New Amsterdam’s untold story: The Flushing Remonstrance

Integrating NYC public school curricula, neighborhood museum resources and

historical fiction to create diverse learning experiences in social studies ©

by

Katrina A. Raben

Mentor Nina Jaffe

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science in Education Bank Street College of Education 2009

1 Abstract:

This study focuses on experiential learning opportunities presented by integrating creative literature such as historical fiction into (NYC) social studies curricula. Providing teachers with aid in utilizing neighborhood cultural institutions for their physical and cultural history resources is paramount in creating tangible and multi-sensory learning experiences for varied learners. Such diverse modes of learning can be supported by illustrating the interface between history and comparative religions in social studies curricula, creating a foundation for socio-cultural inquiry that students today need in promoting tolerance and advocacy in their communities.

2 Table of Contents

I. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….p. 4

A. Historical fiction and museum education B. Religion and diversity in the curriculum C. Curriculum supplement: 4th grade NYC social studies D. Developmental rationale

II. Historical Background………………………………………………………………..p. 12

A. The Flushing Remonstrance B. Religious liberty in the colonies C. Relevance to today post 9/11

III. Literature Review………………………………………………………………………p. 18

IV. A Light In The Window (a work in progress)………………………………p. 23

V. Child’s Response & Reflection……………………………………………………..p. 39

A. Preliminary Reading B. Responses C. Reflections

VI. Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………p. 45

A. References B. Resources

VI. Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………p. 49

A. Timeline of historic events B. Prototypes for illustrations

3

I. Introduction

4

I. Introduction

A. Historical fiction and museum education

Working as a museum educator has opened my eyes to the vital need to incorporate the resources of cultural institutions into school curriculums for grades K-12.

Knowledge of physical and cultural history is critical to the development of students as active participants in different social communities and environments. The National

Council for Social Studies defines social studies as "the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence" (NCSS 2009). In essence, the teaching of social studies promotes knowledge of and involvement in civic affairs. And because civic issues are multidisciplinary in nature, understanding these issues and developing resolutions to them require multidisciplinary and experientially grounded educational applications (NCSS 2009). However many educators are not given the necessary support and encouragement to seek access to resources that cultural institutions can offer.

During my own work in the field, while leading professional development workshops, I encounter many teachers who are unaware of the resources available in their immediate neighborhoods. In addition to experiences on site at museums, historic houses, and other culturally-based institutions, students need an interface between these rich learning experiences and those in the classroom. “We cannot take students on a field trip into the past, but we can recreate a sense of history so powerful that students enter imaginatively into the past and explore the conflicts, suffering, joys and despair of those who lived before us”(Freeman & Levstik ,1988). Rather than relying solely on textbooks,

5 this type of multisensory and layered learning can also be achieved by integrating literary works including fiction, non-fiction and reference sources into textbook-centric curricula.

In my view there is a lack in historical fiction picture books for upper elementary grades. Given the many advantages of this particular genre, this paucity in available children’s literature needs to be remedied. With or without field trips to cultural institutions, historical fiction can provide a window for students to interpret the past and make it their own. Through well-crafted narrations, exciting plots, and characters that students can identify with - sophisticated picture books can bring an accessible, humanizing dimension to the study and grasp of historical concepts.

A social studies curriculum can offer multiple entry points from print to digital media - engaging students in multiple modes of learning, and providing a natural self- facilitating flow in the classroom. “Historical fiction can be a very effective source of social data and can initiate the type of inquiry that is the essence of good social studies.

Because of its strong emotional impact, it can also exercise considerable influence on student’s perceptions of historical accidents, controversies and people” (Freeman &

Levstik 1988). According to Csikszentmihalyi and Hermanson (1995) linking other modes of knowledge to a historical fiction book allows students to make connections, form their own opinions, and grow in their sensory, intellectual and emotional capacities.

It is for this reason as well as ideas learned in Geography in the Social Studies

Curriculum taught by Sam Brian (2008) that I chose to develop an original work of historical fiction related to the topic of religious freedom and civil liberties.

6 B. Religion and diversity in the curriculum

There has been a large movement recently to incorporate more multicultural curricula and literature into the classroom, however one large component that is often left out is religion. When taking into consideration the importance of freedom of religion as a motivating factor in the early colonization and founding of the United States, this absence of religion becomes problematic. Without the study of religion within a culturally and historically based context, curriculums will never offer true diversity to our students.

When studying about different cultural traditions it is very problematic to ignore this topic in an elementary school curriculum, especially since religion holds a central place among many ethnic, national or regional populations. In social studies, students should be offered a comprehensive curriculum, which treats religion objectively and within a broader framework of socio-cultural concepts. Therefore the question I would like to pose is: why should a subject that has been so pertinent to United States and global history, and which continues to be a major issue in current events today be overlooked?

“Silence about religion has only served to impoverish our curriculum and deny our students a full education. More serious still, we have given students the dangerously false message that religions operate only on the margins of human life and are largely irrelevant to human history and culture” (Byrnes & Kiger, 2005).

Looking back on my own social studies experiences, I remember learning about religiously motivated wars but not fully comprehending the underlying reasons for their inception. I remember wondering why there were so many religions and what they all meant. These questions are ones that students continue to ponder today. In fact, they are central to developing tolerance, cultural competence and identity -- yet are rarely given

7 the ability to surface in most classrooms (Note: Recently, organizations such as the

Tannenbaum Foundation (www.tanenbaum.org) are working to present comparative religious studies in public school curriculums which are still aligned with constitutional separation of church and state).

C. Curriculum supplement: 4th grade NYC Social Studies

In New York City, social studies curricula for fourth grade students include a case study on New Amsterdam. This topic, as outlined in most classroom textbooks, includes: the establishment of New Amsterdam by the Dutch West India Company, key figures such as Peter Stuyvessant and interactions between European and Native American groups (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2008). However I feel that it is very important to offer educators alternative resources for learning about the complex dynamics of the

Dutch colonies in New York such as the compelling adult non-fiction work by Russell

Shorto, The Island At The Center Of The World (2004).

As a museum educator at the Queens Historical Society, one program that I have developed includes a walking tour of historic Flushing. This tour includes visiting many sites involved with the creation of the Flushing Remonstrance. After the tour students participate in an arts workshop creating their own documents for advocacy in their communities today. The students are often fascinated by the change that the community of Flushing was able to achieve and leave with a greater sense of their own potential for empowerment and advocacy. Taking all of this into consideration, I decided to provide students with a piece of illustrated historical fiction based on knowledge I gained while working with the Queens Historical Society.

8 The events surrounding the Flushing Remonstrance (1657) have great significance for social studies education. For teachers it can be an example of religious tolerance as a blueprint for the United Statues Constitution. For children, this fight for justice and against persecution is a thrilling and captivating story that can engage a varied group of learners from many different cultural backgrounds. In Language, Literature &

Emergent Literacy (2008) Prof. Feldman emphasized the importance of character development and illustrations on reaching diverse reading audiences. In planning for my own book, the illustrations I envisioned would serve to deepen children’s grasp of the historical circumstances. I chose to set the story in our backyard of contemporary

Queens, one of the most culturally diverse regions in the country. In order to integrate

17th century New Amsterdam into the story, I utilized flashbacks to detail the reign of

Peter Stuyvessant.

The story weaves all ten thematic strands of social studies curriculum within the story including: culture; time, continuity and change; places, people and environments; individual development and identity; individual groups and institutions; power, authority and governance; and civic ideals and practices (NYCDOE, 2008). Through a humanistic child-centered narrative, I hoped to convey one community’s achievement in countering oppression and discrimination through united advocacy.

As educators we must teach our students about the past within a contemporary context, regarding how the “then” continues to impact our “now”. The same struggle for individual liberties that took place in Queens in the 1600’s is still going on today in our local and global communities. Learning about the Flushing Remonstrance in the

9 classroom aids in the shift towards building an inclusive democratic society for all by starting with our youth. It is our duty as teachers, especially in social studies, to see that we educate our students in our past histories so that we can move toward a new future.

D. Developmental rationale

“The process of moral development reaches a critical period during the middle years of childhood as children begin to come to terms with the meaning of moral and ethical thought and conduct. Matters such as law and individual rights, attitudes toward ethnic and religious differences, toward national pride and in group, out group prejudice also enter the orbit of the child’s concern and beginning opinion”. (Cohen, 1972, p.226).

Religious freedom and ethnic pride are layered within various themes of the story of the Flushing Remonstrance. As Cohen illustrates, these topics are highly relevant to students in later childhood. Students at the middle school level are beginning to learn about themselves as young people, and in their own understanding of themselves, they are also ordering their ideas about outside influences, one important influence being cultural ideals. “ It is this forum aspect of culture that gives its participants a role in constantly making and remaking the culture- an active role as participants rather than as performing spectators”(Bruner 1986). As learners reshape culture, they simultaneously form new constructions of self, which is especially important for children in middle childhood. As students in this developmental stage engage in a piece of illustrated historical fiction, their inquiries, and personal interpretations may help them in the developmental task of internalizing their own cultural and historic identity. While children interact with this tool, their ideas about their own culture and the cultures of others are being shaped at the same time. Middle school students need to be provided with interactive materials and dialogue in order for abstract concepts to become

10 accessible to their learning. A medium such as historical fiction can help teachers in scaffolding eight, nine, and ten year- olds to reach the full potential within their zone of proximal development. (Vygotsky 1979).

The Piagetian framework for the conservation of skills of middle childhood illustrates that children of this age are able to form more accurate and precise cognitive maps of their communities and neighborhoods. Heightened abilities in spatial distance and directions provide children of middle childhood to be able to construct such accurate mental representations as a basis for assimilating new observations (Berk, 1994).

Students at this age are able to view their classroom in the broader and interrelated context of their surrounding neighborhoods and community and make further comparisons in realizing relationships between these intimate communities and communities of a wider scope, nationally or globally.

Most fourth grade curricula mandates a focus on state and national history.

Students at this age are more than ready to be given various entry points to engage in the rich multi-layered learning that an American History curriculum has to offer, including learning about diverse cultures, ethnicities, and religions. These students are ready to start thinking in socio-cultural terms in interpreting the ways past events shape cultural ideals and continue to affect the ways we think and interact in our own communities every day.

These same students are ready to learn ways to incorporate examples of tolerance and activism into their own communities today.

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II. Historical Background

12 A. The Flushing Remonstrance

The part of Queens, which is today known as Flushing, was once known as the

Dutch town of Vlissengen (Dutch spelling). Over three hundred years ago, in the early

Dutch colony of New Amsterdam that is now New York City, Vlissengen and Queens was known as a separate region from New York City (Hirshey, 2005). It was not until

1897 that Queens became part of New York City. Flushing was first settled in 1645, and one year later Peter Stuyvessant arrived on the scene and imposed his rules and constraints on the colony as Governor of New Amsterdam, which also put the town of

Flushing under his jurisdiction.

In August of 1657 the ship “Woodhouse” came to New Netherland with Quakers aboard to settle in Long Island, Jamaica, and Flushing. A fine was imposed on anyone who sheltered a Quaker for a night with half of the fine going to the informer for their services. Any vessel bringing Quakers to the region was in danger of being confiscated

(Waller 1899). Quakers were looked on with suspicion by other religious denominations such as Calvinism, especially because of their strong pacifist beliefs. Some Quakers who lived in New England during this time were known for radical behavior, resulting in a stigmatization of the whole community. Certain elements of Quaker belief and practice were especially suspect to groups outside of the Quaker denomination. These include: pacifism, a strong disdain for offices and titles, and a lack of formal leadership in the congregation. In Massachusetts, New York and Maryland Quakers were often physically punished for their behaviors and beliefs in addition to being fined and imprisoned.

13 During this time period Quakers held their meetings in the woods or in people’s houses amongst the community but secrecy was key, as they had to hide their practice from public view. On December 27, 1657 thirty townspeople of Flushing got together to sign the Flushing Remonstrance, which was written by Edward Hart the town clerk and

Tobias Feake the sheriff of Flushing. This document was a petition against Stuyvessant’s ban on certain religions in the colonies, one being Quakerism. Feake and Hart were imprisoned when Stuyvessant was informed about the document’s existence and its writers. Stuyvessant spoke of the act and of religious tolerance for Quakers by stating,

“…Securing signatures to a seditious and detestable chartabel…a heretical and abominable sect called Quakers…”(Waller, 1899). An ordinance was then passed on

March 26th 1656, providing the use of tribunes, which in turn eliminated town meetings, meetings that could produce another document similar to the Remonstrance. Stuyvessant referred to the document as a “seditious and mutinous remonstrance” and he believed that the town of Flushing deserved punishment.

A few years later in 1661, a man by the name of John Bowne arrived in Flushing with his wife Hannah, who was a Quaker. John and Hannah attended the ongoing Quaker meetings still being held in secret. Bowne then became an active Quaker and started holding meetings in his own home. About a year later John Bowne was named by informers and refused to pay the fine, resulting in his imprisonment for three months.

Bowne was then sent to Holland aboard the “Guilded Fox” to state his case to the directors of the West India Company. Bowne was eventually granted his freedom and returned to Flushing after his two- year absence. Stuyvessant was rebuked for his actions of intolerance (Walker, 1899). Upon the return of John Bowne, Quaker meetings were

14 held at different places in public view as the colony was granted religious tolerance. In

1694 the Quaker Meeting House was built in Flushing, as a structure exclusively for the

Quaker faith and their activities.

A. Religious liberty in the colonies

The Flushing Remonstrance and John Bowne’s actions secured religious freedom for the colonies under Dutch rule, and against the wishes of Peter Stuyvessant. This tolerance was extended when the British took over and New Amsterdam became New

York that same year in 1664, and again when the Dutch regained control once more in

1673 before British dominance ended the on-going struggle between the two powers the next year. Together these historical events paved the way for our country’s history and legacy of freedom. The Remonstrance also served as a blueprint for framing the constitution in the words of The First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. United States Constitution-1st Amendment

B. Relevance to today post 9/11

Today many ethnic groups are still persecuted for their beliefs. The Quakers were held in disrepute due to a select few of fanatical Quakers who first landed in New

England in the first half of the seventeenth century. This early group of Quakers served

to mar the reputation of the entire religious sect. One event which comes to mind when viewing the situation of the Quakers in the 1600’s is 9/11. As this tragedy was committed

15 by a small group of Muslims, the result has since been an increase in anti-Muslim behavior and attitudes or mass “Islamophobia”. The connotation between Islam and terrorism has sadly become very synonymous for many Americans.

“Seven years after 9/11, Muslims in America remain at the receiving end with assault on their civil rights and their faith in the name of ‘war on terror’. Muslims are the prime targets of the post 9/11 reconfiguration of American laws, policies, and priorities. Defending civil rights remains the single most important challenge before the seven million-strong American Muslim community as the consequences of the 9/11 tragic terrorist attacks continue to unfold seven years after the ghastly tragedy” (Ghazali, 2008).

The current situation could truly be felt during our recent and historic 2008

Presidential Race. President Barack Obama’s Muslim heritage was one characteristic that was scrutinized by the media and used against him as a negative quality due to the current public sentiment of the United States toward the Islamic world. It was very disheartening to learn that of all the religious houses of worship visited on President Obama’s campaign trail to victory, he did not visit one mosque. Along the campaign trail Senator McCain utilized the terms “Islamic” and “terrorism” as two counterparts that functioned together.

“In his speeches, McCain often refers to ‘radical Islam,’ ‘Islamic terrorism’ or ‘Islamic extremism,’ rhetoric that has been questioned by the National Counterterrorism Center and the Department of Homeland Security” (Ghazali, 2008).

Religious conflict and stereotyping may not be easy topics to engage in, but there are ways to foster children’s dialogue and understanding in educationally productive ways. In 2008, while teaching in a museum setting, I was provided with a quite extraordinary situation and crucial “teachable moment”. I was leading an arts workshop on activism through the past, present and future to a group of fifteen female Muslim students in Queens. After learning about the Flushing Remonstrance, John Bowne, and

16 other activists in their very own community of Queens, I asked the girls what similar kinds of oppression are still going on today. One topic that was highlighted by a fellow student in our conversation was terrorism. Many of the students were embarrassed and scared to talk about the topic. However, once they were assured that anything could be said in the workshop, everyone relaxed and the subject of terrorism was discussed in a historic house with myself, and these Muslim middle school students.

The end result of this situation was a class conversation about the separation between religion and terrorism, and between one small group of people and the entire community. The need to reach out to the media, to the government, and to communities were discussed as we engaged in creating a class mural of awareness composed of letters to President Obama and collage artwork. Each student wrote a letter to the President stating ways to educate the public about terrorism with some ideas about how to halt the threat of terrorism without singling out or targeting ethnicities. Linking art with awareness, and interfacing our history with current events proved to be a successful strategy in building a relevant museum curriculum on a field trip to a historic house.

This same type of curriculum can be introduced in the classroom, and I hoped that the teachers of those fifteen Muslim students were able to carefully and respectfully continue our conversation back in their own classroom. Providing a safe and neutral forum for discussing such matters opens up the necessary pathways for democratic discourse.

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III. Literature Review

18 III. Literature Review

In order to build my own background for crafting a well developed, historically relevant story, I searched for other available titles in historical fiction picture books for middle childhood. As expected, I found many picture books for younger elementary students, and many chapter books or graphic novels for older elementary students. It was almost impossible to find a middle ground, and it was even harder to find examples of historical fiction within these jurisdictions.

There is currently no historical fiction or non-fiction book for young readers, which tells the story of the Flushing Remonstrance. Most writings about the

Remonstrance were done in the 1960’s by Historical Societies and are for adult readers.

My search for comparative literature led me to home in on a more general, or what I thought was a broader topic, as I tried to focus on picture books whose subject matter focus on New Amsterdam. A great number of the books I found took the form of or close to the form of textbooks for older students or colonial activity books for younger students. However I did find some pieces of literature that were better than others, which

I have included in this concise literature review. In order to turn this literature review into a broader resource for educators, I decided to also include picture books whose subject matter focus on the British colonies as well as Dutch New Amsterdam.

• Gibson, K. (2006). New Netherland: the Dutch settle the Hudson Valley. MD: Mitchell Lane Publishers.

This piece of literature has a similar format to a textbook; it is broken up into themed chapters to introduce key concepts. However this book focuses in on one family of Dutch

19 colonists, and uses their personal experiences to portray New Amsterdam to readers.

Students learn from the family’s account of their voyage to the New World, which includes descriptions of life in the new colony, and also addresses issues about education and religion. Utilizing characters and their story helps to make the concepts relatable and tangible by placing them in context for the reader. The illustrations in this book are very formal and not engaging, leaving the book somewhat disjointed. The text and the illustrations could be better integrated to successfully convey the concepts contained in each chapter of the book. The structure of the book is similar to that of a textbook in many ways except that a family is used to explain concepts, which is the main benefit of this book. This book is suited for readers ages 8-12 and could be used to support a New

Amsterdam curriculum despite its visual drawbacks.

• Fischer, L. (2003). Life in New Amsterdam (Picture the Past). Chicago: Heinemann.

I would categorize this book as a textbook that is very rich in visual material. This highly illustrated text chronicles New Amsterdam from 1624 to 1647 and includes topics such as the new colony, making the trip, creating and protecting a town, neighbors, houses, farms, daily life, school, clothing, and food. The book also contains a glossary and an illustrated time line of key events, which took place in New Amsterdam. The text and the illustrations are well integrated, providing a textbook that contains a multitude of great visual resources. I would recommend this book for children ages 8-12 as a primary source text for studying New Amsterdam.

20 • Krensky, S. (2005). Dangerous crossing: the revolutionary voyage of John Quincy Adams. New York: Dutton Children’s Books.

This picture books tells the story of John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams upon their voyage to France from Boston to help the Patriots during the Revolutionary War.

The book details the storms and enemies that the ship encountered on the long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. The book starts off with a vibrant map of the actual course the ship sailed, which becomes the plot of the book. The text and illustrations are very well integrated. The watercolor illustrations found within this book are beautifully done, and literally paint the story for the reader. The book includes an author’s note, explaining that the story was based on the diary of John Adams. The note also gives a description of why the Adams were traveling to France, the effects of the War, and the lasting impact of this trip on both the political careers of John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams. I would highly recommend this book for readers ages 8-12, who are studying the American

Revolution or doing a President Study.

• Stanley, D. (2001). Joining the Boston tea party. NY: Joanna Cotler Books.

This picture book begins in the present time as two children go to visit their Grandmother who has a magic traveling hat. The children, and even the dog are transported back to the time of the Boston Tea Party as soon as the Grandmother puts on her hat. The text and the illustrations are extremely well integrated. The illustrations are very engaging, and take on a cartoon quality as there are many captions, which portray the comments of the children and the comedic outbursts of the dog. The illustrations seem to show the story from the vantage point of the kids through their comments. This layout is very successful as it showcases both the Grandmother’s narration and history, and the children’s

21 interpretations in the illustrations side by side. The children participate in the Boston Tea

Party and learn about what Colonial life was like in Boston during this time period. The book begins with a colorful map of the thirteen colonies and ends with an author’s note detailing the historical timeline and occurrences of the Boston Tea Party. I would highly recommend this book for children ages 8-12, who are studying the American Revolution or learning about the thirteen colonies and their relationship with England.

The next section includes the text for my own work, which is still in development

(selected illustrations are included in the appendix).

22

IV. A Light In The Window (a work in progress)

23

A Light In The Window: John Bowne & The Flushing Remonstrance An original story by Katrina Raben © All rights reserved

Introduction p.1 Illustration: (Text imposed over collage of various colorful shapes)

Curves and swoops, gliding and sliding ‘round and down the town.

Up we go, sharp and jagged, trace your way up the steeple to reach the pointy needle.

Squares and angles…

Round and soft circles….

Lines everywhere, every which way, up, down, under

Does it make you wonder?

Each shape is together, happily living in our neighborhood

Moving and bustling, trading and shuffling

Sleeping and snuggling

------p.2 (Collage of urban street scene, heat, liquids dripping)

It was one of those steamy, sizzling hot days in Queens You know, the kind where the blacktop starts to melt and looks like drizzly hot fudge up and down the street.

Robbie and Alex were finally enjoying their cherry popsicles as they dripped onto the steps of the church like little drops of sugary red rain.

After chasing the ice cream man down five blocks in the heat, sitting on the cool shady steps of the church was like a dream come true. ------

24 p.3 (Collage of religious structures in Flushing)

Alex looked up toward the deep blue sky and stared at the sharp church steeple as it almost punctured the beautiful sea of blue. Across the street she saw the minaret to the mosque where her friend Hannah goes with her family, poking out into the white cotton ball clouds.

As the popsicle started working its magic, Robbie began to cool off and noticed that Alex was staring into space, literally.

“Hey, Earth to Alex!” Robbie shouted with his popsicle stick clenched in between his teeth.

Alex turned back to Robbie and asked him if they could wait to play ball because she was so hot. Robbie agreed but he wanted to know what Alex had been looking at in the sky.

“Did you see a bird up there?” asked Robbie.

------p.4 (Collage of child’s vantage point: looking up from a low angle at the sky with various shapes and colors)

“Nope, I was just looking at how different all these ginormous buildings are. Look at this church and look at the mosque across the street. I think they look funny together.”

“Why do you think they look funny?” questioned Robbie.

“Well look at their different colors. They look like they fell out of different fairy tales and just landed here. Look at all of the different shapes; it is so weird,” said Alex.

“Yeah I see lots of circles over there, and over here I see lots of triangles” Robbie stated proudly.

25 “Oh Alex and look down there,” said Robbie as he pointed down the street. “You can see the temple too, now there are some crazy shapes.”

Alex looked down the street and replied, “Yeah, Manny goes there with his Dad. I think that place is beautiful.”

------p.5 (Collage of kids amongst varied shapes of different colors, shapes of urban images)

Alex and Robbie finished their popsicles and stood up. They both looked around and wondered how all of these very different buildings with their different colors and shapes all ended up living next to each other.

“My Grampy told me a story once about how a long time ago Queens was not like this. All of the shapes and colors used to have to be the same,” said Robbie.

“Oh yeah? That must have been boring. What happened?” asked Alex. “Tell me the story.”

“Ok, well it happened a long long time ago…even before my Grampy was alive!...”

Alex exclaimed, “Wow, now that is a long time ago!”

Robby paused for a minute and said, “Actually….Grampy can tell the story way better than I can. Let’s go to my apartment and ask him to tell it”.

Alex and Robbie then took off running down Bowne Street towards Robbie’s building. p.6 (Large apartment building façade)

When Robby and Alex entered the apartment they were greeted by Grampy.

26 “Hey kids, what are you up to on this scorcher of day?”

“Well Grampy, we actually came home to see you”, Robby cheerfully said with a big smile.

Grampy put his hands on his hips and asked, “Oh yeah? Is the heat too much for you guys? Did you come home for some of my famous ice cold mystery chocolate drinks?”

“Actually, we came home because Alex has never heard the story about what Queens used to be like hundreds of years ago. You know, before it was so colorful and unique,” Robby hinted with a smile.

Grampy put his hand on Alex’s shoulder, and winked at the kids, “Oh I see, in that case… p.7 (Collage of kitchen table, fan, glasses of milk, Grampy, Alex and Robby)

…Well everyone should know the story about how Queens became a place where many different colors and shapes could happily live together. Why don’t you two go sit down in the kitchen, near the big fan of course, and I will tell you the story”.

Alex and Robbie then walked into the kitchen and sat at the table, followed by Grampy who had three tall glasses of chocolate milk in his hands. Grampy sat down the frosty glasses on the table. The three of them sat very still in the hot kitchen drinking the chocolately goodness. The only sound to be heard was the gentle hum of the fan and some slow slurping noises as Grampy began the story…. ------p.8 (Collage of historic houses with Old Flushing townspeople)

Let me start off by telling you that Queens looked a lot different during the time when this story takes place. Over three- hundred and fifty years ago everything was green... farms stretched across the landscape and the land was littered with short little cottages and scattered with tiny farmhouses. There were no subways, no cars, no asphalt, no

27 sidewalks, and no apartment buildings. This was even before we were known as New York in the British colonies, this was so long ago that we were still known as New Amsterdam under the Dutch and Flushing was spelled, “Vlissengen” the way the Dutch spelled it.

The town of Flushing in Queens seemed to be a very happy neighborhood but we all know that things are not always what they seem. Looking in on the town from the outside, a visitor would think that everyone in Flushing got along and that everyone was happy from Ms. Crumpett the baker to John Bowne the local merchant and farmer. ------p.9 (Collage of Peg Leg with town behind wrought iron gates)

However all is not as it seems, the people of Flushing were very sad and many of them were forced to live secret lives. The governor of New York, Peter Stuyvessant, or "Old Peg Leg" as many liked to call him ruled the people with a big, mean Ol’ iron fist. Old Peg was also very scary looking, he had a large dark moustache, an even larger scary sword, and his right leg was replaced by a silver tipped peg leg. Old Peg Leg would not let anyone do anything on their own as individuals, everything everyone did had to be the same, and most importantly everything had to be his way. Old Peg Leg took away the individual freedom of the people and forced them to do what he wanted as the ruler of the colony. One thing that really made the people of Flushing angry was that Old Peg Leg forbade people to practice their own religion! Peg Leg forced everyone to practice the same religion that he practiced and he forced his religion on the people of Flushing.

So you know what the people of Flushing did? They snuck around and held secret meetings where they could practice their own religion in people's houses. Take that Old Peg Leg! Old Peg Leg was pretty mean and if he caught people practicing their own religion and not his religion he would send them to jail!

------

28 p.10 (Collage of a darkened Bowne house in the night)

Alongside the Dutch Reformed Church, there were many Quakers living in Flushing. Quakers believe in non-violence and peace. They call themselves the Society of Friends. One Quaker family who lived in Queens was John Bowne and his wife Hannah. They not bear to listen to Old Peg Leg's unfair rules any longer so they started letting Quakers practice their religion in their own little brown house --late at night when nobody could see what was going on. Late at night when nobody could see what was going on under the faint glimmer of the moonlight. These secret meetings were carefully planned, and kept as quiet as a whisper. Nobody found out about the meetings except for one young girl named Katie Kingsley. ------p.11 (Collage of Katie watching the window of the Bowne House, lighter than previous illustration)

One night Katie was returning from her friend's house a little later than usual and she saw a bunch of shadows in the window of John Bowne's house. Katie being the curious adventure-seeking girl that she is decided to take a closer look at what was going on over at the Bowne house. Katie walked right on over and peered into the window. “Why it looked like the Bownes were having a church service right in their own house!”, she thought. Katie knew that Old Peg Leg would be furious if he found out about this so she decided to creep away from the window without making a sound and ran all the way home as fast and quietly as a fox. ------p.12 (Collage of Kingsley family at home. Katie is predominant in frame)

That night Katie told her family about what she had seen over at the Bowne house.

…"But Father-- the Bownes were having their own religious service because Ol’ Peg Leg makes everyone act just like him and practice his religion all the time and they are tired of it!"

29 Katie's father, Mr. Kingsley told Katie that she should mind her own business and stop snooping around the neighborhood. Things could get very dangerous if Peg Leg found out about what was going on and he wanted to keep his daughter safe. Even though Katie knew she had to listen to her parents, her mind often floated away from her while churning or sweeping, thinking about the Quakers. ------p.13 (Collage of landscape of Flushing, green and yellow shapes are predominant)

Did I tell you that Katie was a stubborn girl? Well she sure was because the next day she made sure to take the long way home from buying some bread at Ms. Crumpett's place so that she could walk by John Bowne's house again. It was a bit earlier in the day but she thought maybe she could catch some kind of adventure and boy was she right! Since the sun had just started to set like a pat of butter over the green pancakey hills of Flushing, there was still enough light for Katie to see that a bunch of townspeople were at John Bowne's house!

Katie ran up to the window, forgetting to be quiet in her excitement and she banged into the side of the window pane with a loud THUD! Katie was sure that nobody could have heard her over all of the yelling that was going on inside. p.14 (Collage of words, “FREEDOM, CHANGE, NEW BEGINNING, END TO OPPRESSION”, etc. Scrolls in collage being illuminated by candlelight- creating warm tones amongst the surrounding blue/gray tones of the text of the collage.)

Inside the house, John Bowne was talking to about thirty townspeople, Katie could only make out only a few sentences over the chatter, "a new change", "an end to oppression", and "a beginning to freedom". Katie thought, "Oh well I like freedom, but I am not really sure what oppression is, I will have to go home and ask my Mom later." Then the sheriff of Flushing, Tobias Feake started talking about a piece of paper that everyone in the room was signing. Katie couldn't really hear what it was called but it sounded like he said “Re- monster-ants”. "Hmmm thought Katie, I wonder what a Remonstrance is; it is a really big and scary sounding word, it sounds like a monster. I will have to ask Mom about that

30 too.” Just as Katie was looking around the room to see who else was inside, she felt a hand on her shoulder. ------p.15 (Collage of Kit and Sam in the dark)

"Well if it isn't Katie Kingsley", exclaimed Samuel, John Bowne's son. "You know Katie, if you are gonna be sneaking around, you should at least be quiet. We all heard you slam into the window earlier".

" I'm sorry Samuel, I was just wondering what was going on, I didn't mean to be snooping, I was on my way home and.....

Sam interrupted Katie and told her that he was not mad because something very important was going on. Sam decided to tell Katie what was going on as long as she promised to keep the secret and she agreed. Sam explained that his father had been letting Quakers have religious services in their house since Peg Leg wouldn't let them practice their own religion. ------p.16 Sam on one side of page, Katie on the other side of the page. Smaller images of the townspeople, John Bowne, and Peg Leg on both sides in background. Part 1 of double page illustration

Sam continued, "Finally my Dad got so tired of having to sneak around Peg Leg that he and the townspeople decided to write a letter to Ol’ Peg Leg saying that they should be free, and able to practice their own religion, ending their oppression. Today you witnessed them writing the letter, it is called the Flushing Remonstrance."

"Oh that is what that strange word Remonstrance means? said Katie.

Sam smiled and looked at Katie, "Yes, well its a type of letter, its a letter protesting something bad, it’s kind of like a petition since so many townspeople signed it. Now do you understand what is going on Katie?" ------

31 p.17 (Sam on one side of page, Katie on the other side of the page. Smaller images of the townspeople, John Bowne, and Peg Leg on both sides in background Pt. 2 of double page illustration

Katie replied, “Yes! Peg Leg won't let anyone practice their own religion except for his. Your parents were helping Quakers practice their religion-- but everyone is tired of hiding and keeping secrets so they are writing this document, the Flushing Remonstrance.” She continued, “The Remonstrance is protesting against Peg Leg's laws about religion and trying to get freedom of religion for the people of Flushing. And I think that means an end to oppression or hurting the people, easy as pie."

Sam chuckled, "Ha, Ha, ok Katie you really are smarter than I thought. That’s exactly what is going on. Tomorrow Tobias and Edward are going to present the Remonstrance to Peg Leg –Now run on home and remember you can't tell anyone about what you found out tonight, ok?"

Katie’s face turned very serious and she said, "No problem Sam, I will keep the secret.” ------p.18 (Dreamscape collage: people in Flushing free- bright happy varied shapes and colors of people, houses and buildings all floating above Katie’s bed in a dream bubble.) Katie then ran home, she felt the excitement of this information surging through her entire body as she ran home. Katie was nervous that she would be unable to keep this amazing secret from her family so she told her mother that she was not hungry and she skipped dinner and went straight to bed. That night Katie dreamt of the happiness that tomorrow would bring.....

------p.19 (Collage of Peg Leg enraged)

The next day Katie walked by the Bowne house eleven times, waiting to see if she could hear any news about the Remonstrance or what Peter Stuyvessant did when he found out

32 about it. Finally on her eleventh loop around the neighborhood she saw Mrs. Bowne on her front step, her face seemed to be wet with tears.

Katie became really nervous and away ran down the street without thinking, and she literally ran right into Mrs. Crumpet, knocking over her basket of rolls into the street. After dusting off her baked rolls, Mrs. Crumpet asked Katie why she was running around in circles. Katie said that she had seen Mrs. Bowne crying and she got scared and wanted to know what had happened. Mrs Crumpet then delivered the bad news that Mr. Bowne had just been taken away to Amsterdam by boat to go to court. "Oh no!" exclaimed Katie, “That terrible Peg Leg! What is going to happen to Mr. Bowne?"

Mrs. Crumpet then asked Katie how she knew that Peg Leg was involved and Katie told her that she knew the secret of the Flushing Remonstrance.

"Well, I might as well tell you Katie, now that this is out in the open, Sheriff Tobias and Edward presented the Remonstrance to Peg Leg a few hours ago and his blood boiled so badly that you could see smoke coming out of his ears. He was so mad, he immediately sent them to jail.” p.20 (Collage of Ship with John Bowne getting swallowed up by the ocean)

Mrs Crumpett continued the story, “Then that no good Peg Leg showed up at the Bowne House because he heard of the secret meetings. HE sent poor John on a ship headed for Amsterdam, where he is going to go to court for his trial to see if he can ever return here or if he must stay in jail".

Mrs. Crumpet told Katie that she had to go give her basket of breads to Mrs. Bowne to try and cheer her up. She told Katie to go home and be with her family because the town was about to turn into a crazy ol’ mess because Peg Leg was so mad. ------

33 p.21 (Collage of historic houses, townspeople, all in blue/gray tones) Katie walked home and all along the way she saw townspeople gathered in the streets, some were talking, some were crying, and some just looked like they had found coal in their stocking on Christmas morning. p.22 (Collage of a Map of Amsterdam)

Katie finally reached her house and Sam was there with two other men who were talking to Katie's parents. After the men left, Katie's parents explained to her everything that was happening. Katie played along as if she did not already know about the terrible events of the day and the heavy secrets that she had been keeping.. She asked her parents how long the trial would take and how far away Amsterdam was. p.23 (Collage of clocks)

Mr and Mrs Kingsley told Katie that John Bowne had to cross the huge and sometimes grumpy Atlantic Ocean by ship to get to Amsterdam for his trial and that would take a very long time. Mrs. Kingsley said that it could be months or years before a decision was made or before they ever saw John Bowne return to Flushing.

Katie thought, "well I guess now we will just have to wait." And that is just what everyone did. ------p.24 (Collage of bright colored tulips and historic houses of Flushing)

Some years rolled by, some people got fatter, others got skinnier, the children grew taller, and the adults each got one more wrinkle. New babies were born and they smelled just like the tulips that were blooming red, yellow, and orange amongst the green sea of Flushing.

The year was 1664… ------

34 p.25 (Collage of night dress in the street, and shapes of people making a commotion) Katie was now older, she was taller, and she had more chores. She was outside hanging the clean laundry on the clothesline when she heard someone down the road give a shout, “He’s baaaaaack!” Katie wondered who was back; she wondered if it was “who” everyone had been waiting for to return for many years. Katie might have been a few years older now but she was still just as curious now as when she was nine years old. Katie dropped the wet dress she was about to hang on the ground and she ran down the road toward the echoing booms of many cheers. p.26 (Collage of a sea of people in the foreground, in the background a tiny Bowne house) The sound got louder and louder as she got closer to the Bowne House. Katie broke into a smile. “It is happening! John Bowne made it back, he beat the wild ocean, and he beat nasty Ol’ Peg Leg!” As Katie approached the brown house, which looked a lot smaller than it used to when Katie was nine, she saw everyone in town standing and cheering around the house. You could barely even see the house, as the gigantic sea of townspeople seemed to be swallowing up the small house. p.27 (Collage of hands holding in foreground, in background is a vibrant sunrise)

Then out from the crowd, emerged the Bowne family. As soon as John stood in front of the house, the crowd roared with applause. Katie felt someone reach for her hand, it was her mother who was standing behind her with her father.

“Now Katie, how did I know that you would already be here?” asked Mrs. Kingsley.

Katie replied, “Well Mom, today is a very special day, and I did not want to miss a minute of it.”

Katie’s mother squeezed her hand and said, “Today is a special day.”

35 p.28 (Half of the page is dark blue/gray and the other half is vibrant green)

After what seemed like another seven years, the crowd finally quieted down so that John Bowne could be heard. John spoke, “Hello everyone, I have missed Flushing very much. I have seen nothing but rough gray seas, and the insides of dark gray prisons for a long, long time. It makes me very happy to see all of you on this beautiful day, amongst the beautiful green trees, green grass, and warm yellow sun. You will be very happy to learn that we have finally rid ourselves of oppression. We have won justice.”

Katie’s Mom leaned over to Katie whisper to her what oppression meant but Katie told her Mom that she knew that it meant to hurt people and force them to do something against their will. Katie’s parents smiled and Kingsleys turned their heads back to listen to the rest of John’s speech. p.29 (Collage of hands clapping, John Bowne’s face, people cheering)

John Bowne continued in his speech, “And with this end of oppression, which we all have fought for together for a very long time now, comes a new freedom. A freedom for Flushing and all of us in the New World! I would like to invite everyone to my house this evening for our own religious meeting, spread the word! We do not have to hide any longer. We are free, free to practice our own religion! We no longer have to hide from Peg Leg. Tonight, for the first time, the candle will burn bright in the window, because we no longer have to hide in the dark. Please friends, come one and come all!” p.30 (Collage of Bowne house and the Flushing streetscape. Kit is lighting the candle, and the illumination can be seen from the street) Double page illustration pt. 1

Later that evening, it appeared that the entire town was trying to cram into the tiny Bowne house. Katie was standing outside the house just taking in all of scenery when Sam, who was considerably taller these days, loomed over Katie and invited her to come inside.

36 Sam joked, “Welcome Katie, you don’t need to sneak around outside these days, why don’t you come in – And This time just try not to bang into the window.” ------p.31 (Collage of Bowne house and the Flushing streetscape. Kit is lighting the candle, and the illumination can be seen from the street) Double page illustration pt. 2

Katie walked into the Bowne house and lit the candle in the window, illuminating the faces of the people of Flushing celebrated freedom of religion for the first time. p. 32 (Collage of the kitchen, children, grampy, empty glasses, fan)

The kitchen was very quiet. All you could hear was the clicking of the fan. “Wow!”, exclaimed Alex, breaking the gentle silence. “I can’t believe that I have never heard that story before! I wonder if my Dad knows it, I am going to tell him all about it tonight at dinner. I can’t wait! Everyone should know that story!”

“Can you believe it all happened in Flushing, right here in our neighborhood?”, asked Robby.

“It’s so weird that we walk down Bowne Street every day and I never knew who John Bowne was! Imagine what it must have been like to live here during that time when John Bowne and Katie lived right here!” exclaimed Alex.

“I wonder if I would have been as brave as Katie Kingsley, she was our age and she saw everything happen”, said Robby.

“ I think you two would have had a lot in common with Katie”, Grampy said as he smiled and looked at Alex and Robby. p.33 (Doorway to kitchen scene with Robby’s mother)

Robby’s Mom then walked into the kitchen. “What did I miss while I was at work guys?” she asked.

37

“Well Grampy just told Alex the story of John Bowne and the Flushing Remonstrance, she had never heard it before”, Robby answered.

“Oh, well that is a very important story, everyone should hear it. What did you think Alex?”, she asked.

Alex answered, “ I think that I am really happy that I live here now today, where everything is different and colorful. We can all learn to happily live here together and be free to do whatever we like, with nobody telling us that we all have to be the same.”

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V. Child’s Response & Reflection

39 V. Child’s Response & Reflection

A. Preliminary reading

After reading the draft of the historical fiction, A Light In The Window to a ten- year-old fifth grader, I was provided with some very valuable insights. Greg (pseudonym) the student who I read the draft to, is a public school student who does not enjoy attending school and he often acts out in the classroom. Before starting our reading session Greg and I had a conversation about New Amsterdam and New York City to provide a context for reading the historical fiction draft. We touched upon some key facts and figures such as Peter Stuyvessant and Henry Hudson, which Greg had a moderate amount of knowledge about. Greg was excited to learn about the boroughs of New York

City during the 1600’s as he told me that his class work previously focused only on

Manhattan. The student was not very familiar with the genre of historical fiction and was not enthused when I told him the subject of the book. Greg let me know that he thought

Social Studies textbooks were “really boring” to him and that it was hard for him to pay attention. However he showed interest after I told him that it was not a textbook but a storybook about events that really happened in Flushing, Queens, which is near where he lives. The three illustrations I have to accompany the draft, which are included in the appendix, also helped to motivate Greg to pay attention and gain interest in the draft.

40 B. Responses

During my reading of the draft to the student, Greg paid attention and read along with me for the duration of the entire story. There was even an instance when the student told me that I had missed a word in my reading to him. He was thoroughly engaged in the material and often asked questions about the characters or historical terms. Greg thoroughly enjoyed the comedic elements in the story and the adventure seeking personality of the eight –year- old female protagonist. One comment that Greg made during our reading was, “I did not know that history could be funny sometimes”. This comment is important because Greg does enjoy reading outside of school; he usually reads books that are filled with humor on his own. However when it comes time for reading for school Greg has a very hard time reading for his assignments. After reading the draft, I asked Greg to tell me what new terms or historical events he learned from reading the book. Greg was able to tell me about Peter Stuyvessant’s oppression of religion, John Bowne’s role, and the Flushing Remonstrance. The student was also able to discern between New Amsterdam and New York. After reading the timeline at the end of the draft, Greg and I had a conversation about the continuation of religious freedom after the British took over the former Dutch colony.

Greg thoroughly enjoyed the introduction to the book. He asked if we could read it again after we finished our reading of the draft. Greg commented on the way that the words flowed and sounded together and said it was fun read. The student was perceptive in relating the shapes described in the introduction to the shapes described in the beginning of the book as varied religious structures are described. Our re-reading of the

41 introduction led Greg and I to have a conversation about architecture and religion. We started talking about the shape of a mosque or a minaret and he asked me a few questions about Islam. I asked Gray if he liked learning about religion and he told me that he hated it. I found this to be interesting since he was so engaged in our conversation and I asked

Greg why he hated learning about religion. Greg told me that he disliked learning about religion because in school he learned about religion in textbooks and it was boring and hard for him to understand. Greg stated, “When I learn about religion it does not make any sense and it is hard to understand from reading my workbook”. The student told me that if he could learn about religion by using different kinds of books, or by learning about certain practices or ideas through visual aids or by doing interactive activities that he would probably like it and be able to understand “how it all works together”.

One very important response to the reading occurred when Greg noted that he learned what oppression meant. This served as a window for Greg and I to be able to relate the oppression that is discussed in the book during the 1600’s to some events that are still going on today. Greg mentioned certain acts of ongoing oppression specifically such as “Darfur” and more generally, as he brought up “hate crimes”. There definitely was an “a-ha” moment when Greg said, “I can’t believe that these same things are still going on after almost four hundred years later”. In addition to acting as a supplemental tool in a Social Studies curriculum focusing on New Amsterdam, or on our outer boroughs, one of the underlying themes I hoped to convey through creating this book is the important relationship of our history to our present and future. Furthermore, one major goal I have for this piece of literature is to provide an incentive for children to

42 become active participants in their own community and to prepare them for being advocates –both locally and globally.

At the end of our time together, I asked Greg to give me his personal opinion on the book. I asked him to tell me if he liked it and would want to read it again. Greg told me that he wants to see it when it is completed and has all of the pictures. He said, “I liked learning history from this book but I do not know if I would read it for fun”. Greg did say that he understood that the history was very important and needed to be told. He also included that he would rather learn this history from a storybook than from a textbook. Greg stated,” I think that when you have all of the pictures done in the book that I would maybe even read it for fun because I already know all the history now”.

C. Reflections

After reading the draft with Greg and having a culminating conversation with him, the need for incorporating creative literature into a Social Studies curriculum was crystallized for me. For a student like Greg who dislikes school, acts out in class, and has a limited attention span, the addition of varied entry points becomes necessary. Greg was attentive during the entire reading and closing conversation; he asked relevant questions and made valuable connections between the literature, his previous knowledge of New

Amsterdam, his neighborhood of Queens, and New York City today.

There are many students like Greg who get frustrated by one- dimensional learning in classrooms, unable to grasp the concepts, which are presented only in one format. When students are presented with the multiple entry points that historical fiction

43 or illustrated historical fiction offers, they are given the ability to take in the same information in the way, which is most comfortable for them. Utilizing historical fiction as a lens through, which to view and identify with the events, people, and concepts in textbooks creates a vital bridge for a student’s construction of knowledge.

The need to incorporate religion into Social Studies curriculums has became clear to me after reading and speaking with Greg, and upon reflecting on my experiences as a museum educator. Learning about religion in a disjointed and de-contextualized way often serves to confuse children and create distance from the subject. Through hands-on activities, field trips and supplemental literature, comparative religion can be successfully incorporated into the Social Studies curriculum in an objective, engaging manner. As we prepare our students for their futures, we must outfit them with the tools that will help them engage in civic issues. This is especially important today as the physical boundaries of regions continue to disappear with the addition of new technologies in this age of globalization. Students today are presented with global subject matter on a daily basis and therefore it is imperative that they are given the opportunity to learn about re-occurring themes in today’s current events, and corresponding cultures. Children in our classrooms are ready to become active participants in our local and global communities. It is our mission to provide them with the necessary tools to develop into advocates for tomorrow.

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VI. Bibliography

45 VI. Bibliography

A. References

Berk, L. (1994). Child development. (3ed). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Bruner, J. (1986). Actual minds, possible words. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Byrnes, D. , & Kiger, G. (1996). Common bonds anti-bias teaching in a diverse society. MD: Association for Childhood Education International.

Cohen, Dorothy H. (1972). The learning child. New York: Schocken Books.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. & Hermanson, K. (1995). “Intrinsic motivation in museums: why does one want to learn?” In Falk, John and Dierking, Lynn (Eds.) Public Institutions for Personal Learning. Washington, DC: American Association of Museums.

Ghazali, A. (2008). Seven years after 9/11. Op Ed News. Retrieved April 14, 2009 from http://www.opednews.com/articles/American-Muslims-seven-yea-by-Abdus Sattar- Ghaza-080911-29.h

Hirshey, G. (2005, April 17). The cradle of our religious freedom. Parade Magazine, pp. 10-12.

Houghton Mifflin Harourt Publishing Company. (2008). NYC Social Studies Grade Four Table of Contents. Retrieved March 20, 2009 from http://www.scribd.com/doc/2744893/NYC-Social-Studies-Grade-4-Table-of-Contents

Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes, edited by Michael Cole, Vera John Steiner, Sylvia Scribner and Ellen Souberman. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Waller, H. (1899). History of the town of Flushing. Flushing: J.H. Ridenour.

Freeman, E. , Levstik, L. (1988). Recreating the past: historical fiction in the social studies curriculum. Elementary School Journal. 88, 329-336.

NCSS. (2009). About National Council for the Social Studies. Retrieved April 28, 2009 from http://www.socialstudies.org/about

46 NYCDOE. (2008). New York City Social Studies K-8 scope & sequence. Retrieved 3/11/09 from http://schools.nycenet.edu/offices/teachlearn/ss/SocStudScopeSeq.pdf

Tannenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding. (2009). Reflecting light: one week in the middle east with Tannenbaum's religion and conflict resolution program. Retrieved May 18, 2009 from www.tannenbaum.org

47 B. Resources

Bruner, J. (1961). After John Dewey what? New York: Bank Street College.

Coles, R. (1990). The spiritual life of children. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Dewey, J. (1983). Experience & education. New York: Collier Books.

Garman, T. (2006). Designed for the good of all. Retrieved 2/19/09 from http:// www.bownehouse.org/Designed_for_the_Good_of_All_Tabetha_Garma n.html

Kohlberg, L. (September 1968). The child as a moral philosopher. Psychology Today Magazine, pp.131-143.

Mitchell, L. S. (2001). Young geographers. New York: Bank Street College.

Morrone, F. (July 3, 2008). Flushing the face of the city. The New York Sun. Retrieved 3/13/09 from http://www.nysun.com/arts/flushing-the-new-face-of-the-city/81179/

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. (1966). Bowne House landmark designation report. Retrieved February 27, 2009 from www.neighborhoodpreservationcenter.org

Pratt, C. (November 1935). Social experiences not Social Studies. Educational Method, pp. 101-104.

Shorto, Russell. (2004). Island at the center of the world: the epic story of Dutch Manhattan and the forgotten colony that shaped America. New York: Doubleday.

Taylor, N. (2001). The people called Quakers: records of Long Island friends 1671- 1703. New York: Empire State Books.

Waldman, S. (2008). Founding faith: how our founding fathers forged a radical new approach to religious liberty. New York: Random House.

Voorhees, D. (2007). The flushing remonstrance in historical perspective. Paper delivered at the New York State History Conference June 2007.

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VII. Appendices

49 VII. Appendices

A. Timeline of historic events

Flushing Remonstrance Factual Time Line

1. 1657 The Flushing Remonstrance is signed. 2. 1662 John Bowne is arrested for letting Quakers worship in his house against the rule of Dutch Governor Peter Stuvyessant. 3. 1664 a) John Bowne returns to Flushing from his trial in Holland and upon his return, Peter Stuyvessant is ordered to extend religious tolerance to the colonists.

b) The British gain control of New Amsterdam, which becomes the Colony of New York.

⇒ Religious freedom is up held by the new British governing powers of New York ⇒ The colony of New York’s laws and ideals serve as a model for other English Colonies in the New World (North America) for extending religious tolerance. ⇒ The Flushing Remonstrance serves as a guideline for the framer’s of the American Constitution, which is created and adopted in 1787.

50 B. Prototypes for illustrations

51