History Lessons By Teachers

Looking at Hatfield in 1670

Created 10 August 2004 by Ryan Judy

Grade Level(s): lower elementary (K - 3), upper elementary (4 - 6)
Historical Era(s): Colonial 1600 - 1750
Content Area(s): Mathematics, English Language Arts, US History, Geography

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"Map of New-England"

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Lot Survey of Deerfield

Summary and Objective

From a study of the "Lot Survey of Deerfield" and from charts found in Wells' "History of Hatfield," students will construct a map of Hatfield house lots. Students will understand that Hatfield house lots followed the linear town plan characteristic of towns in the Connecticut River Valley.

Teaching Plan

Step 1. View " Map of New England" in the digital collection. Locate the Connecticut River, Hadley, and Hatfield, Massachusetts.

Step 2. View "Lot Survey of Deerfield" using the "Look Closer" feature. Students note and discuss the layout of Deerfield with the houselots and Main Street in the upper lefthand corner of the map fragment.

Step 3. View charts from Wells' "History of Hatfield," pages 43 and 67 to record the names of house lots in Hatfield in 1670.

Step 4. Students draw and label a lot survey map of the town of Hatfield including Main Street, the Stockade, and individual house lots.

Step 5. Students discuss the similarities between their drawings of Hatfield and the map of houselots in Deerfield. Teacher notes that both these houselot maps followed the linear town plan characteristic of towns in the Connecticut River Valley.