Grace+T.+-+Historical+Fiction+Character

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Colonial Life
Anne Summer of 1674

“I will not leave court.” I stated.

“You will do as I command, and I command you to go live in New York.” He bellowed. “Mother would never allow it, and you cannot make me.” I snapped. “You are a fool! As a daughter you do as I command.” “And you are a sad excuse for a father.” I whispered coolly, then turned on my heel and left without a glance. I was so young and naïve and probably should have been slapped across the face for that but I never gave him the chance. It was the last dinner tonight and I was determined to enjoy myself. I danced and eat the most extravagant things offered, but by the middle of dinner I was nearly asleep so I went up to the Queens apartments and called for the tub. I washed my hair and combed it for lice, and still felt dirty and unhappy so I pulled on my cape and hood and went to the King’s chambers. The guards at the doors let me in almost immediately. “Ah Anne. I wondered when you would come.” I found Uncle Charles sitting at his desk reading documents of all sorts. There were wrinkles in his forehead from concentrating so hard. His hair was starting to gray a little and I noticed wrinkles by his eyes which I have never seen before. I saw the glow of happiness in his eyes when he saw me; I had always been his favorite and hoped I always would be. “Evening, Uncle.” “What do you seek from me?” he responded “Help, advice, anything. I am baffled, when I went to my room this morning my gowns were all packed and everything was gone, I then find out that tomorrow I am to leave to New York and yet no one tells until today, but it has been planned since my birth by my own father!” I cried. “My dear niece, you have little to fear.” He took me into his lap and spoke to me like the child I was, “You have been educated in the French court and were allowed to come back early because there was nothing left for you there. You are the brightest young lady of the age. My advise to you though is to make a friend of Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. He has much influence over your father. I will not see you off tomorrow so listen to me now. You are a brave, intelligent girl and I want you to watch over Mary and Henry. I want them fully educated by the time you return to court. I look forward seeing you return to court as a mature woman.” “Yes, Uncle. Thank you.” I said innocently. He nodded, I gave him a warm smile and I stood to leave. “Oh, and Anne.” “Yes.” “Good luck, my little niece.” He smiled and went back to his papers.

Source: History Alive!
Hart, Diane, and Bert Bower. //History alive!: the United States through industrialism//. Palo Alto, Calif.: Teachers' Curriculum Institute, 2011. Print.

Cornwallis surrenders after he realizes that the British Navy will not be able to rescue him, and ironically he isn't the person who has to say it. “When no ships arrived, he finally agreed to surrender.” (97).

Americans were assisted by the French and without them they probably would not have succeeded. Considering about half of the total amount of troops were French. “France sent nearly 5,000 troops to join Washington’s army in New York…another 3,000 troops were scheduled to arrive soon in 29 French warships.” (96).

After Cornwallis surrendered they walked down a isle lines with Americans on one side and the French on the other. "American and French troops formed two long lines that stretched for more than a mile along the road to Yorktown - the French on one side, the Americans on the other." (97).

Source: Wikipedia: "Siege of Yorktown"
"Siege of Yorktown." //Wikipedia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. .

The Siege of Yorktown was a battle where General George Washington created a trap around Yorktown, - where the British Army was stationed - he got help from the French army and when General Cornwallis surrendered it marked the turning point of the war. “The Siege of Yorktown or Battle of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochabeau over a British army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis.” ("Siege of Yorktown").

Cornwallis stayed inside his tent while his troops marched down the isle. He also choose not to meet with Washington formally and all of his men and troops were taken as prisoners of war. "Cornwallis' British men were declared prisoners of war...Cornwallis refused to meet formally with Washington, and also refused to come to the ceremony of surrender, claiming illness." ("Siege of Yorktown")

German soldiers also played a significant role in the Siege of Yorktown, adding about 2,500 men into the total count of soldiers present at the battle. The German-Americans also had 3,000 men present in Washington's Army. "...because Germans played significant roles in all three armies, accounting for roughly one third of all forces involved. According to one estimate more than 2,500 German soldiers served at Yorktown with each of the British and French armies, and more than 3,000 German-Americans were in Washington's arm y." ("Siege at Yorktown") Outline I. Exposition A. Jane must care for the family B. Yorktown 1778 C. Step-mother spends all her time socializing II. Rising Action A. Thomas comes back from war and argues with James B. Beth falls in love with patriot C. Family slowly falls apart forcing Beth to choose sides of her family III. Climax A. Beth prevents Thomas from being disowned B. Thomas withholds information that Americans and French troops are setting a trap at Yorktown causing his father to become a prisoner of war IV. Falling Action A. Henrietta realizes that she cannot get anymore money because James is a war prisoner and kills herself B. She leaves her small daughter, Sophia, to Jane V. Dénouement A. Jane, Thomas, Charlie and Sophia leave Yorktown and go North in search of there own home B. Beth stays in Yorktown with her new husband, Richard

THEME: Social

**Historical Fiction Character Part One**

“Jane! Janey! I’m going out! Tell Henrietta that I’m at the market.” “Bethany, where are you really going?” “Please just tell her I’m going to the market.” Beth pleaded. “Either way she isn’t here. I don’t know who decided to make her all-knowing God of this household, she isn’t even here, //ever//.” “Father did when he married her. Your right Janey you are far better at running the household and one day you will.” Beth said giving her a good-bye kiss on the cheek. Jane was skeptical but went on with her chores. Chores Henrietta should have been doing. She walked down the hall and up through the maids stairwell to her stepsister -Sophia - room. She grabbed the small child and brought her to the nurse. “Keep her busy.” She ordered. The nurse made a small nodded and hurried back the other way. Jane kept her brisk pace to her room and changed to her evening gown. General Cornwallis and her father were coming to dinner again and she needed to look her best. She called for the mail boy, Patrick. He was small boy with bleach blonde hair and freckles not anymore then the age of ten but insisted on working. He claimed his family needed to money. She told him to go and find Beth and Thomas and tell them to come back and get ready for dinner. Patrick scampered excited to finally have something to do. Jane made her way down the grand staircase and towards the far left corner of the house where the kitchen was. She overlooked the food that was in preparation and focused on the rich scent of rabbit that filled the air. When she passed the kettle she noticed that there was no English tea being made but some kind of American brand. Outraged, she threw it across the room. “Does anybody know who is coming to dinner tonight?” she bellowed. A meek little maid named Penelope came forward, she tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear and hunched her shoulders in a way which made Jane suspect she was scared. “Miss Bethany told us to use it.” She whispered. Jane nodded curtly. “I understand, Penelope, will you please go out and buy tea from the East Indian Tea Company. I am sorry for your inconvenience but General Cornwallis is coming this evening and we cannot afford any mistakes. As you all may know, he pays you for your services. Oh and Penelope keep your hair up from now on.” She scolded, then turned away and stormed out the door. She ran out of the kitchen and back to her room and slammed the door behind her. She sat on her stool and looked into the mirror that was attached to her vanity. She looked into her emerald green eyes and ran her fingers through her deep chocolate brown hair and wished so desperately that her hair was curly like her sisters. She sighed and took out her makeup and began to apply black coal to her round eyes and red lipstick to her bow shaped lips. Her head tilted slightly as she heard horse hoofs on the gravel driveway. She ran to her window and saw Henrietta’s carriage coming back from town. She immediately ran downstairs in a flurry. She called out for the head maid, Catherine, and asked if Penelope, Patrick, Beth and Thomas have come back yet. Catherine shook her head and was then dismissed. She called for Charles who came out of his room looking handsome as ever. “Charlie? Would you minding getting Sophia for me before you come down? Henrietta is here.” She asked in her sweetest tone. Charlie’s face turned red. “Is she here? How much time?” Before she could answer they heard Henrietta’s voice outside the door. At that moment Sophia’s nurse came out of the parlor and handed Sophia to Jane and as the doorknob turned. Charlie leaped over the rail, next to Jane and stood with his hands behind his back. She gave him a friendly look of relief and he smiled down at her and winked. Although Charlie was her younger brother he had grown far taller then she. Just then the door burst open and woman in fur coats and silk gowns came in screaming for her small child. “Where is my baby? Oh my baby!” She screamed as she lifted Sophia out of Jane’s arms. “Jane?” Henrietta’s voice was suddenly stone cold, “What have you done with your hair it looks dreadful.” The words dripped off her mouth like ice, she then turned her nose up and took a step towards Charlie. “Charles?” “Yes, Henrietta?” he smirked. “You look very tall.” She scanned him up and down but still had nothing to criticize. “How was you day?” “Oh Henrietta, my day doesn’t matter, how may I ask was yours?” he smiled and put his arm around her and let her to the dining room. He turned his head around and winked at Jane. She then hurried off to find some messenger to go get her messenger to find her siblings and missing maid.