">**Crisis**: As a result of the low hopes for the Americans. Washington plans an sneak attack on Hessian troops -December 25th- who were in trenton for the winter. Adam writes in his Journal about the fear of having the same brutal lost in the Trenton battle as the they did in the New York battle.
 * **Climax**: Adam goes through extreme struggle and pain to cross the Delaware River and march the 9 miles to Trenton. Adam feels alone. Then, Adams finds out that Ewing and Cadwallader forces failed to make the river crossing and that they are the only force fighting! He becomes even more terrified!
 * <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">**Falling Action**: Attacking Trenton.
 * **Dénouement**: Eventually the Hessians surrender. Adam is traumatized. He feels relief and remorse. News spreads of the American great victory!
 * <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">**Story Theme:** I want the reader to get a feel for how the war was like for soldiers (emotional and physical struggles) in that time period from a social standpoint.