Skip to main content

Who is in charge of keeping the charter safe in The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare?

William Ashby took the charter and hid it to keep it safe. 

The charter is a point of contention between the loyalists and some of the colonists that want to make sure they keep their rights, whether they are interested in revolution or not.  At dinner, Matthew Wood and Reverend Bulkeley get into an argument about potential revolution. 



"I know more about that than you. I was surgeon in the Fort fight with the Indians. War is an evil, Matthew. Believe me, there can no good thing come of bloodshed."


"Who is asking for bloodshed? We ask only to keep the rights that have already been granted to us in the charter."  (Ch. 6) 



The charter was “given to Connecticut by King Charles” and according to Matthew, “King James has no right to go back on his brother's pledge.”  Connecticut made its laws based on the charter.  Reverend Bulkeley apparently believed that Connecticut “misinterpreted” the charter and how many rights they actually had.  Matthew felt that Connecticut had earned its rights by settling the land and facing the struggles involved in the harsh lifestyle of the colony. 


Judith tells Kit that Governor Andros of Massachusetts is “determined to take the charter away.”  Matthew Wood will not stand for this.  He does not want to lose the independence Connecticut has built up. 



“ … Everything we have built here in Connecticut will be wiped out. Our council, our courts will be mere shadows with no real power in them. Oh, we will endure it of course. What else can we do? If only we could somehow hold back the charter itself. This man has no right to take it from us." (Ch. 15) 



This is an area where Kit does not agree with her uncle.  She feels like he doesn’t realize how strong the king is, with a strong army and the Royal Fleet.  Kit is completely shocked when William Ashby comes to the house in the middle of the night to tell them that the charter is safe.  It is safe because he took it and hid it! 



"'The charter," [Matthew] insisted, "do you know what happened to it?"


William hesitated. For the first time he acknowledged the presence of the three women by one brief embarrassed glance up the stairs.


"No sir," he answered. "The room was dark." "Then how do you know it is safe?"


"It is safe, sir," said William positively. (Ch. 15)



Matthew is relieved.  He feels that as long as the charter is hidden, the governor can’t get it and the people of Connecticut can hold up their heads.  They have forestalled revolution for a while.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...