QUESTIONS

1. True or False: On April 19, 1775, Paul Revere rode into Concord alerting residents that the king’s troops were on the march to Concord to confiscate weapons the colonists had been stashing to support a continental army.
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Answer: False. Starting his midnight ride in Boston, Revere intended to arrive in Concord but was captured by a British patrol in Lincoln (the town next to Concord). Concord doctor Samuel Prescott, who had joined Revere in Lexington, escaped capture and carried Revere’s message into Concord. Visit the Paul Revere Capture Site at 180 North Great Road, Lincoln, MA.

2. You are a Concord minuteman. Before dawn, you are milking the cows when you hear the meeting house bell ringing and a methodic firing of gunshots. This is a prearranged signal that you should:
a)   Lock down your house and remain indoors
b)   Put on your uniform and wait in front of your house for your company to march by
c)   Grab your gear and make haste to a prearranged muster point
d)   Meet your friends for a wee dram in the Wright Tavern
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Answer: C: Grab your gear and make haste to a prearranged muster point. Something is about to happen!

3. You are the daughter of a Concord minuteman. On the morning of April 19, 1775, word reaches your household that the king’s troops are coming out to search the town! Your father and brothers have rushed out to join their militia company. You could spend the day doing which of the following:
a)   Making cartridges
b)   Preparing food
c)   Hiding military supplies
d)   Tending to wounded soldiers from both sides
e)   All the above
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Answer: E: All the above. To learn more about the roles of Concord residents on April 19, 1775, visit The North Bridge Visitor Center at 174 Liberty Street, Concord. And check out the April 19, 1775, exhibit at the Concord Museum at 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA.

4. Riddle: We were in Concord Center on April 19, 1775, when British troops marched into town in front of us. We did not move, and we did not speak, and we did not choose sides. The British could have learned our names if they wanted to, but they paid no attention to us. Who are we?
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Answer: We are the silent dead buried in the Old Hill Burying Ground at the top of Main Street. You can still visit us today if you choose.

5. You are a tailor and live in eighteenth-century Concord. Colonel James Barrett of Concord, who is in command of a Middlesex militia unit, has asked you to make him a “ditto suit.” You will make him:
a)   A double-breasted dress suit suitable for a wedding
b)   A coat, waistcoat, and breeches made of the same fabric and color
c)   A brown long-coat uniform with the militia insignia
d)   The same type of suit he has ordered from you before
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Answer: B. A ditto suit was a coat, waistcoat, and breeches made of the same fabric and color.

6. The great-granddaughter of an American Revolutionary War soldier, Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women in Concord in 1868. Based on her real-life family, the story follows the four March sisters. Name the March sisters in order of age. Bonus Points:  Match the fictional March sisters with the real-life Alcott sisters.
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Answer: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Meg is based on Anna Alcott, Jo on Louisa, Beth on Elizabeth, and Amy on May.

7. In Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, does Jo marry Laurie?
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Answer: No, unless you read French translator P. J. Stahl’s version. Stahl didn’t like Louisa’s original story (in which Jo marries Professor Bhaer) and thought it wouldn’t suit the sensibilities of the French reading audience. Stahl “fixed” the book and had Jo marry Laurie, plus kept Beth alive (which is a win for Beth!).


Questions 8 – 10: It’s time for a coronation!

8. You are from a prominent family that has lived in Concord since the town was established in 1635. Despite your rebellious Concord neighbors, your family has remained devotedly loyal to the king of England. Following the American Revolutionary War, you are clearly no longer welcome in Concord and move back to England. The old king dies, and in 1821, for your loyalty, you are invited to his son’s coronation. You can proudly tell people you are attending the coronation of: a)  George III
b)  George IV
c)   George V
d)  George VII
e)  George Washington
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Answer: B: George IV, son of “Mad King” George III.  In modern day, The Prince and Princess of Wales’ oldest child is Prince George. He is in line to one day become King George the VII.

9. Even though you’ve been expelled from America, you remain friends with Edith Bunkerhill, a woman from Concord who remained neutral during the war. You write to invite her to attend the 1821 coronation with you, but to your surprise, she replies that she cannot travel to England then because she will be attending a dinner with the then-current American president. Who is this president? (For a hint, see the article “The Dangerous Déjà vu” in this issue of Discover Concord).
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Answer: James Munroe the fifth President of the United States (1817-1825) and the last president who was a member of the Founding Fathers.

10. You are at Westminster Abbey, in London, attending the coronation of the king in the above question. You hear wild banging on the door and someone screaming. It’s so scandalous that you can’t wait to write a letter back to Edith in Concord to tell her that the obnoxious would-be-intruder is:
a)  The king’s mother-in-law
b)  Benjamin Franklin
c)  The king’s wife
d)  The king’s mistress
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Answer: C. The king’s wife. King George IV hated (yes, hated) his wife Caroline from the moment he met her. She is remembered in history as “the smelly Queen,” which is unfortunate as she might have been a very nice person, and she really wanted to be Queen of England. When George banned her from attending his coronation, she showed up anyway and tried to gain entry.

Contact Barrow Bookstore for a list of sources. Barrowbookstore@gmail.com.

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For more than 50 years, Barrow Bookstore has been a favorite of residents and visitors alike, specializing in Concord authors and history, children’s books and literature. The shop also provides a wide array of gently read and rare titles ranging from paperbacks to first editions and original manuscripts. Staff members have all worked as tour guides and reenactors in Concord and are happy to share their knowledge about the town and its history. Discover more at barrowbookstore.com.