MassachusettsHISTORY EXPLORERS GRADES 3–8
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Quick glossary
evidence
Information from a source that helps us test a claim.
source
A document, object, image, or account we can examine.
inference
An explanation based on clues; it still needs checking.
migration
Moving from one place to another to live.
immigrant
A person who moves to another country to live.
estimate
An approximate amount, based on available information.
oral history
A recorded interview about someone’s memories and experiences.
community
People connected by a place, relationships, or shared activities.
ancestry
Family origins across generations.
primary source
Evidence created by someone who experienced a time or event.

Watch, question, compare

John Adams on screen

Official HBO promotional clips, paired with letters and trial history.

Historical portrait of John Adams, not actor Paul Giamatti.

HBO’s seven-part miniseries stars Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney. These official trailer and making-of videos include dramatized scenes. They are not eyewitness records or exact transcripts.

Teacher preview required. Footage may contain violence and mature themes. Choose a brief passage suitable for your learners; younger students can use our biographies and letters.

Check a scene

  1. Describe what the film shows.
  2. Compare a claim with the NPS trial history and Adams Family Papers.
  3. Explain what is supported and what remains a filmmaker’s interpretation.

Trial detail: six soldiers were acquitted, two were convicted of manslaughter, and Captain Preston was acquitted in a separate trial.

Explore the Old State House streetsVisit the Adams homes
Explore the six lessons →Image credits & sources →
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