The Minutemen and Their World

Describe the role of religion in Concord society in the pre-Revolutionary period. How did it change? What factors drove that change?

Some analyses of environmental and geographic conditions’ roles in human history assert that these conditions can have a decisive influence on the character of people and society. Do you think this is a reasonable argument? Why or why not? Does the author of The Minutemen and their World make this argument, and if so, is it convincing?

Based on your reading of The Minutemen and their World, were the primary causes for the Revolutionary War economic or ideological (or both, or neither)? Do you agree or disagree with this analysis?

What was most important in determining a young man’s future in 18th-century Concord: his circumstances, or the decision she made? Justify your answer with examples from the book.

The concept of citizenship was much different in the 18th century than it is today. How would the author define citizenship during the period he writes about? How has this definition changed in the past two centuries?

Imagine that you are a prosperous London merchant. Your friend, a prosperous Boston merchant who is unsure of his opinion on resistance to British rule, writes to you in March of 1775 describing the situation in the colonies and asking for advice. Write a letter in which you attempt to convince him to either support or oppose the resistance effort, and base your advice on this position.

In Chapter Six, the author claims that “[...]the Revolution against British-imposed ‘slavery’ had dramatically undermined the notion that any man was, by right, a slave” (151). Throughout the book, the imposition of taxes by the British government is described in quotes from the time period as a form of enslavement. Does the above statement seem true? Why or why not, and how would you modify it?

In the book’s Afterword, the author explains how he was inspired to write the story of the events leading up to the Concord fight at the North Bridge by his own experience demonstrating against the Vietnam War. How, if at all, does this information change your interpretation of the book? Is it possible, or desirable, to write a history that isn’t influenced by one’s own opinions and experiences?