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Study Guide - Capital Repertory Theatre
2013–14 SeaSon Production Study Guide FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: MARGARET E. HALL Assistant to the Artistic Director [email protected] 518.462.4531 x410 KATHERINE STEPHENS Education Program Manager [email protected] 518.382.3884 x168 1 CAPITAL REPERTORY THEATRE’S 33RD SEASON 2013-‐2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 A Letter from our Education Department 4 About Us 6 Attending a performance 7 Synopsis of the Play 7-8 The Characters 9-10 Who Was Henry Hudson? 10-11 How do we know anything about him? 11-20 Historical Context: Hudson’s First Voyage Hudson’s Second Voyage Hudson’s Third Voyage Hudson’s Fourth Voyage Facts about Henry Hudson Timeline Surround Hudson’s Voyages 21-25 Ideas for Curriculum Integration 27 The Production: Who’s Who 27 Resources Consulted 28 Teacher Evaluation 29 theRep’s Mission in Action! Venus In Fur By David Ives SEP 27-‐OCT 20 A Christmas Carol Adapted by Patrick Barlow NOV 22 – DEC 22, 2013 *Recommended for grades 3-‐12 The Mountaintop By Katori Hall JAN 17 – FEB 9, 2014 *Recommended for grades 9-‐12 Gypsy Book by Arthur Laurents Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Mar 14 – APR 13, 2014 *Recommended for grades 9-‐12 The God Game By Suzanne Bradbeer MAY 2 – MAY 25, 2014 *Recommended for grades 9-‐12 theREP’s ON-THE-GO! SCHOOL TOURS SNEAK PEEK of theRep’s 2014-15 In-School Tours! Pure Poe by Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill By Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill & Maureen Aumand In-School Tour MAR 24 – APRIL 12, 2014 *No shows MAR 31 – APRIL 5, 2014 *Recommended grades 3-6 Tour Dates: October 12 – 31, 2014 *Recommended grades 7-‐12 How They Built America: The Workers of the Erie Canal by Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill Tour Dates: March 9-‐27, 2015 *Recommended grades 3-‐6 2 SPRING 2013 Dear Educator: Welcome to Capital Repertory Theatre! Here at theRep we are excited to provide young people with an opportunity to experience a live theatrical performance. We are thrilled that you will be attending an On-‐The-‐Go performance of The Remarkable and Perplexing Case of Henry Hudson, one of this season’s in-‐school touring productions. We hope you will find this guide to be a useful tool. You have permission to reproduce anything in this guide for use in your classroom, i.e. historical context or the themes. It is designed to introduce the cultural and historical context of the play as well as provide resources and ideas for integrating the theatre experience with your curriculum. Capital Rep performances are likely to generate questions and opinions among your students. Our hope is that you will join us for a talkback with the cast following the performance where you and your students can share your questions and reactions with the performers. The arts provide young imaginations with stimulation, points of reference, and intellectual resources for the mind and spirit. Our goal is to make live theatre attendance possible for all students in the Capital Region. Over 16,000 Capital Region students attended Student Matinees and Capital Rep On-‐The-‐Go! School Tour performances last season. We hope to continue to grow and serve the needs of the Capital Region education community. Let us know how you are using theatre in the classroom! Your success stories help us to keep the program funded. We love to receive copies of lesson plans, student work related to our performances and your letters. These are important testimonials to the value of the arts in education. Fill Out the Teacher Evaluation and get a FREE pair of tickets to Capital Repertory Theatre! Completing the evaluation form at the back of the guide will help us to continue to provide programs that serve the needs of Capital Region students – and you will receive a pair of tickets to a future Capital Rep production. We look forward to hearing from you! With deepest gratitude, MARGARET E. HALL Assistant to the Artistic Director [email protected] 518.462.4531 x410 KATHERINE STEPHENS Education Program Manager [email protected] 518.382.3884 x168 3 Capital Repertory Theatre is a non-profit professional producing theatre. In its 33-year history, Capital Rep has produced more than 5,000 performances for the people of the Capital Region. A member of LORT (League of Resident Theatres), Capital Rep strives to bring quality work that explores the essence of the human condition through the stories of people, events, and phenomena that shape our contemporary lives. Theatre, at its best, entertains, cajoles and inspires by engaging the heart and mind through its most powerful ally – the imagination. There are two basic types of theatre companies: producing and presenting. Capital Rep is a producing theatre. The theatre hires a director and designers for the set, costumes, lights, and sound. The Theatre’s Artistic Director and the director select appropriate actors for all the roles in the play. Then they all come to Albany, where the play is built and rehearsed. In addition to the theatre space, Capital Rep has a scene shop where sets are built, a costume shop where costumes are constructed and cared for, offices where the administrative staff of the company works, a rehearsal hall where the shows are rehearsed and housing facilities for actors. The resident staff of the Theatre works with visiting artists to put the production together. In contrast, presenting theatres host shows that have been designed built and rehearsed elsewhere. A theatre company at many different theatres frequently presents shows of this kind regionally, nationally or even internationally over an extended period of time. What you will see at Capital Rep or on our On-The-Go! tours is unique to Capital Rep where it was built. No one from anywhere else will see this production just as you see it! 4 ATTENDING A PERFORMANCE . Being a member of an audience is an important job. Live theatre couldn’t exist without you! That job carries with it some responsibilities. Follow these suggestions in order to have the best theatre experience possible! BRING WITH YOU ideas, imagination, an open mind, observation skills and a sense of wonder. LEAVE BEHIND cell phones, pagers, pen lights, food and drink and anything else that might distract you, the performers or other members of the audience. THINGS TO DO BEFORE A PERFORMANCE learn about the show you are going to see, arrive on time, find your seat, visit the restroom. DURING A PERFORMANCE: PLEASE DO applaud, laugh, pay attention and notice little details, think about questions you would like to have answered by the actors after the show, stay in your seat until intermission and the end of the show. PLEASE DON’T talk, sleep, eat or drink, distract others, exit the theatre during the performance. . 2013 – 2014 EDUCATION SEASON Sneak Peek of theRep’s 2014-2015 Season Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz OCT 16 The Secret Garden Book & Lyrics by Marsha Norman Music by Lucy Simon Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett NOV 20, DEC 9 & 17 Souvenir by Stephen Temperley MARCH 11 GYPSY Student Matinee April 2, 10:30AM THE GOD GAME Student Matinee May 21, 10:30AM Hamlet by William Shakespeare APRIL 16, 17, 23 & MAY 6 5 . SYNOPSIS OF THE PLAY The Remarkable and Perplexing case of Henry Hudson was written, developed and produced by Capital Repertory Theatre as part of the 2009 Quadricentennial Celebration of Henry Hudson’s exploration of the Hudson River. . “Henry, Henry, Henry… Oh, yeah. ‘Henry Hudson was a great man’-‐ whatever. Nobody even really knows who he was. This guy says he was a hero – great explorer. This guy says he was a spy, couldn’t be trusted. This guy says he loved the Native Americans – This guy says it’s because of him that they died.” ~Jason, The Remarkable & Perplexing case of Henry Hudson, p. 5 The quote above is the voice of the character Jason, a student, struggling through his research to write a homework essay about Henry Hudson. Confused by the various opinions of historians about the explorer, Jason himself questions Hudson’s greatness, even calling his voyages “boring.” To his surprise, Jason’s bedroom is invaded by Hudson’s boisterous crewmen who intend on enlightening him with stories from the sea proving that these voyages were anything but boring. The mutinous crewmen, Abucuk Prickett, Nicholas Syms, and Robert Juet, who abandoned Hudson in the arctic’s James Bay, along with Whiz, a Dutch sailor, share tale after tale of their voyages with Hudson. Jason is overwhelmed with stories of the friendly and the violent encounters with the Native Americans of the New World, the challenges of sailing into the icy unknown, the unceasing determination of Captain Hudson to sail longer and re-‐routed journeys than originally planned, and the tragic details of the last voyage. When the facts of the crewman’s accounts sound suspiciously defensive and accusatory of Captain Hudson, the ‘History Police’ arrive to put him on trial. How does Henry Hudson defend himself against the accounts of his failed missions? After hearing the crewmen’s descriptions of Hudson and Hudson’s defense, how will Jason view the explorer, brave and successful, or weak and a failure? . THE CHARACTERS Jason -‐ a student attempting to write an essay about Henry Hudson. Henry Hudson -‐ English, master seaman and learned man from a long line of wealthy sea merchants of the London privileged class. He captained multiple voyages in search of a Northeast Passage to Asia. A passionate visionary, he redrew the northern map of the New World and identified abundant natural resources for the fur, lumber and fishing industries and fertile land that was claimed and settled by both his English & Dutch sponsors. 6 Abucuk Prickett-‐ an English merchant-‐class seaman. A composite character, Prickett actually sailed on the Discovery, was one of the seven survivors, and tried as a potential co-‐conspirator. His account described the mutiny, in which he did not participate, being sympathetic to both Hudson and the plight of the men. Before and after going to sea, he was a London haberdasher. Nicholas Syms-‐ an English merchant-‐class seaman. A composite character, Syms sailed on the Discovery and was also one of the seven survivors. He, too, told of a mutiny, in which he did not participate. Robert Juet-‐ English, educated, seasoned sailor. Captain’s Mate on both the Half Moon and the Discovery voyages. He regularly disagreed with Hudson’s management of the crew and interactions with the native populations. On the Discovery, during the winter on James Bay, Hudson demoted Juet, fueling what would ultimately become inspiration for mutiny. Juet never faced consequences for his role in the mutiny because he died on the journey back to England. His published account of the Half Moon journey remains the best documentation of the details of life on the 17th century seas. Whistle/”Whiz”- A Dutch sailor on the Half Moon who serves as the “look-‐out,” keeping his eye on the horizon for land. This character is representative of the Dutch sailors who served on the journey, and exemplifies the language barrier between the English and the Dutch as he shares his Dutch commentary on the voyage. Sachem – The Algonquin Tribe were the native people of the Hudson River Valley; they had a loosely organized system of governance in which the highest officer was called the ‘Sachem.’ Hudson was the first white man to visit this tribe of river people. He invited the Sachem and his wife onto the Half Moon where he served the Sachem copious amounts of alcohol. Hudson spoke of his hosts as “loving people.” Wife -‐ The Sachem’s wife watched all the merrymaking and was described by Juet in his diary as being as genteel and civilized as any English wife. John Hudson -‐ the teenage son of Hudson and cabin boy on his voyages. Trooper (aka The History Police)-‐ Investigating history, interviewing the witnesses, and examining the details to find out the truth about what happened on the Half Moon and the Discovery. Note: Four actors will play many characters in this production. This is a common acting technique known as “doubling,” which allows actors to quickly change into more than one character with the help of costume pieces and props to indicate the different characters. 7 ~ Who Was Henry Hudson…? ~ There are few resources about Henry Hudson, in fact nothing was recorded about him until he made his first voyage in 1607, therefore historians have made a lot of assumptions about his career. If he was hired to captain a voyage in 1607, then he must have been an experienced and knowledgeable seaman, skilled in reading maps and navigation. It is believed that he had previously sailed into the Arctic, perhaps with a fishing fleet, and may have even sailed along the coast of North America once before. Additionally, as a young man he may have sailed aboard a ship during battle against the Spanish Armada, as many English sailors did. Hudson’s actual birthday is unknown. It is believed that he was born in 1570, though some historians think he may have been born in 1550. His father and grandfather were also named Henry, thus much confusion arose when studying records as to when Henry, the explorer, was born. Early in his career, he likely worked at the offices for the Muscovy Company, an English trading company in which his family had shares. Hudson also may have been part of the crew that sailed with John Davis to search for a Northwest Passage. And he may have been a sailor on any number of crews that traded in the Mediterranean Sea and Africa for gold, spices and ivory. As for his family, they owned homes in London and in Hodderson, a town seventeen miles from London. He was married to Katherine Hudson, with whom he had three sons, Richard, Oliver and John. John sailed with Henry as a cabin boy on all of his father’s voyages, and was left on a boat in James Bay with his father in 1611. Richard worked for the East Indian Company in trade and spent much of his life living in India. Oliver had a daughter Alice, and it is recorded that Henry Hudson attended his granddaughter’s christening in 1608. Hudson captained four voyages into the Arctic from 1607 to 1611. Some of the places he sailed were places other Englishmen had visited before, but many places he traveled were new territory, uncharted, as he strove to discover the Northern Passage to Asia from Europe. 8 Hudson’s passion and will made his name famous and paved the way for other sailors to use his maps to explore further, as well as encouraging the Dutch to build settlements in the New World. His boldness and determination to sail in cold, icy conditions allowed him to push the boundaries of the known world. His strength was his eagerness to explore further and further. But without actually finding the Northern Passage and with his inability to properly manage his crew with fairness, discipline and proper provision, his crew decided to mutiny, leading to his demise. After Henry Hudson did not return from his last voyage, his wife tried to get his sponsors to send out a rescue mission. They did, 3-‐years later, and found no trace of the abandoned crew. So, how do we know anything about Henry Hudson? Captains kept track of their voyages with journals, logbooks and charts. Sometimes, the more educated crewmen who could read and write also kept journals. These journals kept track of speed, location as well as weather conditions and patterns during the voyage. And of course if land was sighted it was recorded. Capitan Hudson made notes about the resources he saw in the lands he visited, such as wildlife, natural resources and descriptions of the terrain. Often the journals contained descriptions of events that occurred during a voyage, such as encounters with natives, the death of crewmembers, or how the crew was getting along. According to Ian Chadwick, author and creator of http://www.ianchadwick.com/hudson/, an exellent website source about Henry Hudson, “Almost everything we know about Hudson and his four voyages in four years comes from just one work: Hakluytus Posthumous or Purchas his Pilgrims, by the Rev. Samuel Purchas, first published in 1625. In book III of this sprawling 20-‐volume set, Purchas reprinted all of the remaining records of Hudson’s voyages: Hudson’s own journals from 1607 and 1608, and the incomplete 9 journal of 1610-‐11. Purchas added the 1609 journal by Robert Juet, one of Hudson’s crewmembers, and the record of the 1610-‐11 voyage written by another crewmember, Abucuk Prickett. Finally, Purchas reprinted the single page written about 1610 discovered in the desk of Thomas Woodhouse, himself abandoned on the great bay. Purchas himself provided very few comments on the journals.” Source: http://www.ianchadwick.com/hudson/hudson_00.htm Hudson’s name is found in a few historical documents, other than these journals, but nothing more than a few lines. A map from Hudson’s last voyage exists, thanks to Prickett, who shared the journey with Dutch cartographer Hessel Gerritz. These journals, maps, and the assorted findings of Hudson’s name in other documents are the resources historians have used to piece together what we know of Henry Hudson today, over 400 years after his voyages. HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Captain Hudson’s Voyages The First Voyage - 1607 Ship: The Hopewell, a small ship used mainly for shorter voyages and for trade routes. Sponsor: The Muscovy Company, organized for trade between England and Russia. Mission: To find a passage to Japan and China by sailing North across the North Pole. Geographers of Hudson’s day believed waters were warmer further north into the Arctic because of constant sunshine, which would melt the ice. Today, we know this is not true. Crew: Small crew of about 12 men, including Henry’s son, John. Length: 3 ½ months Description of the voyage: Hudson and his crew left London on April 23, 1607 and faced rough weather the first week. Hudson sailed northwest instead of due north as he was supposed to, leading a superstitious crew to believe the compass was off and that the voyage was cursed. Six weeks into the trip, in June, they spotted Greenland. Hudson spent two weeks mapping the coast, which had never been explored. Weather continued to be windy, cold and freezing, and there was a constant threat of icebergs and rocks, which are difficult for our sturdier ships to pass through even today. In late June, the weather improved, but crewman spotted three “grampus” swimming toward the ship; grampus refers to Risso’s dolphin but historically referred to Orca (killer whales) and this was believed to be a bad omen. Ice continued to cause trouble and some of the crew fell ill, but they reached Spitzbergen Island where they spotted seals, walrus and whales. Hudson reached North East Land, an island, which he noted was very warm. He continued north all the way to 80° latitude, but could go no further due to land and ice. This led him to believe there was no passage to the Orient over the North Pole and in late July, the Hopewell headed south after a very close encounter with a floating iceberg. 10 On September 15, 1607, after three and a half months at sea, the Hopewell returned to England. Hudson was asked to return to the Spitzbergen Island for a whaling expedition, but he declined due to his continued interest in finding a northern passage and spent the winter preparing for another voyage. This did not stop others from traveling north for whaling, and devastating the whale population. Result: Hudson did not find a route to the Orient along the North Pole. Accomplishment: He did find a lot of whales! His discovery of these whales led to the successful English whaling industry and his spotting of walrus led to their being much sought after for their tusks. While today, whaling and hunting for walrus would be considered damaging or cruel, at the time, this industry was considered prosperous and brought great wealth to England and also to the Dutch. Hudson also sailed farther north than any other previous explorer had or would until 1773. The Second Voyage - 1608 Ship: The Hopewell, which was strengthened with extra planks for sailing through the icy waters. Sponsor: The Muscovy Company. Mission: To search the Arctic waters above Russia for a Northeast Passage to Japan and China. Crew: 15 men including Robert Juet and his son John. Length: 4 months. Description of the voyage: Hudson and his crew left London on April 22, 1608. Before leaving Robert Juet did not take part in the religious ceremonies blessing the ship with the rest of the crew, but instead had friends visit him in his quarters. Hudson had to ask these friends to leave in order for the voyage to begin, thus starting off the voyage with discord between Hudson and Juet. The first month the Hopewell sailed north around Norway into bad weather causing some of the crew to take sick. On June 15, Hudson recorded a mermaid sighting saying “it had the tail of a porpoise and speckled like a mackerel,” as well as “ long black hair, white skin.” In late June, Hudson spotted ice on all sides of the ship and had to sail southeast to the islands north of Russia where he sent Juet and six other men ashore to see what resources the land possessed. They returned with deer antlers, whale fin, and pieces of a cross they found ashore, meaning others had been there before. They also noted seeing deer and fox tracks, grass and streams, and were followed by walrus as they returned to the Hopewell. 11 In July Hudson sailed up a shallow river sending a smaller boat out to explore, they traveled about 20 miles upstream until it became very shallow. Upon their return to the Hopewell, they found a plethora of wellocks, birds they had hunted. Hudson believed there was no passage this way around the islands, and sailed back. He then decided to sail west toward North America recording the colors of the water. On August 7th the crew almost mutinied when they realized Hudson’s plan to sail west and not home. No mutiny occurred as Hudson agreed to return to England (or, perhaps, was forced by the crew to sail home). And on August 26th the Hopewell docked at Gravesend, England. Result: Henry Hudson did not find a Northwest Passage to Japan and China by sailing above Russia. Accomplishments: Henry Hudson was the first seaman to record the color of the water in relation to ice. He recorded available resources in the islands north of Russia. ACTIVITY: MAPS Reading Maps: Students are to find maps that show the Nova Zembla Islands; James Bay and Spitzbergen Island. Can they still be found on current maps? Create a Map: Students are to create a map of their own. They should imagine that they are the cartographer on board one of Hudson’s voyages. Where did the voyage start? Where did the voyage end? What did they see on the open seas? When/if they found land – what was it like? The Third Voyage - 1609 Dutch Flyboat Ship: Half Moon (Halve Maen in Dutch), an 80-‐ton flyboat designed for speed. Sponsor: The Dutch East India Company, a Dutch joint stock company that invested in ships and trade, and prospered by bringing incredible wealth to Amsterdam. Mission: To find a Northeast Passage to the Orient, on the north side of the Nova Zembla Islands, in the area Hudson had explored on his second voyage. Crew: about 20 men, including his son John and Robert Juet. The crew was half English and half Dutch. 12 Length: 7 months. Description of voyage: After his second voyage Hudson met with cartographers to continue to research the possibility of a Northwest Passage. He contacted the Dutch and the French for sponsorship to explore. Eventually, the Dutch agreed and hired Hudson in late 1608 for his next voyage. While preparing for this voyage, Hudson received a letter and maps from English Captain John Smith, who was living in Jamestown settlement in the Virginia colony. Smith had heard of a wide river or sea from the Native American Indians that opened to the west. This intrigued Hudson and the Dutch cartographer Peter Plancius, who he conversed with in Latin since he didn’t know Dutch. Regardless of this information, the Dutch East Indian Company tightened his contract to say, “ To think of discovering no other route or passage,” except the route north of Russia. The Half Moon set sail on April 6, 1609 – followed by a second Dutch ship. By the middle of May, Hudson’s ship was near Norway, facing bad weather, icy water, fog, and wind. They struggled to reach the coast of Nova Zembla with a crew that was not getting along – mutiny was already a threat. So, Hudson decided to sail west, changing the course of the voyage completely. He was now heading toward the New World, sharing the maps he received from Captain John Smith with the crew, they agreed to the idea. (At this point, though it’s not clear, Hudson may have sent the other ship home.) In late May/early June, the Half Moon battled snowy and windy storms as it crossed the Atlantic Ocean – breaking the foremast of the ship. However, the ship moved with a strong current now known as the Gulf Stream. In July they sailed down the coast of Newfoundland and Canada to modern-‐day Maine, where they stopped. The crew went ashore and traded with friendly natives and on July 18, 1909, Henry Hudson himself went on land. This was his first time setting foot in the New World. It was here that the crew built a new foremast, as well as several extra masts. On July 25th Juet and several crewmen, armed with muskets, attacked the natives’ camp stealing all they could. Juet justified his actions by assuming the natives would have -‐ eventually -‐ done the same to them. Juet and his followers were not punished for their act against the natives, but the Half Moon quickly set sail to avoid a counterattack. In August the ship sailed south past Cape Cod, down to Delaware Bay -‐ which Hudson discovered. Here the men went ashore and traded with natives again. They sailed close to Jamestown -‐ where Captain John Smith resided -‐ but did not stop, instead Hudson turned north and sailed up the coastline. On September 3, 1609 Hudson sailed around present-‐day Staten Island and arrived at the mouth of the great river for which he was looking – and claimed the area for the Dutch. Here the natives gave him his first taste of corn and tobacco, and Hudson gave them knives and beads in return. Hudson saw the natives as civil, but Juet wrote that he did not trust them. Hudson sent John Coleman and four crewmen out in a small boat to explore, but natives attacked them killing John Coleman. Later in the week, those on the Half Moon traded with natives again, watching them carefully for guilt of Coleman’s murder. They took two of the natives captive to prevent further attack, a common practice among explorers, who sometimes took them back to Europe as slaves. On September 11th the Half Moon continued north anchoring in New York Bay. In the following days, more natives approached the Half Moon in canoes, but they were not allowed aboard. The crew traded 13 with them for food and oysters. Hudson noticed copper in their pipes noting there must be a source nearby. Hudson sailed over 150 miles up river, which started out wide and promising. On September 18th Hudson was invited by the Sachem, chief of this Algonquin Tribe, to a feast. He was transported to the feast in one of their canoes, and later wrote of the incredible amounts of corn and beans they had harvested, their well-‐constructed homes and the invitation for him to remain overnight. He decided to return to his ship rather than stay overnight, which they understood as a sign of distrust, so they broke the arrows and tossed them in the fire as a sign of peace. Still he did return to the Half Moon that night. By September 19th the Half Moon was anchored beside present-‐day Albany and on September 22nd a small boat that was sent north up the river returned with displeasing news, the river was only seven feet deep, too shallow for the ship to travel. The following day the Half Moon sailed south, running aground a couple of time along the way. In October, though trade continued, there Replica of the Half Moon approaching Manhattan were a few rough encounters with natives as they sailed down river. More than one native attempted to climb aboard the Half Moon but were stopped (often shot and killed) by crewmen. Near Manhattan, about 100 natives attacked the ship so they exchanged fire, killing many. This event was remembered fifteen years later, when the Dutch returned to settle in 1624. Finally, Hudson set sail for the Old World. He briefly thought of his Dutch mate who suggested wintering over in Newfoundland and exploring the Northwest Passage, but fearing a mutiny from his crew decided to return home. On November 7, 1609, the Half Moon sailed into Dartmouth England after seven and a half months at sea. It is not known why Hudson returned to England with the ship and not to Amsterdam. He immediately wrote to the Dutch East India Company asking for provisions and some new crew members to set sail in an effort to find the Northwest Passage. Upon receiving Hudson’s letter the Dutch merely requested that he return the Half Moon to Amsterdam, but England would not allow Hudson or his English crewmen to return, so the Half Moon and Hudson’s journal and charts of his voyage sailed back with the Dutch crew. The Dutch were disappointed Hudson did not find the Northwest Passage, as was the goal of the voyage. But soon realized the value of the land he did explore and laid claim to that territory from the Delaware Bay to Cape Cod. The Dutch sent voyages out to the land in the years following, which returned with beaver furs and further exploration of the area. By 1614, the first Dutch settlement, Fort Nassau, was established on Castle Island, near present-‐day Albany, to continue the fur trade. It later became Fort Orange. In 2009 we celebrated the 400th anniversary of this voyage by Henry Hudson. Result: Hudson did not find a Northwest Passage to the Orient 14 Accomplishments: The value of Hudson’s third voyage was recognized in the years to follow as the Dutch sent ships back to the Hudson River and began settling there, using its resources, and establishing trade in their new colony. This voyage was the first record of a European exploration of what is today New York State. The Fourth Voyage 1610-1611 Ship: The Discovery, a flyboat, the biggest ship Hudson sailed. Sponsor: Sir Thomas Smythe, the governor and treasurer of the Virginia Company and the English East India Company, with two wealthy friends, Sir Dudley Digges (wealthy landowner and son of Navigator Sir Thomas Digges) and John Wolstenholme (also a wealthy landowner and collector of customs for London), with the support of Prince Henry Fredrick of Wales, all of whom collectively formed The Company of Gentlemen. Mission: To find a Northwest Passage to the Orient through the waters above present-‐day Canada. Crew: 25 men, including John Hudson, Robert Juet, Abucuk Prickett (who kept a journal of the voyage), and Henry Greene, known to be a troublemaker and gambler, but had previously stayed at Hudson’s home. Length: 1 year, 4 months, 3 weeks Description of voyage: On April 17, 1610, the Discovery set sail from London. From May-‐June, Hudson sailed cross the Atlantic by Iceland and over to Greenland. Early in the voyage, Henry Greene and the ship’s surgeon got into a fistfight. Hudson defended Greene something the crew did not agree with. Juet expressed the belief that Greene was simply ‘acting’ so that he could spy on the crew and report to Hudson. This angered Hudson and tempted him to leave Juet on an Island to find his way back to England. In late June, Hudson tried to enter what was called the “Furious Overfall.” A rough patch of sea known today as Hudson’s Strait, and found it to be dangerous with ice – which he didn’t know lessens in July to September. In early July, Hudson made it to Ungava Bay, which was shallow, full of currents and very high tides. These waters tossed the ship about and it became stuck in ice. Hudson despaired and the crew almost mutinied, desiring to return home, but Hudson asked them to press forward. He claimed they had sailed further than any other Englishman in this region, and allowed them the decision to go on. They agreed, but Hudson’s authority was already diminishing. Realizing he was in a Bay, Hudson struggled, sailing northwest slowly to get out of it. In August, the Discovery sailed into what today is called Hudson’s Bay. The waters were wide, full of currents and ice moving forward, causing Hudson to hope this was the Northwest Passage. Hudson’s journal ends here, but Abucuk Prickett’s journal continues and becomes the documentation that remained for this voyage, along with the accounts of the survivors and the one page found by Thomas Woodhouse about Juet’s plans of an earlier mutiny. 15 The Discovery sailed further south into James Bay, traveling the coastline. Robert Juet commented on the length of time Hudson was taking to do his work, pushing Hudson to the brink and demoting Juet from his position as first mate, which decreased his wages, and replaced him with Robert Bylot. Hudson offered to pardon Juet if his behavior improved, and the voyage carried on. The Discovery sailed around in James Bay for seven more weeks. Hudson spent October exploring a smaller bay he called Michaelmasse Bay in the southern part of James Bay, sending men ashore who brought back wood and claimed to have seen human footprints. The bay was shallow and Hudson ignored the warning of crewman Staffe about the rocks, which the ship then became lodged in damaging the bow of the ship. The end of October closed in with Hudson exploring the bays without explanation. It was too late in the season to return to England, so they prepared for winter. In November the crew wintered near James Bay, in the bleak, arctic temperatures -‐ a month filled with discord between Hudson and the crew. The Discovery wintered there from December to May. The crew was divided, each side desiring to leave and try fending for themselves. At first hunting and fishing was successful, until the birds migrated and the fish became scarce. Hudson traded a few items with a native who said there were others to the north and south, whom he then tried to meet, however they set wood on fire to keep him away. A distressed Hudson was rationing food and promising to return to England when it was possible. The Discovery finally set sail on June 12th, but after a few days sailing the ship became wedged in ice. Hudson rationed out cheese, claiming the other food had gone bad. At the trial, mutineers claimed they found biscuits, cheese and beer in Hudson’s cabin. While the ship was lodged in ice, quarrels about rations and the food supply running out grew. Hudson said they would return home but ordered the ship to turn west. The conspiracy to mutiny began with Wilson and Greene, who asked a reluctant Prickett and a willing Juet, as well as eight others to join. The mutiny occurred on the morning of June 22, 1611. As Hudson and the eight other men the mutineers planned to abandon entered the deck that morning, they were grabbed and put into the shallop, the small boat. Phillip Staffe asked to be put in the boat as well. As the boat was put into the water, Hudson yelled a warning to Prickett, to watch out for Juet, to which Prickett responded that Greene led the mutiny. The shallop attempted to row after the ship, but once it set sail, it quickly left the marooned crew members behind in James Bay. Hudson, and the eight, were left with some clothes, a few blankets, a musket with ammunition, an iron pot and little food. The mutinous crew sailed forward with Greene assuming the role of captain and Bylot as his mate, much to Juet’s dislike. They had little food and stopped along the way to hunt. Greene asked Prickett to look over Hudson’s journals and write a new journal that would be complimentary to the mutineers. The Discovery struggled, running aground and getting lodged in ice. On July 28th, they encountered Eskimos who gave them food and invited them to a banquet at their camp. Believing the Eskimos (Inuit) to be friendly, the crew set out in a small boat again to meet them to trade for more food, but this time, the Eskimos attacked and some crew members were seriously injured from arrows and died in the days following, including Henry Greene and William Wilson, the initial mutineers. Robert Juet died of complications on the journey home. 16 The Discovery sailed on toward England. Some crewmen suggested they winter in Newfoundland and become pirates as their supplies and food ran out, but they sailed on to Ireland where starving and sickly, the remaining crew bought food and were able to sail on to Plymouth, England. On October 20, 1611 they reached London, returning as a mutinous crew who had abandoned its captain. A year and nearly five months had passed on their voyage with only seven members of the crew returning home. They were questioned about the voyage and it was suggested that they be hanged, but the actual trial did not occur until 1618, by which time more of the crew had died. With the ringleaders of the mutiny perished and few crewmembers living, the court found the surviving members not guilty. They may have been found not guilty because England felt they had valuable information needed for further exploration. Perhaps, the goals of Hudson’s fourth voyage were in fact a secret the sponsors did not want to expose, as the crew found it odd that Hudson did not disclose why he sailed in the bay so much on his last voyage, rather than sail more aggressively to the northwest as they had expected. Result: Again, Henry Hudson did not find the Northwest Passage to Asia. Accomplishment: Hudson’s chart of this voyage created much curiosity in England, causing so many to wrongly believe he had found the Northwest Passage, so more navigators were sent to explore that region, with Bylot and Prickett in their crew. Bylot made four more voyages aboard the Discovery as captain. The following voyages by navigators were marked with difficulty, with struggles in the cold, the currents, and the ice as well. Hudson was deemed a hero in England, regardless of his inability to find the Northwest Passage. For theories on what happened to Henry Hudson and his abandoned crewman, as well as the aftermath of the mutiny, check out: http://www.ianchadwick.com/hudson/hudson_05.htm ~ Interesting Facts Regarding Hudson ~ • • • • While sailing for the French, Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazano was the first recorded European to discover the mouth of the Hudson River in 1524. Verrazano described the river as a “pleasant situation amongst some steep hills…” but did not continue to explore the river. Hudson’s third voyage in 1609 led to the founding by the Dutch of the first European settlements in the present states of Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Hundreds of places in these states, including Brooklyn, Block Island, and Hoboken, take their names for the first Dutch colonists. Henry Hudson called the Hudson River the “River of Mountains” although Native Americans with whom Hudson and his crew met, called it “Muhheakunnuk” meaning “great waters constantly in motion.” It is believed that Hudson’s journals were amongst the properties of the Dutch East and West India Companies, which went to auction in 1821 by the Dutch government. The New York State Legislature attempted to find his journals in 1841 to no avail, and the state’s agent, John Romeyn Brodhead stated, “… the papers of the West India Company relating to New Netherland…are now irrecoverably lost.” 17 • • • • The Hudson River in New York and New Jersey was named for him, as was Hudson, New York and Hudson County, New Jersey. In Canada’s arctic region, Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait are named for him. The town of Half Moon, New York (near Clifton Park) is named for Hudson’s ship the Half Moon. In Washington Irving’s famous story Rip Van Wrinkle, Hudson appears as a character. HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Timeline Surrounding Hudson’s Voyages • • • • • • • • • • • 1492 Christopher Columbus discovers the New World. • 1497 John Cabot discovers the mainland of North America. • 1499-1502 Amerigo Vespucci explores North and South America. • 1503 Leonardo da Vinci begins painting the Mona Lisa. • 1517 The Protestant Reformation begins when Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses in Saxony, present-‐day Germany. The Protestant Reformation began as an attempt to reform the Catholic Church but resulted in Protestantism, a split from the Catholic Church, much religious strife and new denominations including Anglicanism in England. • 1521-22 Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Philippines, but is killed by natives. One of his ships continues his journey and sailed around the world reaching Spain, completing the first circumnavigation of the globe. 1524 Giovanni de Verrazzano is the first European to explore the Atlantic coast of North America between South Carolina and Newfoundland. 1534 French explorer Jaques Cartier claims Quebec and much of Canada for France. 1543 Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus publishes his theory that the sun is thee center of the universe and the earth revolves around it. 1550 The Renaissance period winds down. 1555 The Muscovy Company is the first major English joint stock trading company. Henry Hudson later sailed his first two voyages for them. 1558 Elizabeth I becomes Queen of England. 1563 An outbreak of the Bubonic Plague occurs in England, Germany, and other countries, killing 80,000 people in England – over 20,000 in London alone. 1565 The Spanish establish the first European settlement in the United States as St. Augustine in Florida. It was later burned by the English in 1586. (1577-) 1580 Sir Francis Drake returns to England after circumnavigating the globe and is knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1581. 1582 Pope Gregory XIII issues the Gregorian calendar which is the calendar we use today, with 12 months in a year and the use of Leap Day as February 29th. 18 • • • • • • • • • • 1583 Galileo notes the constant swing of a pendulum, leading to the development of reliable timekeepers. 1585-87 Sir Walter Raleigh of England founds the first English Colony in North America on Roanoke Island, off present-‐day North Carolina, but the colonists abandoned the settlement or disappeared after three years passed. 1588 The Spanish Armada attacks England, but is defeated. 1598 Spanish explorer Don Juan de Onate claims present-‐day Mexico for Spain. Flag of the Dutch East India Company 1602 The first production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet occurs onstage. The Dutch East India Company is founded, and becomes very successful contributing to the Dutch Golden Age. 1604 Italian Scientist Galileo Galilei proves the laws of gravity. 1606 Aboard the Dutch East India Company’s ship the Duyfken, Captain Willem Janszoon and his crew become the first recoreded Europeans to see and make landfall in Australia. 1607 April 23 Hudson sets sail for his first voyage as the Captain of a ship. He sails for the Muscovy Company aboard the Hopewell, searching for a passage to Asia by way of the North Pole. May 14 Under Captain John Smith, England establishes its first successful settlement in North America called Jamestown, in the Virginia Colony. September 15 Hudson returns to England from his first voyage without finding a northern passage, but reports seeing an abundance of whales and walrus, leading to the profitability of hunting these animals. 1608 Samuel de Champlain establishes Quebec in New France (present-‐day Canada) for France. April 22 Sailing for the Muscovy Company, Captain Henry Hudson sails the Hopewell northeast to find a passage to Asia through the arctic waters above Russia. August 26 Henry Hudson and his crew return from an unsuccessful voyage to find a Northeast Passage. 1609 Galileo builds a telescope and improves its magnification so that it is useful to astronomers and seaman. April 6 The Half Moon sets sail under Captain Henry Hudson, searching for a Northeast Passage, but would turn west to explore the New World after a couple months battling icy conditions. July 18 On the Half Moon, Henry Hudson reached Nova Scotia then stopped in present-‐day Maine to replace a foremast lost in the rough seas. The ship sailed south as far as present-‐day North Carolina, and explored Delaware Bay on its way back north, looking for a passageway along the coast. September 11 The Half Moon sailed through today’s New York harbor, then sailed north up a wide river. This wide river was the Hudson River, named today after the Captain of the Half Moon. September 19 Hudson sailed the Half Moon in the river around present-‐day Albany. The Half Moon could not sail any further north due to the river becoming too shallow for the ship to sail without running aground. Hudson claimed this area for the Dutch and sailed south. October 4 Hudson left the mouth of the Hudson River to sail back to the Old World. November 7 Hudson and his crew sail into Dartmouth, England after being at sea for 7 ½ months. The Dutch East India Company ships tea from China to Europe for the first time. 19 • • • • • • APRIL 17, 1610 The Discovery set sail under Captain Hudson to find a Northwest Passage to Asia by exploring the arctic waters above present-‐day Canada. This voyage would involve discord between Hudson and his crew, the rationing of food, the ship being lodged in ice many times, and wintering near James Bay in the arctic. 1611 June 22 The crew of the Discover mutinied setting Henry Hudson, his son, Philip Staffe, and sickly crewmen in a small boat and leaving them in James Bay. October 20 Without Captain Hudson, the mutinous crew that survived the voyage sailed into London. 1614 Fort Nassau is built as a Dutch trading post near present-‐day Albany. The Dutch beaver trade begins. • 1620 The Pilgrims arrive at present-‐day Cape Cod, MA and settle the second successful English settlement. • 1622 Algonquin natives kill 347 English settlers outside Jamestown, Virginia, one-‐ third of the colony’s population. • 1625 The Dutch West India Company establishes New Amsterdam in North America. New Amsterdam would become New York City. Robert Juet’s journal of Hudson’s third voyage in 1609 was published in Purchas His Pilgrims. Parts of Hudson’s journal from the same voyage were published in John De Laet’s history, Nieuwe Weelt. 1664 British troops capture New Amsterdam and rename it New York. 1909 The Dutch build a replica of the Half Moon to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s explorations of the New World, which would become New Amsterdam. 1989 A replica of the Half Moon was built in Albany, NY. You can see the replica of the Half Moon sailing in the Hudson River from New York City to Albany. 20 IDEAS FOR CURRICULUM INTEGRATION ENGLISH Choose Your Own Adventure Using what you know about Henry Hudson, his voyages, the mutiny, and the culture of the time, write a fictional piece in the first person detailing what happened to Henry Hudson before, during or after the mutiny. Uncharted Territory Imagine stepping on the shores of New York State before it was settled, without buildings, roadways, and people everywhere! If possible, take students outside for a nature walk, encouraging them to observe their surroundings. Ask students to write a journal entry or poem about this area where we live, focusing on the natural elements. The Logbook Explorers wrote about their voyages in a logbook, writing a little each day about the journey, distance traveled, location, surroundings, events aboard ship, and so on. Ask students to keep a logbook of their own voyage at sea for 5-‐10 days, using their imaginations to create the crew, the events and the discoveries. MATH Measurements of a Sailor Using the nautical measurements available at the website below, create an solve equations with students converting modern forms of measurement into leagues, knots, tons and fathoms. Enlighten students about the history of these forms of measurement and discuss their accuracy. Also, discuss how time was kept by watches and hourglasses. http://www.ianchadwick.com/hudson/hudson_06.htm The Accuracy of an Hourglass In Hudson’s time, hourglasses were used to keep time for an hour or sometimes for just a minute. How accurate were these hourglasses? How accurate are the hourglasses we find in board games today? Discuss how an hourglass works. 21 SOCIAL STUDIES Who’s Who ... Explorers There are many explorers listed in Social Studies textbooks, as well as online. Ask students to choose an explorer to research and share with the class. Research should include: the explorers’ life span, home country, accomplishments, voyages, portrait, fun facts, etc. Also, what challenges or setbacks did the explorers face (as we know Henry Hudson certainly has his share of trials)? Students should do an oral presentation – of their explorer – to the class. If possible, hold an “Explorer Fair” and invite other classes (and parents) to see the students’ presentation and posters. For a list of explorer’s who’s voyages took place around the time of Hudson’s explorations: http://www.elizabethan-‐era.org.uk/famous-‐explorers.htm Very Resourceful Imagine sailing up the Hudson River in 1609. Imagine what they saw, trees changing color, a chill in the air, mountains rising up to the sky. Ask students to use what they know and have learned from the play to share what exactly it is they think Hudson and his crew must have discovered here. What would they see in our mountains, valleys, and rivers that would cause the Dutch to return with other captains and crews in the years following to build settlements for trade? What resources might Hudson have mentioned upon his return? SCIENCE The Science of Sailing Read the following quote from Robert Juet’s journal dated October 4, 1609: “The we took in our boat, and set our mainsail, and spiritsail, and our topsails, and sailed away east southeast…” How do sailboats work? Explore the physics of sailing with students. Study the design and drawings of the Half Moon and other 17th century sailing vessels. If possible, ask students to create their own sailboats from classroom lab materials, then sail their boats in a small pool or container to see if their designs were successful. Use a fan or blow through a straw or tube to create wind. Tools of the Trade Below are a number of tools which sailors used to navigate a ship. Ask students to research these tools, bringing information and images to class to share, as well as ideas and research of what tools are used today to server the same functions. Have all of these tools changed? 22 TOOLS OF THE TRADE Navigation in the 16th and 17th centuries was far different than the radars and computer systems large ships contain today. Not only did explorers travel into uncharted territory at a time when maps were being drawn but they had few reliable tools to use. The tools below were used aboard ships to keep time and to determine location, speed, and direction. Sailors also observed cloud patterns, birds, floating debris, and wave patterns and directions as ways to determine distance traveled and the direction into which they were sailing. ⇒Maps – Sailors often studied the most recent maps and met with cartographers before they sailed. Captains brought maps with them, sometimes changing them as they surveyed the land on their voyages. ⇒Magnetic Compass – To indicate which direction was north. ⇒Sand Hourglass – To keep time. ⇒Stella Maris or Astrolabe – It would indicate the height of the North Star and from that measurement the Captain could determine latitude. ⇒Quadrant – Using the Pole Star, this tool would help determine latitude. ⇒Logline – Used to determine the ship’s speed, a rope with knots in it was tied to a weighted log, and the number of knots pulled off the reel of rope within an amount of time would indicate speed. ⇒There was no tool to accurately determine longitude. Determining speed with the use of the compass would help sailors determine approximate longitude. Other: 1. ‘Teaching the Hudson Valley’ - The following website contains various lessons categorized by grade, subject and county. http://www.teachingthehudsonvalley.org/ 2. Post Show Activities: Please take time in the classroom to reflect on The Remarkable and Perplexing Case of Henry Hudson with students, perhaps by asking students to draw a picture, create a piece of art, or write a song, journal entry, or essay about what they gained or remember most from the play. Have a discussion time using the following questions: What was the show about? Why was there so much competition among sea explorers from England, the Netherlands, France and Spain? Why do you think Henry Hudson was so determined to find a passage to Asia? What were some of the challenges sea explorers face in the 1600’s? What stories were in the play? Which characters stood out to you? What did you learn from the play? What is there left for us to explore today? How has our country progressed in the last 400 years since Hudson’s ship the Half Moon sailed in the river beside what is now Albany, New York? 23 Captain Hudson’s Strengths & Weaknesses Worksheet Name:_______________________________________________________Date:___________________________ Directions: Brainstorm a list below of the skills and characteristics that Captain Hudson must have had in order to properly serve his employer (the company which provides the ship and necessities for the voyage), his crew, and his mission at sea. Remember in 1609, Captain Hudson was also an explorer, heading out in uncharted waters. SKILLS and CHARACTERISTICS of a GOOD SEA CAPTAIN & EXPLORER Directions: Henry Hudson was hired to find a Northeast or Northwest Passage to the Orient and found neither. Using what you have learned about Hudson’s voyages and accomplishments, his failures and mistakes as captain, as well as the skills and characteristics you have listed above, chart his work and decide for yourself. Were his explorations a success? The Strengths, Skills, and Accomplishments of The Weaknesses, Mistakes, and Downfalls of Explorer Henry Hudson Explorer Henry Hudson So what do you think? Was Henry Hudson a great sea explorer? Why or why not?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 THE PRODUCTION: WHO’S WHO The Director: Margaret E. Hall The Actors: (in alphabetical order) Ethan Botwick* -‐ Jason and Henry Hudson Kevin Gardner* -‐ Abucuk Prickett and others Kate Hettesheimer* -‐ Nicholas Syms, Robert Juet and others Kristyn Youngblood* -‐ Whistle, Trooper and others 25 The Production Team: Stage Manager Brendan Cataldo* Set Designer David Esler Technical Director Julia Bohl Costume Designer Carolyn Walker Sound Engenier Luke Krauss Properties Master Chelsea Leach Production Manager Brandon Curry Casting Agent Stephanie Klapper *Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers of the United States RESOURCES CONSULTED WEBSITES: Photo: Replica of Henry Hudson’s ship, the Half Moon, approaching Manhattan. Photo by Roy Googin, 6/28/09. CCLicense –Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Halve_Maen_approaching_Manhattan_28_June_2009.jpg OTHER: *Capital Repertory Theatre’s 2009-‐2010 Study Guide for the show. 26 TEACHER EVALUATION: THE REMARKABLE AND PERPLEXING CASE OF HENRY HUDSON Fill this out and get 2 Free Tickets! Your feedback helps us to constantly improve programming and attract additional underwriting. Please take a moment to fill out this form. You are encouraged to make multiple copies so that all of the teachers in your group may respond. All teachers who submit a completed evaluation will be given a free pair of tickets to a future Capital Rep production. How would you rate the quality of today’s performance? Excellent Good Fair Poor Did attending the performance assist you in addressing classroom curriculum? Very Much Somewhat Not At All N/A Were the on-line study materials useful in preparing students and deepening their experience? Very Much Somewhat Not At All N/A Please check all that apply: ____Today’s performance price was affordable for my school. ____My school required a subsidy in order to afford today’s performance. ____My school would provide performances for more students, more often, if additional funds were available. Any additional information / comments welcome, please attach them to this evaluation. Name:_____________________________School:__________________________ Phone:_____________________________E-mail:__________________________ The completed form may be submitted by email ([email protected]) or by mail (Capital Rep Education Department, 432 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305). 27 CDPHP Center for Economic Growth NYSUT Pitney Bowes Software 28
