What was the relationship like between George and Martha Washington? To protect their privacy, Martha Washington destroyed all her husband’s letters after his death so historians have little evidence of their lives together. Two letters were later found in an old desk. After examining these writings as a class, pairs lists words and phrases that reveal Washington’s feelings for his wife, and then share their lists with the whole class. Individuals use these lists to imagine the relationships of this famous couple, assume the role of Washington, and craft a sonnet from him to his wife. Directions for writing an English sonnet are included.