Characters
What are the names of the three main characters in the story?
Caitlin, Derek, Sam
Where did Sam's class go on their field trip?
The famous church, St. John Church
How did Sam discover there might be a mystery at St. John's Church?
He went to the bathroom and saw men trying to find something in the wall. They tried to hide things and didn't want him to see or hear what they were doing.
What did they eventually find buried in the dirt around Wythe's house in Colonial Williamsburg?
An old draft of the Declaration of Independence.
How is Caitlin helpful in solving the mystery?
She has a computer. She is good at research and smart. She is organized and writes things down. She also asks many questions.
Where did the family go to visit their parents' wedding ceremony location?
Colonial Williamsburg
After Sam's field trip, what did Sam and Derek decide to do to continue their search for the solution to the mystery?
They convinced their parents to go visit the church again for the upcoming reenactment.
How did George Wythe die?
He died of arsenic poison.
Why was George Sweeney called a "ne'er do well' person
He may have killed George Wythe though he was acquitted of this charge. He was known as a bad person who never did well, but later in life hid the letter he stole and never dug up the Declaration of Independence.
Who was Thomas Jefferson?
A president of the U.S.A and one of the main writers of the declaration of Independence
Why did the family go visit Colonial Williamsburg?
The letter from Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe mentioned that Thomas Jefferson sent something back with Wythe to Williamsburg.
What was on the key that the children found?
A map to the buried Declaration of Independence.
What was the real name of the actor that played Patrick Henry?
Jerry
Who was George Sweeny related to?
He was the grand-nephew of George Wythe.
What hidden things did Sam and Derek uncover in the church?
They found a key and a letter.
What did the children need in order to see what was on the key they had found.
A solar microscope
One of the famous people that was played in the reenactment at the church.
George Wythe, Patrick Henry, George Sweeny
What was Patrick Henry's famous quote?
Give me liberty or give me death
What did the letter and key reveal?
The letter mentioned something treasured that was sent back with Wythe to Williamsburg. This was the Declaration of Independence. They also found a key which ended up being a map to the buried treasure.
How did the children get out of the basement?
There was a secret passage that went under the house and then up into the yard around the house.