"Lead, follow, or get out of the way."

Thomas Payne, author

     In Esther Forbes' award-winning book, Johnny Tremain, we read about fictional and non-fictional characters who became entwined in the tumultuous events that thrust the American colonies into war with England.  The characters we met had to question themselves about their political beliefs and the depth of those beliefs.  They had to "lead, follow, or get out of the way."  In this webquest you will be working as an analyst of history for the Johnny Tremain Museum.  The museum curator has decided to commission world-famous oil painter, Ms. Scarlet A. Crylic, to create a portrait of the most significant hero who was portrayed in the book, Johnny Tremain.   The curator needs you to help him decide which non-fictional American leader mentioned in the book would have left the biggest gap in history had he chosen to "get out of the way" instead of becoming an active leader or follower.