Download - Portrait of a Revolutionary War Hero
Portrait of a Revolutionary War Hero
PAUL REVERE Portrait of a Revolutionary War Hero Thanks for your
understanding
I will not be in class today due to a death in our family.Please
help Mrs. Clayton out by taking turns reading the PowerPoint. You
should all have 3 copies of documents for todays class that I sent
to you on Monday night. This lesson is one of my favorites and I am
very sorry that I will miss being with you today. Remember, next
week is our Tea Party.Bring some good stuff to share (finger
food).I will send out anwith suggestions. But first lets do a
little review
For the next several weeks we are going to be learning more about
the American Revolution. Particularly, Paul Revere But first lets
do a littlereview Living in the Colonies It is important to
remember that ..
People living in the Colonies considered themselves British
citizens. SO NOW FOR A LITTLE AMERICAN HISTORY REFRESHER. 1740
Parliament passed a law permitting citizenship to people who have
lived in the colonies for 7 years.It also allowed any citizen of
the colonies to carry his or her citizenship from colony to
colony.A sense of togetherness was created. French and Indian War
(or in Europe it is called the 7 years War) was about a land
disagreement between the French in North America. The colonists
bring British Regular Troops to the colonies.Colonial militias
fight alongside the troops.Although Britain and its American
colonies win the war, colonists are put off by the obvious
arrogance exhibited by British commanders toward them.Colonists
also learn first hand how little the Titled Elite of England think
of them.Many in Britain consider Americans to be second class
English citizens and of peasant class, incapable of defending
themselves. 1760 George III becomes Englands king after the death
of his grandfather, King George II, courtesy of
hereditarysuccession. (Rights passed down from father [grandfather]
to son) So King George III took his reign during the French and
Indian war. (aka. 7 yrs. War) More Acts & Taxes Imposed
The Sugar Act - April 1764 tax on sugar and other items that has a
big negativeimpact on markets with which colonies trade. The
Currency Act 1764 colonies cannot issue their own paper money. The
Stamp Act March 1765 colonies are angry because they are not part
of parliament no vote or say so.Also newspapers are restricted. No
Taxation without representation! The Quartering Act March 1765
requires colonist to allow British Troops to stay in their homes.
These Acts severely curtail mercantile trade in the colonies. And
More regulations and taxes
Declaratory Act March 1766 Parliament says it can make laws for the
colonies as needed. August 1766 the NY legislature is suspended by
English authorities after it refuses to enforce Quartering Act.
June 1767 Townsend Acts The stamp act is a complete failure and is
canceled. But paint, paper, glass, lead, and tea are now taxed as
they arrive in the colonies. King George has some Angry colonists
on his hands! In 1763, By Royal Proclamation
The western lands (West of Appalachians) were given back to the
Indians and bans colonial settlement there. This was a BIG DEAL
because a war was just fought to claim this land.Colonists died in
that war.The future growth of the colonies was again in doubt.
Although the law was soon changed, colonists grow suspicious of
England. Things are heating up more
Massachusetts Circular letter- Feb is written bySamuel Adams
attacking Parliament for their continued taxation.Adams calls for
unification of the colonies. Sept English warships sail into Boston
Harbor and English Infantry move into Boston to keep order. Tension
Mounts March the House of Burgesses is dissolved by the Royal
Governor in Williamsburg, Va.The House of Burgesses was the first
legislature in the English colonies and first met at Jamestown,
1619. March 5, 1770 the Boston Massacre British troops where
hanging around and paid little and looked for part-time work.
Tensions were high, fights broke out which eventually led to the
massacre. November 1772 Samuel Adams creates the Committees of
Correspondence to inform the towns, providences and colonies of
what was happening in Boston. May 1773 The British East India Tea
Company is almost bankrupt and Parliament gives it a near-monopoly
to sell tea in the colonies, which undersells or bypasses American
merchants altogether. This obvious favoritism astonishes and
infuriates- the colonies. December 1773 The Boston Tea Party
British law states that tea must be off-loaded from ships and the
tax on the tea paid by a certain date.If the date passes, troops
unload it triggering a tax bill. Colonists decide to destroy the
tea dumping it overboard into the harbor.Hundreds of local citizens
stand on the docks cheering them on. March 1774 Parliament is
furious about the dumped tea and passes the Intolerable Acts
England closes Boston Harbor Many more rights of self-government
are taken away for colonists. May 1774,Martial law is enforced by
General Thomas Gage. Think about you living there at that time.
General Thomas Gage May 1774 General Thomas Gage is appointed
Martial Law Governor of Massachusetts. Civil laws, rights and
liberties are cancelled and the military has direct rule. It is
getting serious now. May- Sept. 1774 Colonies propose the idea of a
Congress to discuss united resistance against the Intolerable Acts.
The First Continental Congress is established.This is considered an
act of Treason by England. Powder Alarms British seized gunpowder
and other military supplies being gathered by colonists in towns
like Williamsburg and Charleston. King George is trying to
contained the colonists. Feb. 1775 The New England Restraining
Act
The New England colonies are now required to trade with England
only, banning trade with other countries. Fishing in North Atlantic
is banned as well. April 19, 1775 Lexington & Concord
General Gage again attempts to send soldiers to seize colonial
military supplies. Gage gives orders to have Samuel Adams and John
Hancock arrested. Paul Revere, William Dawes, and many others ride
off to warn the local population. The Shot Heard Around the World
is fired on Lexington Green. At Concord, several hundred American
and British troops are killed and wounded as the Crowns soldiers
retreat in disorder back to Boston. The Unthinkable has to be
reported to the King The Colonists Troops Eventually, there will be
as many as 16,000 citizen soldiers from several colonies gathered
together. May 10, 1775 The Second Continental Congress meets. June
15, 1775 Congress creates the Continental Army from citizen
soldiers around Boston and names George Washington as its
commander. John Adams suggests George Washington because he was a
Virginian. It was important for Southern states to be unified in
this fight. John Hancock thought he was to be appointed commander
of the Continental Army. June 17, 1775 The Battle of Bunker Hill
(which was actually fought on Breedss Hill). Concerned that more
British soldiers were landing in Boston, colonial soldiers take
action and build a redoubt (small fort) across the bay.The British
attack it almost immediately. Although Americans are eventually
driven back, the British suffer enormous losses, including many
valuable combat officers. July 8, 1775 The Olive Branch Petition is
sent to England by Congress.This is a final attempt to patch things
up with England. King George III ignores it and declares the
Americans to be in rebellion. The Kings word will not reach the
colonies until January 1776. This is the same month that Common
Sense is published. Summer 1775 Continental Congress appoints
representatives to create peace treaties with neighboring Indian
tribes. They need more people on their side. September November
1775 Major General Benedict Arnold leads 700 colonial soldiers up
the Kennebec River (which is today the state of Maine) and attacks
British forces in Quebec, Canada. He is joined by Richard
Montgomery, who guided soldiers up through Lake Champlain. Arnold
hopes the attack will inspire local citizenry in Canada to rise up
against the British, thereby drawing British forces away from
America. The gamble does not work and the Americans are decisively
defeated. October 18, 1775 English ships attack Falmouth, Maine
(Portland waterfront) and burn it to the ground. Maine was still
part of Massachusetts at this time. January 10, 1776 Common Sense
is published just as news arrives that King George III had declared
the colonies to be in rebellion. This means thousands of additional
British Regular troops will arrive at the end of winter to put down
the rebels. As the weeks pass, Common Sense becomes the largest
selling pamphlet in American History. It is still 176 days until
the
Declaration of Independence ! Hey, I know that was a lot of
reading, but it lays the ground work
To introduce Paul Revere. He was a amazing guy. Paul Revere
Revere's Early Life Born in Boston's North End in December, 1734,
Paul Revere was the son of Apollos Rivoire, a French Huguenot
(Protestant) immigrant, and Deborah Hichborn, daughter of a local
artisan family. Rivoire, who changed his name to Paul Revere some
time after immigrating, was a goldsmith and eventually the head of
a large household. Paul Revere was the second of at least 9,
possibly as many as 12 children and the eldest surviving son. Paul
was educated at the North Writing School and learned the art of
gold and silversmithing from his father. When Paul was nineteen
(and nearly finished with his apprenticeship) his father died,
leaving Paul as the family's main source of income. Two years
later, in 1756, Revere volunteered to fight the French at Lake
George, New York, where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant
in the colonial artillery. In August, 1757, Revere married Sarah
Orne. Together, they had eight children. Soon after Sarah's death
in 1773, Revere married Rachel Walker with whom he had eight
children. Political Activities / Revolutionary War
Revere's political involvement arose through his connections with
members of local organizations and his business patrons. As a
member of the Masonic Lodge of St. Andrew, he was friendly with
activists like James Otis and Dr. Joseph Warren. In the year before
the Revolution, Revere gathered intelligence information by
"watching the Movements of British Soldiers," as he wrote in an
account of his ride. (see your worksheet) Express Rider He was a
courier for the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the
Massachusetts Committee of Safety, riding express to the
Continental Congress in Philadelphia. He also spread the word of
the Boston Tea Party to New York and Philadelphia. ***** (see your
worksheet) Did you really look at that Map?
Revere was a strong horseback rider travelling long distances to
spread the news. Could he have been the perfect person to make that
ride on April 18, 1775? At 10 pm on the night of April 18, 1775,
Revere received instructions from Dr. Joseph Warren to ride to
Lexington to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the British
approach and that they were to be arrested. The Old North Church A
signal was arranged that if the British were leaving Boston, one
light would shine in the tower if the British troops were leaving
by land. Two lights meant that they were leaving by sea. How many
lights were in the North Church tower ? Two lights were showing to
indicate the British Troops were crossing Boston Harbor as they
left Boston. Ahead of the British Troops, Revere was
rowed across the Charles River to Charlestown by two associates.
Paul Revere borrowed a horse from his friend, Deacon John Larkin of
the Old North Church. Charles River, Boston Paul Revere being rowed
across the Charles River
"I left Dr. Warrens, called upon a friend, and desired him to make
the Signals. I then went Home, took my Boots and Surtout, and went
to the North part of the Town, where I had kept a Boat; two friends
rowed me across Charles River They landed me on Charlestown
side."--Letter Paul Revere to Jeremy Belknap, 1798 Revere's two
friends who rowed him to Charlestown were Joshua Bentley, a boat
builder and Thomas Richardson, a shipwright. They would have been
perfect for the job: local men who were expert rowers and familiar
enough with the shoreline and harbor to attempt this mission in the
dark of the night. While in Charlestown, he verified that the
local, "Sons of Liberty" committee had seen his pre-arranged
signals. (Two lanterns had been hung briefly in the bell-tower of
Christ Church in Boston, indicating that troops would row "by sea"
across the Charles River to Cambridge, rather than marching "by
land" out Boston Neck. Revere had arranged for these signals the
previous weekend, as he was afraid that he might be prevented from
leaving Boston) ****** (see Worksheet) Reveres Crossing On the way
to Lexington, Revere "alarmed" the country-side, stopping at each
house, and arrived in Lexington about midnight. As he approached
the house where Adams and Hancock were staying, a sentry asked that
he not make so much noise. "Noise!" cried Revere, "You'll have
noise enough before long. The regulars are coming out!" After
delivering his message, Revere was joined by a second rider,
William Dawes, who had been sent on the same errand by a different
route. Deciding on their own to continue on to Concord,
Massachusetts, where weapons and supplies were hidden, Revere and
Dawes were joined by a third rider, Dr. Samuel Prescott. Soon
after, all three were arrested by a British patrol. Prescott
escaped almost immediately, and Dawes soon after. Revere was held
for some time and then released. Left without a horse, Revere
returned to Lexington in time to witness part of the battle on the
Lexington Green. Reveres Military Service
The war erupted and Revere went on to serve as Lieutenant Colonel
in the Massachusetts State Train of Artillery and commander of
Castle Island in Boston Harbor. Revere and his troops saw little
action at this post, but they did participate in minor expeditions
to Newport, Rhode Island and Worcester, Mass. Revere's rather
undistinguished military career ended with the failed Penobscot
expedition. Pretty amazing stuff for a Silversmith !
Lets look at the portrait of Paul Revere. With all the events that
made Paul Revere famous, lets consider several things about this
portrait. John Singleton Copley [1738 1815] Portrait of Paul Revere
c.1768 Who did Copley paint ? Most of the colonial citizens Copley
depicted were clergymen, merchants and their wives they were
considered the aristocracy of early America. ******( See worksheet)
John Singleton Copley Self-portrait, 1769 In the American colonies,
portraiture was considered more of a practical trade than a fine
art, and a portraits success was largely measured by its likeness
to the person portrayed. Copley was extraordinarily talented for
recording the physical characteristics of his subjects. Copley
became the first American artist to achieve material success in his
own country ******** (See Worksheet) John Singleton Copley is
considered to be the foremost artist of colonial America. He is
also one of its most prolific. ******* (see Worksheet) John Hancock
c. 1765 Henry Pelham (A boy with a Squirrel) c.1765 Watson and the
Shark c. 1778 Copley had emigrated to London by the time that
Revere made his legendary midnight ride to alert the patriots that
the British were coming. He had painted this portrait some years
earlier, when Revere was known as a silversmith with a flourishing
Boston trade but not yet as an American hero. ****** (See
Worksheet) Even though Revere had been active, even then, in
revolutionary politics, Copley prudently kept the portrait free
from any hint of controversy. In retrospect, we can see that the
portrait captures the qualities that allowed Revere to play an
instrumental role in colonial history:Physical strength, moral
certainty, intelligence, and unequivocal dedication to a cause.
Reveals Personality. ****** (See worksheet) Paul Revere is the
picture of an artesian who, like Copley himself, took pride in the
work of his hands. This portrait captures a critical moment in the
silversmiths work:he appears poised to engrave the gleaming surface
of a teapot (presumably one he fashioned himself) using tools that
rest on the table before him. Would a working craftsman have worn
such a spotless linen shirt or woolen waistcoat (even if left
casually unfastened) with buttons made of gold? The portrait
reveals Social Position. *********(see worksheet) Copleys portraits
endure as works of art because they transcend pure documentation to
reveal clues to the sitters personality, profession and social
position. ********See worksheet Could that highly polished,
unscratched table possibly be a workbench?
Apart from the engraving tools, the setting is free from a
craftsmans clutter or any other indication of an active workshop,
which tells us that these are props to signify Reveres profession.
Why do you think Paul Revere is dressed as he is?
What is Revere holding? Find the three engraving tools on the
table. Why do you think Copley included these tools and the teapot
in this portrait? How has Copley drawn our attention to Reveres
face? (answers follow on next slide.) He placed Revere against a
plain, dark background to contrast with his light face and
shirt.
The hand under his chin leads to the face. What part of the face
did Copley make the most important? He made the eye on the left
Reveres right eye the most important.
How did he do this? He accomplished this by slightly turning Revere
to the viewer and shining a light on that part of Reveres face.
***** Why did Copley emphasize the eye? Perhaps he emphasized the
eye to get the viewers attention and draw them into the
painting.
Perhaps to remind the viewers that the eye is an important part of
the artists skill and a sign of talent. How about having an eye for
something. Right or Left handed ? We know that some artists (such
as Leonardo da Vinci) were left-handed. Can you determine if Paul
Revere worked with his right or left hand according to clues in the
painting. Think about it . If he is left-handed, why are the
engraving tools at his right hand? If he is right-handed, why does
he hold the pot in the left hand? He is not working ( the engraving
tools at the right hand)
He rests the pot on the leather pad in order to engrave on it.
Consider this By placing Reveres hand under his chin, what does
Copley suggest about Reveres personality? This pose usually
indicates athoughtful person. The pot he made and prominently
holds
What might the combination of these three things tell us about Paul
Revere as an artist ? The pot he made and prominently holds The
thoughtful gesture of the hand on chin The emphasis on his eye
Reveres work is a combination of:
Handiwork Thought Artistic vision Paul Revere was a craftsman in a
busy studio.
How has Copley idealized the setting for his portrait? ******** If
it was truly an artists workbench, it would probably be littered
with tools and bits of metal.
Is his shirt too clean?Have you ever polished silver?What do your
hands look like? The Portraits Composition
The fine mahogany table that distances Revere from the viewer and
gives the workman in shirtsleeves an air of authority also serves
an important compositional purpose. Paul Reveres House Older Paul
Revere Paul Revere Bowl OK, time for the Quiz Get the Quiz handout
Remember to:
pack your answers full of facts, Dont use pronouns, Write in
complete sentences. Quiz Question 1 What did Paul Revere do as a
patriot to gather intelligence information a year before the
Revolutionary War broke out? Question 2 Paul Revere was a courier
for what 2 groups as he rode express to the Continental Congress in
Philadelphia ? Question 3 What important news from Boston did Paul
Revere relay to New York and Philadelphia? Question 4 On April 18,
1775, who was Paul Revere sent to warn that the British were coming
to arrest them? Question 5 What was the signal to indicate how the
British Troops were leaving Boston on April 18, 1775 ? Question 6
Did John Singleton Copley paint Paul Revere before or after his now
Famous Ride ? (a complete sentence please!) Question 7 Describe at
least 2 traits that John Singleton Copley is best remembered.
Question 8 What do Copleys portraits document of the sitter ? (name
at least 3) Question 9 What is the focal point of this portrait?
How has Copley created this? Question 10 Paul Revere was a
craftsman in a busy studio.
How has Copley idealized the setting for his portrait? Next Week ..
Keep reading Common Sense, by Thomas Paine
We are going to learn about Silversmithing. We are going to have a
tea party at the beginning of class.So, if your would like to bring
something share with the class (Food), it would be appreciated.It
is a lovely way to start the day. I will provide the Tea !!