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Stay engaged with the MHS this year!
The grand Revolution of America may Probably be big with consequences that will greatly effect the other hemisphere, & make way for the accomplishment of those glorious Prophecies you mention. Some of these Prophecies Lead us to expect a time when there shall be peace & love among all Mankind; but this can hardly be expected till the Gospel shall prevail universally.
John Rowe Diary 11, 31 January 1775, Page 1958

The leaders of Suffolk County in Massachusetts made a Resolve on 9 September 1774, called the Suffolk Resolve, that rejected the Massachusetts Government Act. This resulted in a boycott of imported British goods unless all the Intolerable Acts were repealed. The Massachusetts Government Act, Boston Port Act, Administration of Justice Act, Quartering Act, and Quebec Act were all called the Intolerable Acts enacted by Parliament in Great Britain and in which colonists from Massachusetts were not represented. All these acts combined took away many of the self-governing rights colonists enjoyed and were created as punitive measures in reaction to the Boston Tea Party.

In this 31 January 1775 diary entry, Boston merchant John Rowe wonders how colonists will react to King George III’s condemnation of the Suffolk Resolve and his declaration that Massachusetts is in a state of rebellion. Rowe remarks that he believes that the king’s proclamation is “very Just,” showing his Loyalist leanings.
 
The Object of History Podcast
New Episodes Released Monthly

Now that you've enjoyed episodes 15 of the Object of History podcast, new episodes will be released monthly.

On 15 January 2022, listen to episode 6, "A Petition for Rebecca Nurse." In this episode, MHS staff look at the documentary record of the Salem Witch Trials. This disturbing tale of early America has fascinated generations and become a familiar story to many. But what was it like to witness this history firsthand? Hear experts take a close look at the story of Rebecca Nurse, a respected woman in her 70s who was accused of witchcraft. Through original petition documents and printed trial records held in the MHS collections, listen to an exploration of Rebecca’s individual experience and the role her community played in both persecuting and defending her.

Set your calendars for the January release! Listen to it on the MHS website here, or anywhere you regularly listen to podcasts.
Announcing the New MHS Film Club

The MHS will feature a movie every month and then invite experts on the topic to lead a discussion on the film. Topics could include historical accuracy, connections to the MHS or Massachusetts, or the impact of the film on popular understanding of history. Participants are encouraged to watch the movie at their leisure and then join us for the discussion. The films selected will be widely available through streaming services. This will be a participatory program and audience members are encouraged to share their thoughts and bring questions.

Thursday, 13 January - Glory

Thursday, 10 February - Amistad

TBA March - Little Women
MHS’s online programs are held on the video conference platform Zoom. Registrants will receive an e-mail with a link to join the program.
Seceding from the Sachemship: Coercion, Ethnology, and Colonial Failure in Early Historic New England

On Tuesday, 11 January, at 5:15 PM, Peter Jakob Olsen-Harbich, The New American Antiquarian, presents Seceding from the Sachemship: Coercion, Ethnology, and Colonial Failure in Early Historic New England, with comment by Linford Fisher, Brown University.

This paper considers coercive political practices among early historic southern New England Algonquians and their function in the success of early English colonies. In the spring of 1623, the Wessagusset settlement, a rag-tag band of starving would-be fur traders perched on the precarious northern edge of England's nascent American empire, collapsed in a bloody struggle with its Indigenous neighbors, the Massachusett. This paper asserts that the failure of Wessagusset occurred partially because its inhabitants, unlike those residing in Plymouth Colony, neglected to observe, understand, and diplomatically engage with the coercive political practices of the Algonquian sachemship they abutted. The majority of this paper serves to explain this coercive characterization of Algonquian politics through a reexamination of early historic evidence of corporal and capital punishment practices.

Useful Objects: Museums, Science, and Literature in 19th-Century America

On Wednesday, 12 January, at 5:30 PM, Reed Gochberg, Harvard University, presents Useful Objects: Museums, Science, and Literature in 19th-Century America.

Useful Objects examines the history of American museums during the 19th century through the eyes of visitors, writers, and collectors. Museums of this period held a wide range of objects, from botanical and zoological specimens to antiquarian artifacts and technological models. Intended to promote “useful knowledge,” these collections generated broader discussions about how objects were selected, preserved, and classified as well as who gets to decide their value. Their reflections shaped broader debates about the scope and purpose of museums in American culture that continue to resonate today. Please note that due to rising COVID-19 cases, this program will be held online.

Film Club: Glory

On Thursday, 13 January, at 6:00 PM, Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai and Kevin Levin present Film Club: Glory.

Join Civil War experts Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai and Kevin Levin as they discuss 1989’s Glory. Starring Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick, this film follows the story of the 54th Regiment and Col. Robert Gould Shaw. Watch the film at home and then join us online for an interactive conversation. Glory is currently available through Hulu, Amazon Video, Google Video, Starz, HBO Max, and other streaming sites.

On Tuesday, 18 January, at 5:15 PM, Lindsay Keiter, Pennsylvania State University–Altoona, presents The Emergence of the Marriage Market, with comment by Ellen Hartigan-O’Connor, University of California–Davis, a History of Women, Gender & Sexuality Seminar.

On Wednesday, 19 January, at 5:30 PM, Tegan Kehoe, Russell Museum of Medical History and Innovation at MGH, presents Exploring American Healthcare through 50 Historic Treasures.

On Tuesday, 25 January, at 5:15 PM, Katrin Kleeman, German Maritime Museum–Leibniz Institute for Maritime History, presents Earthquakes in New England, 1600–1800: Extraordinary Natural Events and Timekeeping Practices in Early America, with comment by Lukas Rieppel, Brown University, an Environmental History Seminar.

On Wednesday, 26 January, at 5:30 PM, Seth Bruggeman, Temple University, presents Lost on the Freedom Trail: The National Park Service and Urban Renewal in Postwar Boston, with other experts, TBA.

On Thursday, 27 January, at 5:15 PM, Chad Williams, Brandeis University, presents In the Shadow of World War: Revisiting W. E. B. Du Bois’s Black Reconstruction, with comment by Adriane Lentz-Smith, Duke University, an African American History Seminar.
Interested in Viewing Past Programs?
If you missed a program or would like to revisit the material presented, please visit www.masshist.org/video or our YouTube channel. A selection of past programs is just a click away.
Visiting the MHS during COVID-19
Please note that all guests are required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the building. Learn more about our COVID-19 protocols.
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