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Tag: Whitman Massacre

Women’s History Month; Women with a Mission

Women’s History Month; Women with a Mission

From the Desk of Marlys Rudeen Pulled by religious fervor, men and women left homes and families to come West, intending to bring their faith to the “heathen”. They were often well-meaning but unprepared for life on the frontier and for interacting with people of another culture. They strove faithfully, endured hardships and grief among people whose responses to their teachings ran the gamut from acceptance to violence. Two of our Classics in Washington History describe the lives of Protestant…

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Digital Updates

Digital Updates

From the desk of Judy Pitchford Volume 4, #2 November 2009 for Digital Updates Historical Newspapers in Washington – 1 new title. The years 1861-1864 have been added to the Puget Sound Herald in Historical Newspapers in Washington online project, which now covers six years of Steilacoom pioneer news, from 1858 to 1864. Classics in Washington History We have added a new category – 20th Century Events – to our Classics in Washington History.  This category currently contains the Works…

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The Whitman Tragedy – Part 1

The Whitman Tragedy – Part 1

The Whitman Massacre of November 29, 1847 provides a painful window into a time of conflicting cultures, priorities and prejudices. Piecing together what happened from contemporary accounts can be both frustrating and fascinating. Were the Cayuse Indians misguided, evil, deceived, or somewhere in between all of those? Were the missionaries heroic martyrs or discouraged idealists? Did sectarian prejudice between Catholic and Protestant exacerbate a volatile situation? You can explore a variety of theories, personalities and testimony surrounding this horrific event…

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