Throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries, New England suffered through frequent and bloody battles between the English settlers and Native American tribes. In nearly every town on the frontier, garrison houses such as this one were constructed of stout timbers on high ground. Colonists from the surrounding area would retreat to these houses during times of high alert, abandoning their less secure homes and farmsteads.

Investigate the source using the zoom and navigational tools in the Flash player and then answer the questions below.

1			Closely examine the materials used to construct this garrison. How might those materials have helped protect the occupants?
2			What features might have been updated since colonial times? Which features would have offered better protection if they were smaller?
3			What does the existence of such garrisons tell you about colonial life in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries?