Monday Recap

Christopher Columbus, Lafayette, and Joan of Arc

Hello everyone!

Wow! What a great first day!! We had so much fun and the kids were SO well behaved! We can already tell that it is going to be an awesome week! Today the kids met some amazing and inspiring figures from throughout history:

Joan of Arc.

At just 17, she received guidance from angels to crown Prince Charles as king and assist in liberating France from English control. Initially, the King and his advisors were doubtful. Joan was a young peasant woman. Before entrusting her with soldiers, they decided to test her claims. They subjected her to a rigorous interrogation to assess her knowledge and determination. Joan remained steadfast, answering each question with accuracy and clarity, proving her strength and suggesting divine guidance. Despite this, the men were still not convinced and decided to conduct another test.

They disguised the prince in servant's clothing and placed him in a room with many others. They dressed another man in Royal clothing, assuming Joan would mistake him for the Prince and fail the test. Amidst the noblemen seeking attention, she accurately identified the prince, not by his attire but through divine inspiration. Even then, the Prince hesitated to entrust her with his soldiers. Seeing his doubt, Joan shared a secret with him—something he had never disclosed to anyone. The content of this secret remains unknown, but the prince, astonished by her insight, reconsidered the limitations placed on her, recognizing her potential to lead an army to victory.

He commissioned armor for her and gave her a special pennon. The dove with a scroll on the pennon symbolized the Holy Spirit and the divine message she received from God. The scroll bore the inscription “De par le Roy du Ciel,” meaning "By the King of Heaven," signifying her divinely appointed mission. Along with the armor, Joan requested a specific sword—the legendary sword of Charlemagne. The Prince was surprised, as no one knew its location. She instructed them to search behind the altar at the church of Saint Catherine. Sure enough, a sword wrapped in leather was found there and brought to Joan, further affirming her divine mission.

Tragically, her journey took a dark turn when she was captured by the English and executed by burning at the stake, a gruesome fate she met because she refused to renounce her beliefs and identity. Her death incited the French, and their devotion to Joan ultimately helped them win the war.

Christopher Columbus:

Primarily self-taught, Columbus possessed knowledge in geography, astronomy, and history. He devised a plan to find a western sea route to the East Indies, aiming to benefit from the profitable spice trade. Following the Granada War and Columbus's persistent efforts in various kingdoms, the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II, agreed to fund a westward expedition.

Columbus set sail from Castile in August 1492. The voyage faced numerous challenges. Upon reaching their first island, Columbus named it San Salvador, meaning Holy Savior, in gratitude to God for guiding and protecting them.

After Columbus shared his story with the kids, he let them play on his ship. They loved it!

Valley forge

The children also learned about Valley Forge and how the British fighting style turned into a disadvantage against the Americans.

The British wore bright red uniforms, making them easy targets on the battlefield. They marched in rows, with the first row firing a shot, then kneeling to allow the row behind them to step forward and fire. This approach was very orderly, with everyone staying in line. However, this worked against them because the colonists didn't wear distinctive bright uniforms and blended better with their surroundings. They employed "guerrilla warfare," not always marching in rows. They would hide behind trees and rocks for protection while reloading their muskets. A musket had only one shot, and reloading took 20-30 seconds, which is a long time to be vulnerable during a battle.

After learning about these battle styles, the kids had a chance to act them out with water guns. It was so much fun!

Lafayette

And finally, the children met Lafayette, who taught them how to read a simple map. They also discovered that there are various types of soldiers, specifically learning about dragoons. Dragoons were intimidating because they rode horses, wielded swords, and carried muskets, making them swift and a threat both at a distance and in close combat.

Lafayette recounted the Battle of Brandywine, where General Lee neglected to watch his flanks. Lafayette noticed the situation and requested Washington to let him intervene. Although Washington was hesitant, Lafayette persisted until Washington agreed. Lafayette then went down and took charge of the retreating soldiers, instructing them to form ranks, load their muskets, and fire. He directed them to "retreat on the fire", meaning they moved away from the enemy as they reloaded, then turned to fire again.

They lost the Battle of Brandywine, but managed to save more men than if they had simply scattered and fled.

Lafayette stressed that America had to fight very hard to achieve freedom. He demonstrated this with an object lesson by having all the children hold onto his sword. As everyone grasped the sword, he tried to walk away but couldn't due to the collective strength of their hands. He attempted to remove their hands to escape, but the children continued holding on, illustrating that once freedom is taken, regaining it is a difficult struggle.

What a fantastic group of visitors to kick off this year's Camp! We are eagerly looking forward to tomorrow!

Here are a few reminders:

• The kids received books containing the Memorization Challenges. Please ensure they bring these books every day. They need to have the book with them when they complete a challenge so it can be signed by the leader, whether it's a parent or a youth volunteer.

• If any of you (parents, youth, or children) took your name tags home, please remember to bring them back tomorrow!

• The kids learned "God Bless the USA" today during choir practice. Please help them review the lyrics so they'll be ready to sing on Friday! This year's music is available on our website under the resources tab.

• Also, remember that pickup time each day is at noon!

We'll see you tomorrow morning! We start at 9, so please aim to have your kids there by 8:45 so we can begin on time. (I will be under the pavilion by 8:45 to sign in the parent volunteers.)

See you then!