MAKING HISTORY FUN FOR CHILDREN

Two of our grandchildren (aged nine and seven) visited us recently for a few days. Since we live in the historic triangle of Virginia, Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown, it seemed like a great opportunity to share with them some our colonial history.

One day I took them to the Jamestown Settlement. The museums and videos there were great as was being able to see the recreation of:

The Susan Constant

the Indian village and how they lived

the settler’s fort and how they lived

the three small ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery 

It was on to Historic Jamestowne, where we saw the actual site of the fort where there is a museum, the church, and many ongoing archeological sites.

Later in the week, we visited the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown where there is a fascinating recreation of a small farm as well as canon and musket demonstration, all very kid-friendly.

We had already visited Colonial Williamsburg and will do that again.

The learning experience was enhanced by:

Reading:

1.         The Light and the Glory for Young Readers (Discovering God's Plan for America): 1492-1793 by Peter Marshall, David Manuel, and Anna Wilson Fishel         

(This is the first book in a series of history books written for young readers.We read the book through the Jamestown period. The children now have the book to read the rest of it on their own.)

2.        THE TRUE POCAHONTAS ~ A STORY YOU MAY NOT KNOW

http://janetgrunst.com/the-true-pocahontas-a-story-you-may-not-know/

(In the interest of time, I read them this post instead of the entire book The True Story of Pocahontas.)

Video Recording:

            We watched parts of the mini-series George Washington released in the mid-eighties.

Map Studies:

By Aude - self-made, map data from National Atlas
(USGS), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/
w/index.php?curid=2058243

            We studied maps of Christopher Columbus’ travels to the new world 

and of the Virginia Company’s travels to Virginia and the founding of Jamestowne.

            We put together a 300 piece jigsaw puzzle of the world.

Food:

            We studied how the food was preserved during colonial times. After grinding corn at Jamestown, we came home and made (and ate) cornbread and had some Virginia ham.

When they had to leave, we all agreed we had loads of fun learning about the early days of the colonization of Virginia and some of the last battles of the Revolutionary War.

http://JanetGrunst.com
http://colonialquills.blogspot.com/

Regimental Uniforms -- American Revolution Museum

I recently had the privilege of visiting the new American Revolution Museum, again, in Yorktown where I live. This day the Regimental Uniforms were being displayed by staff. Above, volunteer Joyce explains that the British regimental uniform is one most American will recognize -- the "Redcoat" jacket.

French Regimental uniform

Here in Yorktown we have a special fondness for the French!!! Thank God they showed up just in the nick of time for the historic battle that finally ended the war!

The French regimental coat is the only one that has a pocket. The French had interior pockets as pictured above. You may recall that women, during those times, had pockets separate from their skirts -- their pockets weren't sewn into their clothing.

Can you see the pocket in the photo on the right? Go straight up from where my name is on the picture, to about halfway up.

Can you imagine how long it would have taken to have sewn these coats by hand? And this American regimental jacket is very heavy. The wool is woven tightly enough to resist water, still. . .

Here's Joyce again showing us a Loyalist jacket, of green cloth. These were calvarymen. You might recognize the jacket type as one worn by one of the antagonists in the movie, "The Patriot," with Mel Gibson.



THANKS, Joyce, for helping me get these pictures!




Question: Do you have any plans to visit the new American Revolution Museum in Yorktown? Do you have any questions I could research for you there, for your visit?

New American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, Partially Opened -- Some Glimpses!

American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

Currently entitled the Yorktown Victory Center, there has been construction for over a year on the new American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Above is a picture of the Welcome Center.  Below is my son by one of the new meeting rooms in this brand new Visitors' Center at the museum. This portion is partially open.

Clark Pagels by poster for new American Revolution Museum in Yorktown, Virginia

We were able to watch one of the recently produced short films about freedom and liberty while we were there. The building is large, spacious, and important-for-Virginia Air-CONDITIONED!  There are three movies that rotate, timewise, in the theater room.

Although some of the items from the original museum are being brought over, that museum is closed (which is disappointing) as the larger new museum is built. It will open in 2016 to great fanfare here in Yorktown. We're hoping some of the Colonial Quills contributors will be here to celebrate together when the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown opens!

You know we love our Tea Parties here on Colonial Quills blog and it was neat to see this pewter teapot (secured for the display) in the main hall.  Across from the teapot is the American Revolutionary War Time line.  This is mounted on the wall and visitors can walk along and read how history progressed during that time.

George Washington statue - Clark Pagels

I wonder how many tourists have had their picture taken with George Washington? This is a perfect photo opportunity if ever there was one!

Question: Have you been to the Victory Center in Yorktown?  Do you plan to come for the Grand Opening of the new American Revolution Center at Yorktown in 2016?