Harvard Square: Ava's Thoughts

This is an entry from Benjamin Wadsworth’s diary. Wadsworth lived from 1696 to 1737, was the pastor of the First Church of Boston from 1693 to 1725, and the 8th president of Harvard College from 1725 to 1737. In this diary entry Wadsworth discusses his purchase of a black woman named Venus. He refers to Venus as a “negro wench.” Wadsworth’s prominent role in the early foundations of Cambridge as well as his role as a religious leader can be seen as an example of the attitude many settler’s held at the time towards people of color and the slave trade. (Wadsworth, Benjamin. 1696. Papers of Benjamin Wadsworth, 1696-1736. Harvard University Archives.) Alongside his diary entries, I would also include this portrait of Benjamin Wadsworth. Placing the entries around the portrait would exemplify how Harvard’s presentation of Wadsworth glorified him but did not acknowledge or condemn his actions. ("Benjamin Wadsworth (1669/70-1737) (Unidentified Artist) (Benjamin Wadsworth) , H3,” Harvard ...

Mary Pratt Swan was born in Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America, in 1632. Her father was Phinehas Pratt and her mother was Mary Priest Pratt and she was one of 8 children. She married John Swann III, a native of England, and had 4 children (some sources say she had 8 or 9 children). Mary died in 1702 in Cambridge, Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her grandfather, Degory Priest, was a passenger on the Mayflower . The Mayflower She was raised during a time of Puritan settlement in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Plymouth Colony was established in 1620, so Mary was raised during the very early years of English settlement in the colonies. Early Plymouth Colony The Cambridge area still had large march areas at this time and was very underdeveloped. Due to the rough nature of life in the colonies, Mary likely would have taken on duties not commonly undertaken by women at the time such as farming and building settlements, though Puritan colonies were much more traditional so it is difficult ...

  The native american depicted on the flag references the presence of the Massachusett in the state before its founding and their large role in the history of the state. The arm with the sword and the latin motto however are representative of colonialism and its dominating presence. The placement of the native american with the crest and under the arm even gives the idea of assimilation or incorporation into the colonies. Even the presentation of the flag as a coat of arms is very European and not reminiscent of native practices. The motto, which reads “By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty” in English, also conveys ideals of the American founding centered around the value of liberty. The Massachusett crest however features crops that the tribe originally farmed according to their website and features depictions of the land (the sun, a bird, and a hill) behind the figure of the native american rather than the star of statehood. This is much more reminiscent ...