Interpreting the BattleWho Fired the First Shot?
The first shot of the American Revolution rang out on Lexingtons town common near dawn and caused the famous Battle on the Green. For generations there was much debate about which side fired that shot that started the American Revolution: the British Redcoats or the Lexington colonials. Students will discuss why this question was so important and if we can ever really know for sure. Students will study two artists depictions of the Battle on the Green: one prepared in 1775 only a few months after the Battle by an artist who talked with eye witnesses to the event, and the other painted over 100 years later in 1886. They will observe their differences and similarities. They will discuss the questions, Does artwork help the historian, and can it be an accurate representation of historical events? Create an Epitaph Students will study edited excerpts from a variety of archival documents, both primary and secondary sources, about the life of Levi Harrington. Levi, whose childhood home was o
