The Minutemen And Their World Chapter Summary

In Robert A. Gross’ novel, The Minutemen and Their World he takes his readers through what life was like in Concord, Massachusetts in the years of the late 1700’s. He starts his book off with a short prologue called “Winter Soldiers and Springtime Farmers”. This short seven page introduction could easily be a survival guide to any new settler that wants to call Concord home. The reader is given a map with all the main roads, neighboring cities, and boundary lines. One is also reassured that all daily needs could be accomplished in a one day trip to town. The blacksmith, tailors, cabinetmakers, tanners, and coppers are all ironically located on the way. One could also make a little extra cash by selling produce at the market. If one were to
The main focus for Concordians in the early years of their settlement were their roads, bridges, schools, and even the poor citizens of their town (10). Reading further I saw that the colonies’ higher authority tried to claim and control everything that happened there. The citizens that made up this so called “great” place traveled over-seas looking for something better than what they had, but it seems like in the beginning stages before the war everything and everyone was controlled by someone in a higher political position than themselves. Men of a certain age, citizenship, and tax paying percentage were the only eligible voters to have a say in who became next in power (11). The people of Concord thought the best leaders came from the rich and that society was composed of “ranks and degrees” (12). Even our society today thinks you have to make a certain amount of money on your paycheck or now someone “important” or “high enough up” to make yourself feel like you are worth