During our expedition "Sparks of Liberty," we explored colonial Boston through the eyes of average colonists. Each student has a job of befitting a person from 1770 to 1775. We researched the daily life of each occupation and how it might fit into history. Our leading questions for the expedition were "Why Boston?" and "Why Revolution?" as well as "Why 1770?"

First, we did a considerable amount of research about what we believed lead to the Revolutionary War. We called such events "sparks." the first "Spark" we identified was the Death and Funeral of Christopher Seider, resulting in a young boy's death caused by a loyalist. The second such "Spark" was the Boston Massacre, killing five innocent men and wounding six others. The third such incident was the ever famous Boston Tea Party, a peaceful message to British Parliament. Last, but certainly not least, came Paul Revere's ride made famous by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. These events we believe enraged colonists to (eventually) the point of war. They felt that there should be no taxation without representation.

Go Directly to the Journals, catalogued by their relevant sparks: the Boston Massacre, the Tea Party, the Funeral of Christopher Seider, and Paul Revere.

Or Explore the journals through the index by historian.

Get the teachers' perspectives in About Sparks.