Kenan+P.+-+Historical+Fiction+Character

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Colonial Life
 “A pirate’s docked in port!” Little Solomon was panting from running and from excitement. Emmanuel turned away from the commotion of loading rum out of the family distillery to address his younger brother. “Sol, there has not been a pirate in Newport for decades, the king killed them all. Where did you hear this?” The younger Cardozo looked up with wide eyes and earnestly said, “James the Quaker told me, and those Quakers never lie!” Emmanuel gave a good-natured sigh and said, “Alright, Sol. Father needs me to give a letter to the customs master at the dock. You can come with me and I will ask James the Quaker.” Solomon gave his brother an excited nod, and they set out.  The aromas of rum and molasses being shipped back and forth combined with the stench of garbage and sewage, but to the people of Newport the smell was a constant presence (though it had been strange to the Cardozos when they had first arrived after fleeing the Portugese Inquisition in 1730). The Cardozo distillery was close to the dock and after only a few minutes of weaving through carts and dodging chickens running through the street, the salty smell of the ocean mingled in with the other scents of Newport. Amid all the bustle of the thriving port under the forest of ships’ masts, young Solomon easily found the old man reclining under a tree. He looked as Emmanuel imagined a Quaker would, with somber black clothes but a jovial smile and a full beard and mustache. Solomon yelled, “This is him, Manny!” and ran up to him. “Mr. James the Quaker, didn’t you say that a pirate docked in port?” The old man rubbed his chin and said, “Oh yes, I would never lie to a nice young boy like you. See that ship over there, the big made of oak?” He indicated a ship of that description. “That ship belongs to Salty Smith, the most dastardly pirate ever to sail... Narraganset Bay. They say he’s on the run from the king’s men.” “Ooh! I wish I could go see him!” exclaimed Sol. “Can you take me, Manny?” “I’m sorry, Sol, I have to take father’s letter to the customs master.” Solomon hung his head sadly. “Oh, don’t fret, lad. I’ll take you. Me and Salty knew each other once, and while he may be godless now, he still loves a good story.” Solomon gasped with happiness and pleaded, “Can I go with Mr. James, Manny, please-please-please?” “Um, sir, do you know my father?” “Oh, of course, Isaac Cardozo is a great friend of the Friends. Don’t worry, your little brother is perfectly safe.” Emmanuel mulled this over for a moment and finally said, “Oh, I suppose so. Sol, meet me back at this tree in half an hour.” Solomon yelped with joy and walked away with James, who had begun telling him a a story about his trip to the West Indies. Emmanuel set his course for the imposing brick Customs House...

 To be continued...

Revolution
I. New England after the American capture of Boston A. Rhode Island 1. William West and his militia are “in charge of rooting out loyalists”, who are “exiled to the northern part of the state” (Wikipedia). 2. “In the fall of 1776, the British… took over the city” because they think it could be used to attack New York (Wikipedia). Whigs flee, Tories stay, British control the town for years. B. Connecticut 1. New London is American naval base II. New York and New Jersey campaign A. British under Howe are defeated in Boston, land in New York via Halifax, Washington rushes to stop them B. Battles in New York 1. On August 27, British land on Long Island and drive Americans back to Brooklyn Heights (“…the inexperienced Americans were no match for the British, with their greater numbers and superior training” (Hart 91)). 2. Washington retreats across East River at night into Manhattan. 3. Washington is “concerned that he might have escaped one trap for another”, he leaves 5,000 men in the city (which is taken by Howe) and takes the rest to Harlem Heights (Wikipedia). a. One of the first uses of a submarine in warfare, Washington “attempted… launching the //Turtle// in a failed attempt to sink the //HMS Eagle//” (Wikipedia). 4. Washington withdraws to White Plains to avoid trap, is defeated there and retreats north. “This isolated the remaining Continental Army troops in upper Manhattan”, allowing Howe to capture Fort Washington, “taking almost 3,000 prisoners” (Wikipedia). III. Retreat across New Jersey 1. Washington flees across Hudson into New Jersey, is chased by Cornwallis across Delaware into Pennsylvania. 2. “For [the Continental Army troops], this was a trying time. There was little food to eat… muddy roads and icy streams added to their misery… many soldiers headed for home” (Hart 91). 3. Howe offers amnesty to rebels (“Thousands took him up on his offer,” (Hart 92)). Paine encourages (somehow) the patriots with //The Crisis// (“These are the times that try men’s souls” (Hart 92)). IV. Trenton 1. On Christmas night 1776, Washington famously crosses the icy Delaware River and takes the Hessians at Trenton by surprise, they surrender, “Washington took 868 prisoners without losing a single man” (Hart 92). 2. Americans defeat the British again in Princeton. 3. “News of Washington’s victory electrified patriots,” (Hart 92). 4. Howe’s army withdraws to New York, a forage war in New Jersey ensues “in which each targeted the foraging parties of the other” (Wikipedia). 5. The stage is set for the campaigns of Saratoga and Philadelphia.

Wikipedia contributors. "New York and New Jersey campaign." //Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia//. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 8 Nov. 2010. Web. 17 Nov. 2010.

Wikipedia contributors. "Newport, Rhode Island." //Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia//. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 8 Nov. 2010. Web. 17 Nov. 2010.

Wikipedia contributors. "New London, Connecticut." //Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia//. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 8 Nov. 2010. Web. 17 Nov. 2010.

Hart, Diane. //History Alive! The United States Through Industrialism.// Palo Alto: Teacher’s Curriculum Institute, 2005.

--- Exposition: Newport, 1776, Emmanuel’s parents send him to live with his uncle and aunt in New York. They say that it’s because of (some benign, generic reason), but Emmanuel suspects that it’s because the British are preparing to take Newport.

Rising action: As Emmanuel arrives in New York tensions are high. The British take Long Island, goods are scarce, people flee the city as Loyalists flock in.

Climax: The British take the city, Emmanuel flees north and retreats with Washington’s army while pretending to be a soldier, and he sees the battles of Harlem Heights and White Plains and crosses the Hudson with the army

Falling action: As Emmanuel travels across New Jersey to Philadelphia, where his aunt and uncle have fled to, he sutlers goods he got while fleeing New York to both armies, this allows him enough money to get by (but he’s still pretty poor and miserable), he can get stuff from both Patriots and Loyalists because he can pretend to be both.

Denouement: Emmanuel arrives safely in Philadelphia, where Paine’s //The Crisis// and Washington’s victory at Trenton encourage him to finally become a Patriot.

My story will show the political, economic, and social consequences the American Revolution had on the lives of my character and the people who lived at the time because it will show the motivations and opinions of both Patriots and Loyalists and what they did to protect their own sides, the measures people (including my character) took to ensure their own economic security in the wake of the war and what required them to take those measures, and how the war affected families, neighbors, and comrades-in-arms.