Rebellion 1776

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your immediate reaction upon finishing Rebellion 1776? Did the ending, particularly the Epilogue, feel like a satisfying conclusion to Elsbeth’s journey?

2. Laurie Halse Anderson also wrote Fever 1793, another historical novel centered on a young girl surviving an epidemic. If you’ve read it, how did Elsbeth’s experience in war-torn Boston compare to Mattie’s in plague-ridden Philadelphia? If not, how did the dual threats of war and smallpox shape your experience of the story?

3. Did you find the novel’s balance between Elsbeth’s personal story and the larger historical events of the Revolution effective? Why or why not?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. How did you feel about Elsbeth’s strategic dishonesty, such as her story about her father being on a whaling voyage? Do you think the novel makes a convincing case that such deceptions were necessary for her survival?

2. What did the novel’s portrayal of a “found family” make you think about the nature of belonging and connection? 

3. Did your perception of Pappa change after reading his letter explaining he was kidnapped? How did you reconcile his earlier controlling behavior with the reality of his situation?

4. At the end of the novel, Elsbeth rejects a secure position with the Pikes to pursue a seamstress apprenticeship. What do you think this choice reveals about her definition of independence?

5. What significance did the small acts of kindness hold in the story, such as Hannah arranging for Elsbeth to receive an extra blanket? Which of these moments resonated most with you?

6. The Epilogue breaks the fourth wall to address the reader directly. What was the effect of this narrative choice on you as a reader?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Rebellion 1776 vividly portrays the public’s fear and debate surrounding smallpox inoculation. What parallels did you notice between this 18th-century public health crisis and more contemporary debates about science and public safety?

2. In what ways do characters like Elsbeth, Hannah, and Missus Pike find power within a patriarchal system that legally subordinates them?

3. What does the friendship between Elsbeth and Hannah suggest about the power of personal connection to overcome class barriers during times of crisis?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the motif of sewing and stitching connect Elsbeth’s personal healing with the larger idea of a nation being repaired?

2. The rooftop serves as a private, elevated space for Elsbeth and Hannah. What does this setting represent in the context of their friendship and their shared desire for freedom from the world below?

3. Was there a particular symbol in the novel, such as smallpox scars or letters, that you found especially powerful? What was the meaning behind the symbol? 

4. The first-person narration is told from an adult Elsbeth’s perspective looking back on her youth. How did this reflective voice shape your understanding of her choices and the events of 1776?

5. Why do you think the author chose such a tragic end for Hannah Sparhawk? How does her death serve as a catalyst for Elsbeth’s final steps toward her own independence?

6. Another classic young adult novel set in this period is Esther Forbes’s Johnny Tremain (1943). If you’re familiar with it, how does Rebellion 1776’s focus on a young woman’s domestic struggles offer a different perspective on the American Revolution?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Elsbeth achieves her goal of becoming an independent “she-merchant.” If you were to design a shop for her in post-war Boston, what would you name it, and what items would it feature that reflect her journey?

2. What do you imagine happened to Nyott Doubt, whose fate is left ambiguous in the Epilogue?

3. Imagine you could add one more historical epigraph to a chapter. What kind of quote from an 18th-century letter or diary would you choose for Chapter 39, “Valley of Shadows,” which details Hannah’s death, and why?