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Teach PA History
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Writing American Diaries
Equipment & Supplies
  • Sally Wister's Journal: A True Narrative. Bedford: Applewood Books, 1902 (available at elementary school and public libraries. Excerpts from the journal are also available online). Notebook to be used as a journal
Procedures

Lesson Preparation


This lesson is part of a larger unit on the struggle for American independence. In this lesson, the children will read Sally Wister's Journal and respond to it by creating their own diary. The teacher should prepare the class by setting Sally Wister's Journal in the appropriate historical context using the background essay and the texts, map, and web sites listed in the bibliography. It is important that the children understand what it meant to be a Patriot, a Loyalist or a Quaker.



Day One


Today, our budding historians will start to learn about primary sources. Define a primary source for the children, then tell them they will have the exciting opportunity to read a diary kept by a young girl during the Revolutionary War. Explain that journals, diaries and letters are important ways for us to understand what people living in a previous time were thinking about and how they were interpreting their world.


In a group setting, introduce Sally Wister's Journal. Depending on the age and reading level of the children, it may be helpful to read the first part of the diary together. The teacher will need to help the children understand some of the language. People in the journal need to be introduced by the teacher.


Read together Sally's entries for the months of September and October. Each child should be given a small notebook. Ask the students to respond in their notebooks to the following questions:



  • To whom did Sally write?

  • Why did she keep a journal?

  • Is Sally a Loyalist or a Patriot? How can you tell?

  • If your family were living during the Revolutionary War, would they have been Patriots or Loyalists? Why?


Ask the children to individually select a point of view, either Patriot, Loyalist or Quaker and write one entry in their journals. It may be helpful to select a topic, or to ask the children to respond to a historical event. Ask the children to share their journal entries with the class.


Day Two


Begin reading Sally's journal at the bottom of page 14. Read to the entry on page 29, Sixth Day, December 12, 1777. Ask the students to notice the use of "fifth day", "sixth day", etc. Why did Sally use this method of dating her journal? How does it differ from the way we define time today?


Discuss the scene described in Sally's journal for November 1, first day: Who is T.L.? Why is he a prisoner of the state? What did Sally mean when she said, "we made free with some Continental flour?"


On page 20, in the entry for "Third Day Morn, November 2d. Sally introduced two Virginia officers. Did Sally respect the men from Virginia? Point out that her opinion of the men was based on the fact that they liked to talk about eating. Are there similar conceptions in our world today? What are they?


Sally's entry for December 5 is especially poignant. Read this entry carefully with the children. Ask them to respond in their journals, in character, to the news that the enemy is in their neighborhood. Talk about the way news was disseminated in the 18th century versus the way we get news today. Sally's journal is a rich source of information on 18th century social customs. Discuss the practice of taking tea. Take note of Sally's references to clothing and medical care.



Day Three


Begin reading Sally's journal at the entry dated Sixth Day, December 12, 1777. Why did Sally use the year, 1777, in this journal entry? How can that year help modern readers understand Sally's journal? Read through the entries to Third Day, June 2, 2003, on page 43. Talk about the practical joke described on pages 29-34. Ask the children to respond in their diaries to the joke. Was it a good idea? Could the joke have become dangerous?


On page 31, Sally mentions "Seaton's negro." Who is this person? What role did he play in the scene? Discuss several roles of African Americans during the Revolutionary War, using sources cited in the bibliography.


Ask the children make a journal entry using the point of view of the African American in the scene to describe the practical joke. Take time to share the responses together.



Day Four


Complete reading the journal on day four. On page 47, Sally reveals that she is a Quaker. Ask the children why that fact is important to the story. What did it mean to be a Quaker during the late 18th century in America? How were Quakers involved in the war? What roles did they play? Why was Sally angry when asked if she was a Tory?


In her last entry, dated June 20th, 1778, Sally is excited to return home to Philadelphia. Ask the students if they have ever been away from home for a long time. Is it good to come home? What kind of plans would Sally make for her homecoming? Remembering that the British controlled Philadelphia, what condition could her home be in? Talk about some of the famous Americans mentioned in this entry, including General Washington and General Arnold.


Ask the students to make a journal entry using the point of view of a Tory. How would they react to the days" developments?

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