Tuesday Recap

It was another successful day! The kids met some more amazing visitors from the past!

James Madison

James Madison, known as the Father of the Constitution, was one of our founding fathers. After the Revolutionary War, Americans needed to choose their leader. Though they were familiar only with monarchies, the Founding Fathers were opposed to having a king. They engaged in lengthy debates on the structure of the government. Although someone proposed a democracy, the Founders believed it was not ideal. To make democracy understandable to children, Madison explained that in a democracy, the majority could vote to take toys from the minority, leaving the minority powerless. Democracy, he argued, is not a fair government system. America is not a democracy; it is a Republic.

In a Republic, the people have a voice by electing representatives to speak on their behalf. Establishing a Republic was challenging. Twelve of the thirteen colonies gathered in Philadelphia to help design the government system. Throughout the summer, they debated in a hot room on how to implement it. They divided the government into three branches to prevent any single entity from dominating (checks and balances).

1. Legislative Branch-

Congress is responsible for making laws and is split into two parts: the House and the Senate. The Senate includes representatives from each state. (Utah has two.) The House is where laws are created and then sent to the Senate for approval. Once approved by the Senate, they go to the President for final approval.

2. Executive Branch-

This is the President's branch, divided into three departments: State, Justice, and Agriculture, each managing its specific area of law.

3. Judiciary Branch-

This consists of the judges and the court system.

To illustrate the significance of these three branches, Madison had children participate in a three-way tug of war. As they pulled on the three ends of the ropes, none could overpower the others, demonstrating the importance of checks and balances.

Craft - The Story of the Rising Sun

On Monday, September 17, 1787, forty-one leaders assembled in a large room at Independence Hall to sign a crucial document: the United States Constitution.

Among the leaders was the wise 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, who had spent years uniting the colonies. Near the end of his life, he witnessed his dream becoming reality. When it was Franklin's turn to sign, he was overcome with emotion and cried. People later would recall, "The old man wept."

Franklin gazed at the carved wooden chair where George Washington had sat. On the back of the chair was an image of a sun. For months, Franklin had pondered whether the sun was setting or rising. Finally, he smiled and declared, "Now I know—it is a rising sun on our beloved America."

We are now the hope of America, and it is our duty to keep the sun rising.

Ruth Harrington

Ruth and Jonathan Harrington were a married couple residing in Lexington during the Revolutionary War. Prior to the conflict, they enjoyed an idyllic life. They had two children, aged 8 and 1, and a beautiful home right on Lexington Green.

During this period, King George began to treat the colonists unjustly. When they attempted to elect representatives, he would replace them with his own appointees. They were often falsely accused of crimes, and instead of being tried by their peers, they were sent to England, where they were invariably found guilty.

A third of the population decided they could no longer tolerate this tyranny. Samuel Adams and John Hancock aimed to rally these individuals against the oppression and established a group known as the Sons of Liberty. Ruth and Jonathan were part of this group. The king discovered this and dispatched 750 soldiers to capture the two men to quell the rebellion. He also ordered the seizure of weapons and gunpowder.

Dr. Joseph Warren, a spy, learned of the plan. He sent Paul Revere and William Dawes to warn the people. Before departing, Paul Revere instructed someone to keep watch and place a lantern in the church window as a signal: one lantern if the British were coming by land, two if by sea. The British approached by sea but still had to march 14 miles to reach Lexington. Dr. Samuel Prescott met Paul and William on the road and offered to warn Concord. This was fortunate, as Paul was captured shortly thereafter, and William barely escaped.

Upon receiving the news, Jonathan left home to join the other Sons of Liberty. Seventy-seven men had gathered and were ready to meet the British. They were sent home to await further orders. When the British neared, John Parker alerted them by playing the drums and a special tune on the flute. The men responded and lined up on the edge of the Green.

When the British arrived, John Pitcairn, the leader of the British soldiers, ordered the Sons of Liberty to lay down their arms. They held their ground. He repeated the command three times. Still, the Sons of Liberty did not comply. Finally, John Parker instructed his men to disperse peacefully. As they turned and began to walk away, a shot suddenly rang out. No one knows from which side it came, but the British started firing on the retreating men. Poor Ruth, witnessing this tragic scene from her window, watched as her husband was shot in the back. He looked up at her, their eyes met, and he crawled to the edge of the Green as she ran to him. She rushed out, cradled him in her arms, and they exchanged their final goodbyes and expressions of love before he died in her embrace.

The Harringtons and others sacrificed everything for our freedom. It is now our duty to preserve the freedom they gave to us.

Crossing the Delaware

On December 25th, 1776, the soldiers in George Washington's army were not celebrating Christmas at home. They were cold, far from home, and disheartened. The war had been ongoing for a couple of years, and they were losing. The British had every advantage, while the colonists were exhausted and struggling to make progress. Washington realized a victory was essential, so he devised a plan. At midnight on Christmas, they marched 3 miles through the cold to the Delaware River. Upon reaching the river, they had to wade into the icy water to board their boats. It was raining and freezing. The plan was to cross in three separate groups to launch an attack on the opposing army, but two groups turned back due to the extreme cold. When the remaining group reached the opposite riverbank, they had to march an additional 9 miles, carrying ammo and food. Upon arriving at Trenton, they began firing, catching the enemy by surprise and unprepared for battle. The enemy surrendered. America had finally secured a victory over the enemy, capturing nearly a thousand soldiers. Only two Americans lost their lives. Sadly, these were due to exposure to the severe weather, not the battle itself.

After learning about the Battle of Trenton, the kids got to put their feet in some ice cold water to simulate how the soldiers may have felt.

Mercy Otis Warren

Mercy was the first daughter of 13 children. Her father was a prominent politician and lawyer. Mercy loved books and would often sneak into her father's library and read as many books as she could. Her favorite book was "The History of the World" by Sir Walter Raleigh.

The family had a tutor, but only the boys were allowed to receive lessons. Mercy would secretly listen outside the door, trying to absorb any information she could. Eventually, her father allowed her to join her brothers in their lessons. Her eldest brother, Jemmy (James), went on to study at Harvard. One summer, he brought home a book with the ideas of John Locke, which captivated Mercy.

At her brother's graduation from Harvard, she met James Warren. They fell in love, married, and had five sons. James was active in politics and served in the Massachusetts legislature. He also supported Mercy's interest in politics and valued her wisdom and insight.

In 1769, Mercy's brother was brutally attacked by British officers. This was the turning point for her. She could not be a soldier, but she chose to wield her pen instead of a sword, publishing numerous poems and writings, including the following: "America stands armed with resolution and virtue; but she still recoils at the idea of drawing the sword against the nation from whom she derived her origin. Yet Britain, like an unnatural parent, is ready to plunge her dagger into the bosom of her affectionate offspring." Her powerful words helped rally many to the cause of freedom.

The kids also learned "The Stars and Stripes Forever" today with the choir. You can find the audio on our website's music page here. Please feel free to practice with your children so they can be prepared for Friday's show!

We have absolutely loved these first two days and really appreciate our visitors!! We can't wait to hear from the rest of them!

• Please arrive by 8:45 so we can begin at 9.

• If you or your child took your tags home, make sure to bring them back tomorrow!

• Additionally, remember to practice memorizations and have your children bring their book to camp for signatures, pins, and treats.

• Pickup is at noon. If you have any questions about the schedule, you can view the basic schedule layout here.

Thanks again! See you tomorrow!