QUESTIONS
1. Which King is remembered for losing both the American Colonies and his sanity?
a) King James Edward Stuart
b) King George the II
c) King George the III
d) King George Washington
e) King Burger
Click to show the answer
a) King James Edward Stuart
b) King George the II
c) King George the III
d) King George Washington
e) King Burger
Answer: C: “I’ll take a large inheritance with a side of ‘oops’.” George the III ascended his father’s throne in 1760 and, from then on, history didn’t go well for him.
2. True or False: On April 19th, 1775, Concord Patriots and Loyalists were all considered citizens of the crown.
Click to show the answer
Answer: True.
3. True or False: Paul Revere completed a ride to Concord and alerted the town that British forces were coming to search the town for military supplies.
Click to show the answer
Answer: True! On April 8th, 1775, alerted by increased British troop movement in Boston, Revere rode in the daytime to Concord to warn the town of a potential search. Ten days later, on the eve of April 18th when the British troops finally were enroute, Revere once again attempted to alert Concord. A British patrol captured Revere in Lincoln, and despite Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s literary license in “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”, his ride was cut short before Concord.
4. In what town was “the shot heard round the world” fired?
a) Lexington
b) Concord
c) Boston
d) Arlington
Click to show the answer
a) Lexington
b) Concord
c) Boston
d) Arlington
Answer: Concord. Memorialized in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem “The Concord Hymn”, the “shot heard round the world” refers to the deliberate order given by Concord’s Major John Buttrick to fire on the King’s troops. While first shots were fired in Lexington, the order in Concord marked the first intentional act of aggression against Great Britain.
5. True or False: In the opening of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, the March girls’ father is away serving as chaplain in the American Revolutionary War.
Click to show the answer
Answer: False. Mr. March is a chaplain in the American Civil War.
6. If you were in the battle at the North Bridge on April 19th, 1775, which of
the following instruments might you
have heard?
a) Snare drum
b) Tin whistle
c) Fife
d) Bass drum
Click to show the answer
a) Snare drum
b) Tin whistle
c) Fife
d) Bass drum
Answer: A, C, and D. The snare drum, fife, and bass drum were common instruments used for signaling by both the Colonists and the British troops. The tin whistle was invented in 1843 by Englishman Robert Clarke.
7. A common exclamation in the Colonial era, what did “huzzah!” indicate?
a) Fear
b) Joy
c) Sadness
d) Anger
Click to show the answer
a) Fear
b) Joy
c) Sadness
d) Anger
Answer: B. Joy.
8. Brothers and sisters making each other famous. Published in 1868, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women made her and her publisher famous. What was the publishing company?
Click to show the answer
Answer: Roberts Brothers, Boston. Formed in 1857, Roberts Brothers was originally a bookbinding company. In the 1860s, they began publishing books. Louisa’s Little Women was a success, and her book established Roberts Brothers’ reputation as publishers.
9. Which of the following are annual events held on Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts?
a) Reenactment at Lexington Common
b)
Reenactment at North Bridge in Concor
c) The Boston Marathon
d) Red Sox home game
Click to show the answer
a) Reenactment at Lexington Common
b) Reenactment at North Bridge in Concor
c) The Boston Marathon
d) Red Sox home game
Answer: All the above! Huzzah! If you plan and hustle, you can make it to every event. Check local schedules.
10. In which Concord museum can you learn about history involving the American Revolutionary War, the Underground Railroad, the real events upon which Little Women is based, the rise of the American Gothic Literature genre, and the creation of the Children of the American Revolution?
Click to show the answer
Answer: The Wayside Museum. Residents included Samuel Whitney, Concord Minutemen’s Muster master on April 19, 1775; the Alcotts, 1845-52; Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1852-69; and the Lothrop family, 1883-1965. Now it’s your turn! Visit the Wayside and become part of its history.
Contact Barrow Bookstore for a list of sources. Barrowbookstore@gmail.com.
————————————————————————
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.
