Am. History Gr. Five
Native Americans
The Early Years
Am. Revolution
Constitution Period
Civil War
Late 1800's |
American Revolution
The citizens of Acton played an active role in the months leading up to the American Revolution. Acton residents were growing increasingly frustrated with the demands of the English king and many men were willing to sign up for a militia.
An Acton resident, Issac Davis, was the first fatality at the Old North Bridge. |
Acton Minutemen, Davis Gallery |
Below, on the left and right, are scanned images of the original document forming the first artillery company under the direction of Captain Joseph Robbins. The transcription will help you read the words.
Do you notice anything about their spelling and grammar?
Do any of the names sound familiar to you?
If you want to know more about any of the signers, your fifth grade teacher has some information from the Acton Historical Society’s research. |
Militia Sign Up
Front Scanned Document
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Text from Militia Sign Up Document:
We the Subscribers do hereby Acknowledge
To have inlisted our Selves and do Incorporate
into an Artilery Company under the Command
and appointed our Captain and Leader that we
may be farther Instructed in the Military art
for the future Safety of our Selves and Country
And we do Each of us hereby promis that we will obey
Him as our Captain and be by him led and Disciplined
According to the Rules commonly used by the militia
of this Province and that we will hold our selves
In Readyness at a minutes warning in Case of
an Alarm or Invasion and upon due notice march
when & wheresoever our Leader shall order and
will be faithful in the performance of the above obliga
-tions and further covenant and Promis
to obey all such other officers as said Company
shall chuse under him
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Militia Sign Up
Back Scanned Document
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Taxes, taxes… nobody likes to pay taxes, but taxes have been a part of life in Acton since colonial times. It is interesting to compare a tax document from colonial times to one from the early days of the newly formed Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Can you compare the two documents and find out how people paid their taxes to the Crown, and then how they paid taxes to the Commonwealth?
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