Revolutionary Newport :
Exploring the American Revolution
At the Newport Colony House & the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House
Grades: 4 through 8
Duration: 2.5 hours
On a 2.5-hour interactive, standards-based
program in historic downtown Newport, R.I., students discover
the experiences of Newport’s diverse inhabitants—Patriots & Tories;
soldiers & civilians; enslaved & free people; and men,
women & children—before and during the American Revolution.
Inside the 1739 Colony House, students
perform brief readers’ theatre
skits focused on three key events that occurred here: the 1765
Stamp Act riot, a 1776 reading of the Declaration of Independence,
and the 1778 formation of Rhode Island’s Black Regiment.
On an interactive tour through the
nearby ca.1697 Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, students examine
evidence from recent research and archaeology and learn about
the experiences of the house’s diverse
inhabitants during the war.
Students also meet a costumed role
player representing "Polly" Wanton,
who was a teenager in Newport during the revolution. "Polly" engages
students in discussion, revealing her experiences during the
war and her hopes for the future.
This project is made possible through major funding support
from the Rhode Island
Council for the Humanities an independent state affiliate of the National Endowment for
the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations
expressed in this tour do not necessarily represent those of
the National Endowment for the Humanities.
|
