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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many children did Martha have?

2. What does young Ephraim do after the family's move?

3. How does Martha refer to single women in her diary?

4. Martha's success rate was ____________________.

5. What business did men handle during Martha's lifetime?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the religious structure in Hallowell and who was the minister in the town?

2. How did Martha get started as a midwife in Hallowell?

3. What were the circumstances surrounding the rape of Rebecca Foster?

4. What was the nature of the relationship between midwives and physicians during Martha's lifetime?

5. Explain the contentious relationship between Reverend Foster and Henry Sewall.

6. How has Martha's diary been perceived by historians?

7. What was the pattern of new births in the year 1793?

8. During what years did Martha keep her diary?

9. Explain why the summer of 1787 was very harrowing for the Ballard family.

10. How much detail did Martha include in her diary about each birth?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe Martha's husband, Ephraim. What is known about him from Martha's entries? What were his professions?

Essay Topic 2

Religious intolerance is a big part of life in 18th century New England. How is this information revealed through Martha's diary entries? What is known about Martha's position on religion and intolerant people?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the process of making cloth in Martha's business. Begin with growing and harvesting the flax all the way to taking the cloth to market.

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