Team Polaris
American History
Name ________________
Date _________________
The Continuing Adventure of Your Family’s First Generation in
the New World
Colonial Cast of Characters – Meeting the Ordinary Americans
Directions:
1. Please read the attached broadside advertising a crime committed against a statue of
the king of England.
2. Although no one saw the crime being committed, citizens of the town have come
forward because all three suspects were seen (and smelled!) afterward with traces of
pig manure on them. Read the three accounts of those suspected of committing the
crime.
3. Please answer the following questions from the readings on a separate sheet of paper:
a. Po Daniels
i. Why did Po Daniels feel that the rich gentry treated him in an unfair
manner?
ii. Why do you think Po wanted help from the King’s ministers?
iii. Why does Po think that the rich gentry want him living next to the
Indians?
b. Eustice Fairbanks
i. Though rich and powerful, why is Fairbanks made to feel like a second
class citizen?
ii. Why aren’t Americans like Fairbanks allowed to gain titles like “Earl” or
“Lord?”
iii. Why is Fairbanks in financial trouble? Why was he meeting with the
King’s ministers?
c. Seamus Block
i. Who is Block an indentured servant to?
ii. Why does he feel like he has been treated in an unfair manner?
iii. Why did Block want to see the King’s ministers?
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OUTRAGE!!!!
TO ARMS! TO ARMS!
Yesterday, a no good man of the most vicious character dumped a
load of pig manure on the statue of our beloved King George II.
This foul crime is not only an affront to the dignity of his royal
majesty, but to all those that fear and love the King. Any
information regarding the identity of the guilty party must be given
to the local magistrate immediately!!
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Po Daniels
Colonial American farmer
“My name is Po Daniels and I’ve been a
farmer out in the backcountry for at least ten
years now. Do I have any reason to hate the
King of England? Well let me tell you sonny, I
may be a pig farmer, but I ain’t the one that
threw that pig manure on the King’s statue!
You should be lookin at me indentured servant, a filthy no good cheat and lumpkin.
Why am I so angry? Look here son; I’ve been farming hogs and horses, not to mention
flax, corn, and hemp for ten years now. Why you can say that I got me hand in
everything except the one thing that matters, tobacco! Seems poor folk like me ain’t
allowed to move east and farm the good land like them fancy pants gentry. The king’s
officials, a bunch of no good swindlers, allows them to keep all the good land for
themselves and to make matters worse, them rich folk use slaves to harvest their crops.
Folks like me are put out of a job by slave labor and that gives us only one choice, move
west where land is available. Well what’s the problem with living in the west? Are you
an idiot, boy? Out west we’re forced to live on land nears them natives. Oh, the
thought of them just makes me blood run cold. Just last month, two of our neighbors
were attacked by a native war party. They killed everyone and stuck their heads on
poles. The Gentry don’t care as long as them natives are killing us and not them. As
long as the king’s minister’s side with the gentry, then we can all kiss our lives
goodbye!”
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Eustice Fairbanks
Colonial American Gentry
“Excuse me? Did you say that I am
accused of throwing pig refuse on the King’s
statue? Do you have any idea who you are
conversing with sir? I am Eustice Fairbanks and
my family has been running this town for the
past twenty years. You will not tarnish my
name with such baseless accusations. Oh sorry,
I did not know that you were representing the
king’s inquiry into this matter. (Sigh) I really shouldn’t get so upset, but my situation
is just so frustrating! Here I am, the son of a wealthy planter, I have land that
numbers in the thousands of acres, a least two hundred slaves and my wealth provides
jobs for an entire town, but the King’s ministers look down their long noses at me! I
can be as rich as the pharaoh but because I wasn’t born in England, I am prevented
from being a titled aristocrat. So no matter my great wealth, every “Earl”, “Duke”, or
“Knight” of England will always be better than me. I tried to protest my case to the
King’s ministers but the devious fellow just scoffed and said “No American can ever be
a gentleman.” Can you believe it? We are nothing in their eyes, just a bunch of
country bumpkins. What ever happened to all subjects of the King being equal? Now
all of a sudden, since I was born in America, I am a second class subject. Not to
mention, I have gambling debts and without a family title, what English bank will help
me? I’m in danger of losing it all!”
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Seamus Block
Colonial American Indentured
Servant
“Yeah, I was there that day they unveiled the
statue of the King, but I didn’t throw that manure
on it. The name is Block, Seamus Block. I am
indentured to that no good pig farmer, Po Daniels.
Come to this colony seven years ago from Ireland. What? Yeah, friend you are right, I
should have been freed by Daniels since, like most indentured servants, I did sign a
seven year term. But here’s what happened. I got caught filching a warm roll from
the kitchens. What did Daniel’s do? The no good rat extended my term of service three
more years! Can you believe that? It be bad enough that he has me hauling heavy feed
bags day in and day out. Happens that me spine is so bent from the pressure I can’t
stand up straight. But to make matters worse, he extended me term of service for
stealing a breakfast roll not worth half a shilling. What gives that man the right? I
thought a man could make his own way in America, but I was wrong. I tried pleading
me case to the King’s ministers and demand justice for what Daniels did to me. Guess
what they said? You’re right, they told me to take it up with me master. Listen, no one
can talk sense to that worthless stinking pig farmer or my name ain’t Seamus Block.”
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Writing Prompt 2:
Colonial Cast of Characters – Meeting the Ordinary Americans
1. You are to begin your prompt with what colony your character chose to live in and
why.
2. Continue the prompt with a very thorough description of the colony and town your
character chose to live in. Please use the colonial spoke diagrams in your workbook
to describe the colony’s geography, climate, economy, etc.
a. Bonus: Please provide a detailed, hand-drawn map of the town you will be
living.
3. You are hired by the King’s minister to investigate the act of vandalism that occurred
the day before. Using the narratives and your answers to the questions, you are to
report your findings back to the King’s minister. In your conversation with the
minister, you share the following information.
a. Why Po Daniels, Eustice Fairbanks, and Seamus Block were angry with the
King’s ministers and how each had a motive for throwing the pig manure on
the King’s statue.
b. Who you believe the guilty person is and why.
4. After this conversation, the king’s minister arrests the guilty person. Please describe
being in the crowd as the entire town shows up to watch the man get his punishment.
You may choose from the following colonial punishments:
a. Branding
b. Stocks
c. Hanging
i. Be sure to describe what the punishment is.
5. Please describe your overall feelings after your accusation and the punishment of the
accused. Be very clear in your description.
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Peer Evaluation – Writing Prompt #2
Name of Writer: _____________________
Name of Evaluator: ___________________
Directions: Please put a check in the space provided if the story contains
the information. You will then add up the check marks to determine the
point value. Remember, if you cannot prove where you found the check
mark, you will lose the point!
Does the story contain the following?
1. Does the story explain what colony the character chose to live in and why? _____
2. Does the story mention at least two details about the colony (geography, climate,
economy, etc.)? _____
3. Does the story mention that you must investigate the act of vandalism? _____
4. Does the story mention why Po Daniels was angry at the King’s ministers? _____
5. Does the story mention why Eustace Fairbanks was angry at the King’s ministers? __
6. Does the story mention why Seamus Block was angry at the King’s ministers? _____
7. Does the story mention who the guilty person is? _____
8. Does the story mention why this person is guilty of the crime? _____
9. Does the story describe the crowd at the punishment? _____
10. Does the story mention the punishment? _____
11. Does the story describe the punishment? _____
12. Does the story describe the characters feelings after the accused in punished? _____
13. Does the story contain more than one paragraph? _____
BONUS – Does the story contain a hand-drawn map of the town? _____
Total Points______/13
Overall Point of View
(What did you think of the story?)
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