Wow! We have had such a fun and busy week! Today was our last full day of Camp and it did not disappoint!
The kids got to meet Mercy Otis Warren. At the time Mercy was growing up, women were not allowed to receive an education, however Mercy had a passion for learning and her father supported her in her desires. He allowed her to join her brother in his lessons with his uncle, during which time she gained a special appreciation for the writings of John Locke. Mercy's father was passionate about freedom and politics and the family had many in-depth discussions around the dinner table. When Mercy grew up, she married James Warren and raised 5 sons. James was the county sheriff and encouraged his wife to not be afraid to use her voice. Mercy wrote many pamphlets, poems, and even plays that promoted the ideas and principles upon which the United States was established during the American Revolution. During the Revolution, Mercy took up her voice instead of the sword and was instrumental in inspiring a passion for freedom in the people. She told the kids that their voices are also important and encouraged them to not be afraid to use their voices. She then let the kids use a quill and ink to write their names on a paper to take home.
Henry Knox was another visitor today who shared some great stories from his experiences in the Revolutionary War. He told the stories of the Boston Massacre and also the battle of Lexington and Concord (the shot heard round the world). Warned by Paul Revere of the British approach, the colonists had gathered to block the way of the British who were coming to Concord to confiscate their guns. The colonists stood their ground, someone fired a shot, and a battle ensued. This was the start of a long battle for freedom. Another story he shared was of an assignment from George Washington to recover some cannons that they had captured from the British. The cannons were at Fort Ticonderoga and needed to be transported to the Continental Army camps outside Boston. Knox went to Ticonderoga in November 1775 and moved 60 tons of cannon and other armaments over the course of three months by boat, horse, and ox-drawn sledges, crossing two semi-frozen rivers in the course of their 300 mile trip. The cannons provided a great boost to the army and gave them a great advantage over the British soldiers who came to attack Boston.
Sara Davenport talked to the kids about candle-making and even let the kids each dip their own candle. Before electricity, families depended on candles to light their homes in the evenings. Each family would make 400 candles to ensure they had enough to last them each year. As the kids dipped their candles, Sara talked to the kids about the importance of chores and how each member of the family has their role to help the household run smoothly. She encouraged the kids to do their part in their own families and households.
The kids got to do a relay race today as they learned about the important role that the Minute Men Played in the war. The Minute Men were boys from the ages of 16-30 years old. They had to be fast, strong, and athletic. The colonists depended on them to be able to drop everything at a moments notice, and get important information around to all the colonies. They would jump on their horse and yell the information as they rode through the towns. One famous Minute Man was Paul Revere. The history of our country could have been very different were it not for our Minute Men.
This has been such a great week and we have been filled with such great knowledge as we have learned about the lives of these amazing people throughout history who valued freedom. We want to thank all of our presenters who sacrificed their time to come and teach us this week. We are also grateful for all of our volunteers who have kept us fed, prepared fun crafts and activities for the kids, and helped to make Camp Freedom run smoothly.
Tomorrow is the last day of Camp and is our Celebration of Liberty. Please have your kids there at 8:15 so that they can run through the program one last time before we start promptly at 9:00. Parents, Grandparents, other family and friends are all welcome to attend! After the short program there will be fun and games and the whole family is welcome to participate. Just a few notes to help tomorrow run smoothly:
-There is no seating at the bowery. Please bring blankets and camp chairs to sit on while you enjoy the short program.
- There will be many water activities and games for the kids to do after the program, so please have them wear their swim suits underneath their red camp shirts. Don't forget sunscreen. ☺️
-Please make sure your kids wear their red camp shirts for the program!
-The program starts at 9:00 and the activities will go until noon. Then camp will be done for this year.
-Camp Freedom will be held July 8-12th next year! Mark your calendars now! 😁
That should do it! See you in the morning!!!
-Camp Freedom
Comentarios