Does every conflict have a winner?

Mini Biography of Irving Washington Irving was born in New York City at the end of the Revolutionary War on April 3, 1783. He was the youngest of eleven children. He is best known, however, as the first American to make a living solely from writing. He’s known as “the Father of the American Short Story”. He wrote the story of Rip Van Winkle. His pen names include Deitrich Knickerbocker, Jonathan Oldstyle, and Geoffrey Crayon.

Irving's imagination frequently drew upon his childhood memories of New York State. The fictional Sleepy Hollow is actually the lower Hudson Valley area near Tarrytown, N.Y. In 1830, Irving received a gold medal in history from the Royal Society of Literature in London, and also received honorary degrees from Oxford, Columbia, and Harvard. Trained as a lawyer, Irving was active in the field of diplomacy.

On November 28, 1859, on the eve of the Civil War, Washington Irving died at Sunnyside surrounded by his family. He was buried in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery at the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. Irving eventually bought a home about 3 ½ miles away from the Old Dutch Church. It had belonged to a Dutch farmer. In June 1835 Irving acquired Sunnyside, a 10-acre estate that lies along the Hudson River, for $1800.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is a short story that tells the story of an extremely superstitious schoolmaster from Connecticut. The name of the character was taken from an army colonel that Irving had met, but that is where the similarity ends. Colonel Crane was a stout, strong man. The character of Ichabod doesn’t possess any of these qualities.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow It is rumored that Colonel Crane was extremely upset with the depiction of his namesake. After publication he reprimanded Irving for the character that carried his name. The physical description of Ichabod Crane in the story, however, is taken from a Revolutionary War veteran, Samuel Youngs. Youngs, a resident of Tarrytown, became a teacher after the war. It is said that Youngs was lean, lanky, and superstitious, just as the protagonist in Irving’s famous tale. Disney’s depiction of Ichabod Crane “Even though he is no great hero, Ichabod is seen by some as feeling somewhat superior to the residents of Tarrytown. Many believe that he felt that his education made his more worthy than the people of Tarrytown.”

Setting: Tarry Town & Sleepy Hollow The story is set in a Dutch settlement called Tarrytown, New York, in the lonely, secluded valley (glen) of Sleepy Hollow.

Setting: Tarry Town & Sleepy Hollow The denouement (conclusion) of the story occurs at a bridge that crosses the Pocantico River. It is near the Old Dutch Church and Burying Ground in Sleepy Hollow.

Setting: Tarry Town & Sleepy Hollow “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is not the only tale that was used Sleepy Hollow as its setting. In the 1960’s there was a television series called Dark Shadows set at Lyndhurst in Tarrytown. In the series, this castle served as the Collinwood estate in the full-length film, House of Dark Shadows.

Historical Context: 1900’s The story was published in the early 1900. The Revolutionary War ended in 1783. Hessian soldiers were 18th-century German mercenaries contracted for service under The Crown of the British Empire.

Historical Context: 1900’s Women’s skirts went to the floor. Showing the ankle was provocative.

Historical Context: 1900’s Teachers or schoolmasters/ mistresses were paid by the community, which could afford a lot, so they would feed and board a teacher as well.

Historical Context: 1900’s Education in this time was a luxury. Therefore, anyone having an advanced education was seen as enviable. In the story, Ichabod is said to be rather popular among the ladies because he is a “man of letters.” (This meant he had an advanced education.)

Word Study: Root –tract- comes from Latin -tract- means to pull or drag tractable etymology: from Latin tractabilis "that may be touched, handled, or managed“ explain how the root –tract- contributes to the meaning of these words: detract, distract, extract

Word Study: Root –spir- comes from Latin -spir- means breath spirit etymology: from Latin spirare “breathe“ explain how the root –spir- contributes to the meaning of these words: conspire, perspire, respiration