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Martha Washington's Obituary, June 9, 1802

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Use the worksheet “The Death of Martha Washington,” to help students develop analytical skills through document-based questions of the obituary text. Pair students into groups to read the text and complete the worksheet on their own before going over it aloud.
https://www.mountvernon.org/education/lesson-plans/lesson/the-death-of-martha-washington/

Pair this primary source document with a second one titled “Martha Washington’s will.” Use these two sources in conjunction to give students a fuller understanding of the types of historical documents that pertain to a person’s death.
https://www.mountvernon.org/education/primary-sources-2/article/the-will-of-martha-washington-of-mount-vernon/

Ask students to find a current day obituary and compare and contrast it with Martha Washington’s obituary form the early nineteenth century. Create a Venn diagram, and discuss the difference in language from the texts. What information is given in both documents? What information is included in one and not the other? Do they serve the same purpose today?

After reading Martha Washington’s obituary, ask students to write their own obituary for her. Instruct students to use the multimedia timeline of Martha’s life to identify information to include in their obituary. What events in her life can help define her role in the new nation?

Watch videos of the famous people who visited the tombs of George and Martha Washington. Discuss with students why they think these individuals chose to visit this space at Mount Vernon. How do we remember people from the past today?
https://www.mountvernon.org/the-estate-gardens/the-tombs/famous-visits-to-washingtons-tomb/

Classroom Materials downloads are ZIP files that include, when available: document images (JPEGs), document transcripts (PDF as well as Word and/or Excel files), and ready to use classroom resources (activities, discussion prompts, lesson plans, etc.). These materials are available for educational uses only. If you would like to reproduce them in any other medium, please contact Dawn Bonner, Manager of Visual Resources.

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Martha Washington passed away at Mount Vernon on May 22, 1802 at the age of 70 following an illness that lasted several weeks. At the time of her death she was surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Newspapers around the country eulogized her as "the worthy partner of the worthiest of men." This obituary appeared in the Augusta Herald, published in Georgia, on June 9, 1802.

Martha Washington's Obituary, June 9, 1802

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