Whether your ancestors arrived at Jamestown, on the Mayflower, or came over in the years following, the majority of us with colonial ancestry hope to trace our family trees back to England. While there is a wealth of information available …
Professor Emerson “Tad” Baker presents: Long before French-Canadians migrated to Maine, their ancestors fought alongside their Wabanaki allies against the English settlers of the region in a lethal conflict some have called the real first world war of 1688-1697. The …
In 1686 the English crown dissolved local government in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and put a royal favorite, Edmund Andros, in charge of a consolidated Dominion of New England. Reluctant to express disloyalty to the king, Bostonians endured ever-increasing taxes …
The Revolution before the Revolution: Boston, 1689 Read More »
John Adams and his fellow revolutionaries were well aware of the injustices of the Salem witch trials, indeed some patriots, including Benjamin Franklin, had family involved in the trials and Marblehead native, Elbridge Gerry, surely had the victims of the …
1692 to 1775: Connecting the Salem Witch Trials and the Revolutionary Era Read More »
It is easy to act like crusading is a medieval phenomenon that we evolve past—after all, when we picture the Crusades, we see knights in shining armor dying in the dry heat on their way to Jerusalem, an activity that …
Over several decades beginning in 1620, tens of thousands of devout English colonists known as puritans came to America. They believed that bringing Christianity to the Natives would liberate them from darkness. Daniel Gookin, Massachusetts' missionary superintendent, called such efforts …
In 1767, in one of his first contributions to the American Revolution, John Adams wrote two letters published in the Boston Gazette attacking the policies of Massachusetts governor Francis Bernard. An avid student of Massachusetts history, Adams signed his letters "John Winthrop." …
A Tradition of Resistance: The Puritan Prequel to the American Revolution Read More »
Saturday, May 31, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Gedney House, 21 High Street, Salem, MA Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, 5 Little’s Lane, Newbury, MA Swett-Ilsley House, 4 High Road; Newbury, MA Explore some of Historic New England’s 17th Century homes on this day-long program! Join the Salem …
Timber and Tales: Exploring Essex County’s 17th Century Architecture Read More »
Phillips House, 34 Chestnut Street, Salem, MA Explore two completely different Historic New England properties located just a few blocks from each other in Salem! The 1665 Gedney House is one of the oldest still standing in Salem. Inside, it …
Homeschool Program: Good Bones – Architecture in Salem Read More »
Join Historic New England for a deep-dive into the Coffin Family and their legacy in this specialty tour, Calling All Coffins! Learn about the history of this prolific family while having a chance to connect with others. This tour is …
