Virtual Field Trip Scavenger Hunt

The dark colored brick in the George Mason statue’s base is a bronze replica of a brick found at Gunston Hall. You can see the marks left by the fingers of the enslaved person who made this brick in the 1750s. What might this discarded brick say about the contribution of enslaved people to Mason’s wealth? To our nation’s wealth?

On the base of the statue of George Mason, there are 4 quotes he wrote. What contradictions do you notice between them? How do we reconcile the very different ideas and facts presented here?

At Mason’s home, Gunston Hall, the tour guides tell you that spices would have been locked the Mason's bedroom closet so they wouldn't be stolen, but enslaved women and girls like Penny would have done the cooking. What might the location of the spices tell us about the relationship between the Mason family and the people they enslaved?

Pay special attention to the James panel. What are some inferences you can make about him based on how he’s presented here? How do you think he felt about his responsibilities?

Penny was taken from her family in Maryland when she was only about ten years old when she was gifted to 10-year-old Ann Mason. She was required to entertain and serve Ann. How do you think Penny felt about her experience and her assigned duties at Gunston Hall? What are some inferences we can make about Penny based on how she’s presented here?

Who was Roger Wilkins? How do you interpret the quote on the fountain? What are some ways you think your community could better harness the diversity and creativity of all its people?

Think about the memorial more broadly. What is unique about it? What is traditional? Who is the focal point, and who is peripheral?

What is different about viewing this memorial online versus if you were there in person? What are some advantages to exploring the memorial online? What are some adanvantages to seeing it in person?

To download a version of this for an in-person field trip to the memorial, please click below: