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Table of Contents
The Freedom Trail is a one-of-a-kind assemblage of museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship, and historical markers that commemorate the American Revolution and beyond. It is a 2.5-mile-long walking path through Boston, Massachusetts, that contains 16 historical sites.
See the fact file below for more information on the Freedom Trail or you can download our 30-page Freedom Trail worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
FREEDOM TRAIL ESTABLISHMENT
- Boston, one of the oldest cities in the United States and the cradle of the American Revolution (1765β1791), is home to many national historical monuments. Following the Revolution, Boston experienced a period of industrialization and prosperity, during which significant buildings were demolished.
- By the mid-twentieth century, local landmarks were dwarfed by skyscrapers, major highways, and new architecture that came to dominate Boston’s skyline. A group of Bostonians banded together to make these historic sites more accessible to residents and visitors.
- Bill Schofield, a Boston Herald-Traveler reporter, and Bob Winn, a member of the Old North Church, came up with the idea for the Freedom Trail after noticing a need for a clear and more concise guidance tool for tourists visiting Boston’s historic monuments.
- The proposal made its way to Boston Mayor John B. Hynes’ office. Mayor Hynes officially dedicated the Freedom Trail on Monday, June 11, 1951, at noon.
- The Freedom Trail took off instantly, with 40,000 tourists using this novel guidance tool in 1953.
- The Freedom Trail was once a mile and a fifth long, commencing at Boston Common and finishing in the North End. The path was marked by a system of signs rather than a red line on the ground. The red line was added in 1958, and the Trail was formally extended into Charlestown in 1972, containing all 16 of the current designated Freedom Trail historic sites.
- The Freedom Trail Foundation, established in 1964, was the successor to the Freedom Trail Committee, which was formed in 1958 by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Advertising Club of Greater Boston to market the Freedom Trail.
- It was established as a non-profit organization to promote and protect the Freedom Trail.
- Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, the Freedom Trail grew in popularity and visitation. Over 500,000 people visited the Freedom Trail in 1965, according to the Foundation.
- Currently, Boston receives over 22 million tourists annually, and yearly attendance over the whole Trail exceeds 4 million people.
- The Freedom Trail is a signature Boston experience that generates over $1 billion in annual spending and supports jobs in the hotel, tourist, and education industries.
OFFICIAL TRAIL SITES
- Boston Common. Boston Common, America’s first public park, was established in 1634. The land rights to the Common’s 44 acres were purchased by Puritan colonists from the area’s first European settler, Anglican preacher William Blackstone.
- The Common was also used to imprison and execute people. The Boston Common has served and continues to serve a higher purpose as a venue for public oratory and debate.
- During the twentieth century, Charles Lindbergh supported commercial aviation; anti-Vietnam War and civil rights rallies were conducted, including one led by Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass in front of a large crowd in 1979. Boston Common is now available to the public.
- Massachusetts State House. Across the street, on the northern side of Boston Common, sits the Massachusetts State House. It was established in 1798 and houses both the legislative and executive branches.
- It is topped by a large dome that Paul Revere gilded in golden copper.
- It is situated in Beacon Street on top of Beacon Hill and was built on land once owned by John Hancock, Massachusetts’s first elected governor.
- Park Street Church. The Park Street Church was constructed in 1809. The tower was designed by Peter Banner and is 217 feet tall and was the highest building in Boston for many years.
- During the War of 1812, members of the Church kept brimstone (which is needed to manufacture gunpowder) in the basement.
- Many social justice movements have relied heavily on the church. At Park Street Church, William Lloyd Garrison delivered his “Address to the Colonization Society,” the first major public speech opposing slavery.
- Granary Burying Ground. The Granary Burying Ground was founded in 1660. Nobody has been buried there since 1880. This cemetery is reported to have about 2,300 gravestones, with over 5,000 people buried there.
- Many notable individuals are buried here, including three Declaration of Independence signatories (John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Robert Treat Paine), Paul Revere, James Otis, Boston Massacre victims, and Benjamin Franklin‘s parents.
- Kingβs Chapel and Kingβs Chapel Burying Ground. Boston’s first Anglican church was established here in 1686, and the current structure was built in 1754. The pulpit of King’s Chapel is the oldest in continuous use in the United States. The church’s interior features Georgian architecture.
- Boston Proper’s earliest burying site was King’s Chapel Burying Ground. It has a long list of notable residents, including Massachusetts’ first governor, John Winthrop, and Mary Chilton, the first woman to set foot on the Mayflower. The first grave in King’s Chapel Burying Ground, according to tradition, was that of the land’s original owner, Isaac Johnson.
- Boston Latin School Site and Benjamin Franklin Statue. The Boston Latin School, established on April 23, 1635, is America’s oldest public school. It provided free education to boys, rich or poor, while girls attended private schools or were educated at home.
- The site of the original schoolhouse is marked by a mosaic and a statue of former pupil Benjamin Franklin.
- Boston Latin was attended by five signers of the Declaration of Independence: Benjamin Franklin (who dropped out before graduating), Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, and William Hooper.
- Old Corner Bookstore. The Old Corner Bookstore, built in 1718, is Boston’s oldest commercial structure. It began as a pharmacy and eventually became a publishing house.
- Some of America’s best writers, including Harriet Beecher Stowe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, were published here.
- Bostonians were able to gather money to save the Old Corner Bookstore from being razed in 1960 in order to create, of all things, a parking garage.
- Old South Meeting House. In order for Puritans to gather and pray, the Old South Meeting House was constructed in 1729.
- Old South Church hosted some of the occasions that helped spark the American Revolutionary War. For instance, right before the Boston Tea Party in 1773, 5,000 people gathered at Old South Meeting House.
- In 1872, it was scheduled for destruction, but 20 women intervened to prevent it, and it was turned into a museum.
- Old State House. The Old State House is the oldest surviving public structure in Boston. It was constructed in 1713 and has withstood the Boston Massacre, the American Revolution, and fire.
- The colonial administration of the Massachusetts Bay Colony operated there. The American Revolution was greatly aided by the Old State House.
- The Declaration of Independence was first read to Boston residents in 1776 from the Old State House’s balcony.
- Boston Massacre Site. The Boston Massacre site marker is situated a short distance from the actual scene of the massacre at the intersection of State and Congress Streets in Downtown Boston, outside the Old State House.
- There have been two relocations of the Massacre site, both from the intersection’s center.
- After months of unrest brought on by the occupation and taxes, Bostonians and Redcoats clashed in Boston’s streets on March 5, 1770. Following the shooting deaths of Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, James Caldwell, Samuel Maverick, and Patrick Carr, Bostonians rose against the Crown, and troops were evacuated from the city. Their next visit wouldn’t be until 1774.
- Faneuil Hall. In 1741, Peter Faneuil, a wealthy businessman, built Faneuil Hall. It was originally built as a hub for commerce.
- It has been referred to as “the home of free speech” and the “Cradle of Liberty.”
- The Sons of Liberty made their protests against royal persecution known in Faneuil Hall. Additionally, it was the scene of the first American demonstrations against the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act in 1764.
- Paul Revere House. The Paul Revere House, built in 1680 and owned by the illustrious patriot from 1770 to 1800, is the oldest standing building in downtown Boston and the only Freedom Trail historic property that is a residence.
- Old North Church. The Old North Church is Boston’s oldest church still in existence. It was founded as an Episcopal church in 1723. In its steeple, the first bells ever carried to America were installed.
- Two lamps were placed in the steeple of the church by the Sons of Liberty as a warning that British soldiers were about to cross the Charles River. The Americans were able to determine how to best defend themselves from the British.
- Coppβs Hill Burying Ground. Copp’s Hill, which dates back to 1659, was Boston’s biggest colonial burial cemetery. William Copp, a shoemaker, inspired its name. It serves as the final resting place and burial cemetery for North End-based businesspeople, artisans, and crafters.
- Edmund Hartt, the man who built the USS Constitution, and Robert Newman, the sexton of Old North Church who lit the lanterns on the night of Paul Revere’s midnight ride, are buried on Coppβs Hill.
- USS Constitution. The oldest commissioned warship afloat is the USS Constitution, which was launched in Boston in 1797.
- During the War of 1812, the Constitution rose to fame. Because cannonballs deflected off the ship’s wooden sides as though they were constructed of iron, it was given the moniker “Old Ironsides.”
- Bunker Hill Monument. The Battle of Bunker Hill, the Revolutionary War’s first significant battle is commemorated at the Bunker Hill Monument. The battle, which took place on June 17, 1775, foretold the nature and course of successive battles.
- The Battle of Bunker Hill demonstrated that American forces could successfully combat British forces even though the British ultimately prevailed.
- On the 50th anniversary of the fight, Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette laid the cornerstone for the Bunker Hill monument in 1825. It took until 1842 for the 221-foot granite obelisk to be completed.
- The Battle of Bunker Hill Museum may be found across from the Monument. Among the objects from the conflict on display, in addition to dioramas and murals, are a cannonball, a snare drum, a sword, and Dr. Joseph Warren’s masonic apron.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- The Freedom Trail is mainly flat and paved, making it suitable for people of all ages and levels of activity. It is virtually impossible to stray off the trail by following the brick route, which is typically two bricks wide and runs down the middle of the sidewalk. The route takes roughly two hours to complete if visitors stroll along and view each of the 16 sites from the outside.
- Visitors will see Colonial and Federal architecture, several ancient tombstones, and a mansion built in the 1600s in the manner of a medieval castle since all Freedom Trail locations are authenticβnot recreations or copies.
- Visitors to the Freedom Trail have a choice of taking a scheduled guided tour or exploring the trail on their own. The majority of guided tours don’t go all the way along the Freedom Trail.
- The Green Dragon Tavern, where Paul Revere, Sam Adams, and other Sons of Liberty spied on the Redcoats and plotted their Tea Party, is one of the additional historical locations that can be found close to the trail.
- The Freedom Trail Commission of the City of Boston is in charge of the Trail. The Boston National Historical Park, charity, contributions, and non-profit foundation grants cover the costs of maintaining the Trail.
Freedom Trail Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Freedom Trail across 30 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about the Freedom Trail, which is a one-of-a-kind assemblage of museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship, and historical markers that commemorate the American Revolution and beyond.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Freedom Trail Facts
- Word Search
- Fact or Not
- Guess The Site
- Trail Tips
- Bring Me
- Dead and Buried
- Letβs Read More!
- Virtual Tour
- Create Your Own
- Letβs Have Some Fun!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is so special about the Freedom Trail?
The Freedom Trail is where you can see different things that tell the story of the American Revolution. You can explore for two and a half miles to learn more about what happened in the past.
Who created the Freedom Trail?
In 1951, Bill Schofield became famous when he made the Freedom Trail path.
What is the Freedom Trail symbol?
The red brick line takes visitors on an exciting journey through some of the oldest parts of Boston. You will see many important sites in Downtown, North End and Charlestown.
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Link will appear as Freedom Trail Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 30, 2022
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.