This page contains questions to think about as you browse the Washington Elm site. They will help you prepare for section and give you some ideas of possible topics for your short and final papers.

Section Questions:

• How do later interpretations of the events of July, 1775 differ from those at the time? Why? Specifically, why might a soldier like Joshua Slocum's memoirs differ so much from soldiers' diaries?
• Does it matter if the legend of Washington and the elm is true?
• Why do you think this legend has had such a powerful hold over popular memory of the Revolution in Cambridge?
• Why might a tree make a successful or appropriate memorial?
• Compare some of the visual or material images of the Washington Elm (pictures, stamps, spoons, book, plaques) to the written descriptions.
• What do you think happened on July 3, 1775?
  

Short Paper:

The full details of the Washington Elm short paper are available on the main assignments page.

Final Paper:

The full details of how you might use the Washington Elm website as material for your final paper are available on the main assignments page.