Gene V. Gandelman
Lesson Three: New Haven History—The First Century 1638—1738 Colonial Life
Objective To teach students the early history of the formation of New Haven’s neighborhoods and their diversity.
Teachers should cover the following topics of early New Haven Colony history:
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1. The Reverend John Davenport and his following
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2. Seeking a safe harbor
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3. The Quinipiac Indians
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4. The growing Colony from Stamford to Saybrook
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5. The original Nine Squares and the New Haven Green
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6. The Ghost Ship
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7. Loss of Charter and absorption into the Connecticut Colony
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8. The regicides and Three Judges Cave
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9. The transfer and growth of Yale College
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10. Emergence as a major colonial center
Additional Topics for Discussion
How did New Haven’s residential zones emerge and evolve throughout the first century? Before there were actual neighborhoods there were different kinds and sizes of houses.
Discuss the original Nine Squares as the city’s first neighborhood? Why did the earliest founders have a central home or town houses and spacious farming lands far away from the settlement’s center?
How were law and order and civility maintained without a police force? What role did the church play in directing and controlling people’s lives? How did pacts, covenants, and agreements operate to allow interaction and prosperity?
Who were the leaders of the early colony? Where were their powers derived from with which to serve as the elect of the people?
How did things social and political change over the course of the colony’s first one hundred years right up to the eve of independence?
Why did some people start moving away from the center to areas that are now Westville, Fair Haven, and various other sections?
Why did others go even further to being new villages as Milford, Branford, and Guilford?
Suggested Activities:
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1. Have students research an aspect of early New Haven history and write a report to read to the class.
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2. Write and perform a brief skit pertaining to New Haven’s early history. The tale of the Ghost Ship would make an excellent story to act out. Also, the hiding of the Three Judges, the planning of the Nine Squares, meeting the friendly Qunipiacs, and sailing into New Haven for the first time would make very good choices.
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3. Field trips to the New Haven Colony Historical Society, Three Judges Cave, Lighthouse, Grove Street Cemetery and other historic sites will provide students with an opportunity to “feel” the past.
There are numerous books available in the New Haven Public Library, Yale Library and school libraries which provide detailed descriptions of New Haven’s past as a colony and as an important city. I recommend the book, “Connecticut” by Alfred E. Van Dusen, published by Random House, for an exciting and detailed account of New Haven history which is very good for lesson planning. Other suggested readings are listed in the end of unit biography.
