Prominent Quotations and other trivia. History of Her Captivity During the 1670s, in the New England area, tensions between native Americans and European.

Prominent Quotations and other trivia

History of Her CaptivityDuring the 1670s, in the New England area, tensions between native Americans and European settlers escalated resulting in King Philip’s War (1675-1676). Metacomet (known to the settlers as King Philip), chief of the Wampanoag Indians united with other native tribes in order to fight and protect their lands. On February 10, 1676, a Wampanoag party attacked Mary Rowlandson’s town, Lancaster, Massachusetts (30 miles west of Boston). As a result, Mary was taken captive. Her captivity narrative narrates her 20 removes (marching from one location to another). These removes took her on a journey of 150 miles, until she was ransomed for 20 pounds on May 2, 1676. She saw the death of her daughter and other relatives and friends.

A PioneerMary Rowlandson established two important “firsts” in

American literary history:1. She was the first American writer to establish a new

indigenous American literary genre (the captivity narrative).

2. She was the first woman in America to have a best seller. Her work A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson went through four editions within its first year of publication in 1682.

Long Title• The full title of Rowlandson's captivity narrative is

among the longest titles of literary works.

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.◦ Poor Richard’s Almanack

We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.

◦ At signing of Declaration of Independence

◦ http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/franklin.htm

Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First his Cromwell; and George the Third [“Treason! Cried the Speaker] may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it.

Speech on the Stamp Act, Virgina House of Burgesses http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/colonial/jb_colonial_henry_1.html

He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression.

◦ Dissertation on First Principles of Government◦ http://www.ushistory.org/paine/

For bright Aurora now demands my song.Aurora, hail, and all the thousand dyes,Which deck thy progress through the vaulted

skies.

◦ “An Hymn to the Morning”◦ http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/revolut/jb_revolut_poetslav_1.html

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.Letter to William Stevens Smith http://millercenter.org/president/jefferson

It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. . . . . All history will convince you of this . . . . . Great necessities call out great virtues.

◦ Letter to her son, John Quincy Adams ◦ http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=2

What then is the American, this new man?

◦ Letters from an American Farmer

Thus briefly sketched the sacred RIGHTS OF MAN, How inconsistent with the ROYAL PLAN!

◦ “On Mr. Paine’s Rights of Man”

Taylor is a metaphysical lyricist (designating or pertaining to the poetry of an early group of 17th-century English poets, notably John Donne, whose characteristic style is highly intellectual and philosophical and features intensive use of ingenious conceits [elaborate metaphors]and turns of wit) whose greatest poems were forgotten and unknown to the world for about 200 years. Taylor died in 1729; later his grandson Ezra Stiles, president of Yale University, brought Taylor’s poetry to Yale University library where they were forgotten until their discovery in 1937 by Thomas H. Johnson. Today he is considered to be the greatest American metaphysical poet. His poetry is full of farfetched and elaborate metaphors and similes, allusions, puns, and paradoxes. His most famous are his Preparatory Meditations before My Approach to the Lord's Supper, 217 poems written as means to meditate to prepare himself to partake of the Lord’s Super.

What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence and who wrote it?

During the summer of 1776, the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, and were anticipating declaring independence from England. They appointed a committee to write a "declaration of independence" text - to state their grievances with and declare our independence from England. Committee members included Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman.

Who Wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence text. He began his work on June 11, 1776 and finished on June 28, 1776. (See a replica of Jefferson's Draft of the Declaration of Independence) After revisions by the committee and finally by congress, the final draft of the Declaration of Independence text was finally adopted on July 4, 1776.

Fun facts about the Declaration of Independence

The number of words in the Declaration of Independence text is somewhere around 1337 to 1476, depending on which draft is used and rather or not the signers, states and title are included. Jefferson's original draft was 1817 words (not counting signers/states), but 480 words were cut by the Congress. For a fun exercise, you might try counting them yourself!

A committee of five men were chosen to draft the Declaration of Independence text. The Second Continental Congress chose these men on June 11, 1776. The "Committee of Five" included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman.

Who refused to sign the Declaration of Independence? Robert Livingston refused to signed it, even though he was one of the "Committee of Five". He believed that it was too soon to declare independence and refused to sign his name - Source: constitutionfacts.com John Dickinson also refused to sign the document - Source: thedeclarationofindependence.org

Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence? The Declaration of Independence text went through several revisions before the final draft was issued. Thomas Jefferson was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence text.

How many men signed the Declaration of Independence? There were 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence text. The names of the men who signed the document are listed at the bottom of this page.

On April 30, 1952, the formal copy of the Declaration of Independence text that was signed on August 2, 1776 was delivered to the National Archives, where it remains to this day. This copy was believed to have been made by Timothy Matlack, an assistant to the Secretary of Congress. He was chosen to make this formal copy by Congress, after the final draft was approved on July 4th, 1776.

There is writing on the back of the Declaration of Independence. The words written are "Original Declaration of Independence, dated 4th July 1776". These words are written at the bottom of the back, upside down. They are not invisible, nor is there a map, as was suggested in the famous movie "National Treasure". - Source: U.S. National Archives

The original Declaration of Independence text was engrossed on parchment - animal skin that has been specially treated with lime. - Source: U.S. National Archives

There are 26 original copies of the Declaration of Independence text known to exist. These were produced by John Dunlap. Dunlap originally printed 200 copies on July 4th, 1776. These copies were printed on paper and are referred to as "The Dunlap Broadsides".

Where and when was the signing of the Declaration of Independence? The formal signing ceremony of the Declaration of Independence text did not take place until August 2, 1776, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. However, not all of the 56 signers signed that day. We celebrate July 4th as Independence Day because that is the day that Congress approved the final draft of the text.

Several signers of the Declaration of Independence text did not sign the document during the official ceremony. They added their signatures at a later date.

John Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence text, and his signature is also the largest. This is why the phrase put "your John Hancock" became popular.

The oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence text was Benjamin Franklin, who was 70 at the time of the signing

You can view an online photo of the original formal signed copy of the Declaration of Independence text at "The Charters of Freedom" website. There are also images of several of the other copies on their website, as well as downloadable versions.

Fun Fact: The youngest signersof the Declaration of Independence textwere only 26. They were both fromSouth Carolina - Thomas Lynch, Jr.and Edward Rutledge.

Source: Library of Congress, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Continental Congress & Constitutional Convention Broadsides Collection

On Being Brought From Africa To America

'Twas mercy brought me from my pagan land, Taught my beknighted soul to understandThat there's a God, that there's a Savior too: Once I redemption neither sought nor knew. Some view our sable race with scornful eye, "Their color is a diabolic dye."Remember Christians; Negroes, black as Cain, May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.

----Phillis Wheatley

A rare portrait of Phillis Wheatley shows her facing forward, wearing an evening dress and jewelry. The portrait appeared in Revue des Colonies in Paris between

1834 and 1842.