Tag: USS Constitution

Exploring a Little Piece of American History

A photograph of a famous poster depicting the events that occurred on March 5, 1770.
A photograph of a famous poster depicting the Boston Massacre.
The Old State House as it appears today.
The Old State House as it appears today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chances are, if you know anything about American History, you’ve probably heard of the Boston Tea Party. In fact, if you went to school anywhere in the United States, you probably had the story of a group of grown men dressed as Native Americans throwing tea overboard drilled into your head over and over again. However, even if you are familiar with the famous tea-related event that played a significant role in the years leading up to American Revolution, you may not be familiar with one of the other events that actually increased tensions between Great Britain and the colonies long before the tea went into the sea. Now, I know what you’re thinking. What event could he possibly be talking about?

Well, I’m talking about the Boston Massacre, and if you have no idea what the Boston Massacre is, you’re not alone. It is definitely one of the events in American History that is not widely taught in our schools. Fortunately, if you are interested in learning about the Boston Massacre and you are in the Boston area on Saturday (March 8, 2014), there is a group at the Old State House that will teach you everything that you could possibly want to know about this unfortunate incident and what actually happened on March 5, 1770. This is because the Old State House with the assistance of a dedicated team of re-enactors will be reenacting not only the incident in which five innocent civilians were killed and six civilians injured by British Soldiers, but also the trial that followed the massacre. For more information on the reenactment of the trial, which is scheduled for 11:30 A.M. and 2:00 P.M., and the reenactment of the Boston Massacre, which is scheduled for 7:00 P.M., please visit the Bostonian Society website.

If a reenactment of the Boston Massacre doesn’t really sound like your kind of thing, but you really would like to immerse yourself in some history, you may want to check out the USS Constitution Museum’s Best of the Best 2014 Ship Model Show. This exhibit, which is sponsored by the USS Constitution Museum and the USS Constitution Model Shipwright Guild, will give you and your family the opportunity to see over 100 model ships that are painstakingly handcrafted to show every detail of the actual ship. In fact, you will not only be able to see models of ships from a number of different time periods, but also be able to meet the people that built the models, see how each of the models are actually created and restored, and even purchase your own model ship kit. For more information on the Best of the Best 2014 Ship Model Show, which runs every day from now until March 22, 2014, please visit the USS Constitution Museum’s Exhibit page.

Boston Massacre Poster Photo credit: denisbin / Foter / CC BY-ND
Old State House Photo credit: ericodeg / Foter / CC BY-SA

Friday Fun: Independence Day

Fireworks (Canfield Fairgrounds)
Independence Day is next week, and no, I’m not talking about the movie with Will Smith and the locust-like aliens. I’m talking about the national holiday that celebrates the day that our founding fathers declared their independence from Great Britain with one of the most profound documents in modern history on July 4, 1776. The importance of this document, which we all know as the U.S. Declaration of Independence, cannot be overestimated as the Declaration not only helped to establish one of the most powerful nations in the world but also established that all men (and women) are created equal and that everyone has certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As a result, it should be no surprise that the celebrations that typically accompany this historic event often spill into the days both before and after the holiday, and if you’re one of the people trying to figure out what you’re going to do during the week of the 4th of July this year, here are some suggestions.

First, in order to make it through all of the events this week, you’re going to need to build up your strength. Fortunately, the Boston area has you covered, as there are a couple of events this weekend devoted to stuffing your face. In fact, if you’re into Caribbean cuisine, you may want to check out the Boston JerkFest. This festival, which is scheduled to take place at the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology on Saturday, June 29, 2013 from 11:00 to 8:00 pm, will feature live entertainment and more spicy food than you have ever seen before. For more information, please visit the Boston JerkFest website.

If spicy food really isn’t your thing and you would really prefer to have a good meatball, the Center for Arts at the Armory in Somerville is hosting the Meatball Takedown on Sunday, June 30, 2013 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. The Meatball Takedown is an all you can eat food festival that, as you might guess, will allow you to sample a wide assortment of meatballs. However, the Takedown not only features a whole bunch of different meatballs for the average attendee to eat but also features a meatball-eating contest in which a large group of people will try to cram as many meatballs into their stomachs as humanly possible. If this all sounds like something you just can’t miss, you may want to check out the Meatball Takedown website for more details and/or to purchase tickets.

Secondly, once you’re all fueled up and ready to go, you may want to think about taking the Official USS Constitution Turnaround cruise. The USS Constitution, which is the world’s oldest commissioned warship, makes a short trip to Castle Island every year on the 4th of July to fire off a 21 gun salute in honor of all the men and women who have fought and/or given their lives for our country. Now, while these cruises won’t actually allow you to sail on the Constitution itself, they will allow you to sail right beside it while you eat, enjoy music from the Middlesex Fife and Drum Corps, and listen to an expert discuss the USS Constitution. For more information and/or to order tickets, please visit the Boston Harbor Cruises Turnaround Spectacular website.

Finally, if you’re looking for something to do after the cruise is over and you’re not planning to head home for the local fireworks that most towns and cities have, you may want to head over to the Esplanade for the Boston Pops Firework Spectacular. The Boston Pops Firework Spectacular is one of the largest fireworks displays in the United States, and it is accompanied by a flyover, music , and guest appearances by a number of well-known actresses, actors, musicians, and bands. For more details on the event, which is absolutely free, please visit the Boston Pops Firework Spectacular website.