We also traveled the historic battlefield and saw homes where the bullets were still imbedded in the side of the house.  The museum was unique with a variety of videos for purchase on the battle.  The most impressive part for me was the bookstore.  I say this because there was a variety of books!  There were children’s books, historical readings, biographies, books on the people, books on the battle etc.  I found many book titles that I did not even know about. 

I am definately planning on using the Letters Home as primary sources in my classroom.  There was even a website where these letters can be found.  The pictures were incredible and they will also be quite useful in class.   

The second lecture focused on African Americans in the Civil War.  Wow, what a fascinating topic!  I wrote down as much information as I could.  First the presenter described what he calls the Great American Slave Rebellion.  He stated that the slaves freed themselves and not Mr. Lincoln.  He lectured using a format where he presented 4 questions to the class and answered each one.  His primary sources were wonderful and can be incorporated into my classroom quite easily.  I am planning on using this information and some of the primary sources when we study the Emancipation Proclamation.  I will be presenting some type of group activity that will focus on the four questions he presented and how these individuals took an active role in their own emancipation. 

This afternoon we visited many sites.  We toured the Post Office Museum, Carpenter’s Hall, Elfreth’s Alley and the Graveyard where Benjamin Franklin and his family are buried.  There are several signers of Declaration of Independence buried there.  We also found the headstones of Dr. Benjamin Rush, Samuel Powel and his wife Elizabeth.  I also found a book calle the Lives of the Silent Stones.  This book profiles some of the famous people buried at Christ Church Burial Ground.  Mr. Powel served as Philadelphia’s mayor and was one of the leading families in Philadelphia society.  Mr. Powel died of yellow fever.  I am going to create a power point presentation with this information and the photographs we have so that my students will be able to “travel” the cemetary with me.  It’s nice to know how these specific people died and what their contributions were to Colonial America.

I must admit that this specific field trip was extremely beneficial to me.  Seeing is believing.  I thought that the Amish were a small community out in the middle of nowhere.  It thought they were completely isolated from the outside world.  I was WRONG.  Their farms are right alongside other people.  It seems that the Amish are caught between two worlds.  Their world and the “modern” world.  It was such an experience to see the children helping their parents or playing.  It reinforces that poem by Shel Silverstein”…we’re all the same.”

I have never used the Amish in my American history class but as the ”tour guide” described the history of the Amish religion, I realized how significant this religion and culture would be with my unit on the 13 Colonies.  I plan to use the knowledge I have gained today to discuss with my students the religious persecution the Mennonites and Amish both experienced during the Reformation and how that in turn leads some of them to migrate to the 13 Colonies.  I am also planning on using this information when I discuss the imports and exports of each colony in Colonial America. 

Carol Berkin creates a situation where the founding fathers come alive.  They become “real living human being.”  I plan to use the biographical information Ms. Berkin presented in her lecture to help my students gain a perspective on why each individual makes the decisions he did during the Convention.  A Who Am I Bingo game or activity would go wonderfully with this unit.

My greatest interest in this lecture came after one of the students asked about women during the Convention.  Women are difinately a minority somewhat left out of this part of history.  I think there should be more research on this topic.

We began the field trip watching a presentation on the famous portrait of The Crossing of the Delaware.  We analyzed the historical accuracy of the portrait.  The guide states the portrait is meant to be inspirational.  This would be a great activity for students.  With the help of the teacher there were many things that could be learned.  An example: Washington’s men were an integrated group or that James Monroe was not with Washington during the crossing.  Plus the activity helps students appreciate the the beauty of the piece.

 The crossing actually takes place near McConkey’s to the crossing of the Delaware was interesting.  Looking at the river where Washington and his men looked like such a short distance to cross.  However, it took Washington and his 2,400 men 11 hours to cross.  The tour guide stated that the current made it very difficult for the men to paddle.  The men used Durham boats and a ferry to cross.

The tour focused on the reason this spot was chosen for the crossing and how it had been a transportation center and how and energy crisis at the time made it neccessary to find new means for transportation.  One of the most interesting parts of the tour was the tavern.  It is surprizing how dark the buildings were inside.

The trip to the Monmouth Battlefield was certainly an adventure.  It was VERY HOT and humid!  The good thing about experiencing that type of weather gave me a better understanding of the men on that battlefield.  59  British men died of heat exhaustion and I can understand why.  I imagine people get used to it but I can also see how difficult it would have been for those men.  

The book Yankee Doodle Boy could be used when studying the Battle.  Students could also make a modified version of the diagram we saw during the presentation.  I think students would gain some insight on the way the battlefield was set up by creating their own diagram with the some information from the teacher.

The final part which I find most interesting is the story of Molly Pitcher.  The story is made of of many myths or even a combination of stories.  The sad part is that women had many contributions to this Revolution and yet they are valued so little in this society that their names are not recorded. 

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One famous Revolutionary hero was a patriot named Hugh Mercer.  Mercer refused to surrender to the British and was bayoneted seven times.  He died in the home of Mr. Clarke nine days later.                    

 Another person mentioned throughout the day was John Stockton.  Stockton was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  He later renounced signing the document after he had been captured.  This man would be a wonderful example for a critical thinking activity.  Students would be asked to analyze Benjamin Franklin’s quote. “We must all hang together or we will assurdly hang separately.”  Students would then have an example of a signer who had been captured by the British.  They could describe why they think Stockton renounced his signature.    One thing the American soldiers were not lacking was rum.  As the Americans were traveling they had been given some rum sprinkled with gunpowder.  Apparently,  the drink was supposed to make you agitated.  Later we traveled to Princeton University  where we learned about Nassau  and prominent members of Princeton.  The architecture of the buildings was amazing but the Chapel was absolutely breathtaking!  Then it was on our way to the home of Albert Einstein.  Einstein was a member of the Princeton faculty from 1933-1955.  What I found most impressive about this man was that children would sometimes stop at his home, knock on his door and ask him for help on their homework.   The final part of the journey ended at the cemetary where Aaron Burr and Grover Cleveland rest.  That was quite interesting!  However, I thought the most interesting part of the cemetary were the gravesites of some of the children.  One actually described the death of the young man.  It was an awesome day.