Constructing Castle William: An Intimate History of Labor and Empire in Provincial America

This seminar will examine the tumultuous construction of Castle William, a fort meant to protect Boston Harbor. Begun in 1701, this five-year project was fraught with corruption, labor strife, supply shortages, ineptitude, and tension between colonial desires and imperial ambition. Hardesty will explore the fort as a microcosm of imperial reform and as a lens into post-Glorious Revolution attempts to build empire in Massachusetts and other mainland colonies.