June 13- Gettysburg June 14, 2008

Today was the day I had been looking forward to when I first heard that we would be going to Gettysburg. Civil War is my passion and to be able to visit this remarkable battle in our history was an experience I couldn’t wait for.

Unfortunately, maybe because of the high expectations I had previously set forth for what this place would inspire within me, I was relatively disappointed. I was expecting that spiritual feeling that has been described about this place. Maybe because we were traveling through the battle field on bus and with a tour guide who was on a schedule and had his speech memorized, I was not able to get that spiritual sense. Monuments that I wanted to see up close and areas I wanted to travel by foot, were quickly rushed by us through the window of the bus. The McPherson Barn, the place where the 3-day battle began, was shown to us (at least 5 times). I have pictures of that barn from all angles!!! The cemetery were the Unknown soldiers were placed to rest in an honorable way that was deserved of their mighty sacrifice, and where President Lincoln gave his now famous Gettysburg Address, was pointed out to us, kind of as an after-thought, as our bus turned in the opposite direction.

After we had time to shop and visit the museum, we were headed home. On our way out of town, our wonderful professors brought us back around to the Gettysburg Cemetery. Thank you, Matt, Jonathon, and Scott. That truly meant a great deal to me.

Walking around the cemetery definitely brought forth the spiritual sense that I had expected of such a place. Seeing the grave markers, of small, square stone, that represented so many soldiers by a number, made their cause so much greater. Knowing they were given a number because they could not be identified by ‘who’ they were, made this event in history one we cannot forget . Some men were not even given a number. On their tombstone, it read ‘Unknown’.

I truly know the meaning behind President Lincoln’s speech-

We cannot forget what they did here.

I always share with my students the “Gettysburg Address”. But as I do, I will be sure to show them these pictures and why these men have not ‘died in vain’. These dead were the reason the Union was preserved! What an enormous sacrifice!

Gettysburg is a place I hope I will be able to visit again and will be able to acquire the spirituality that I know exists.

June 12- Winterthur Estate (Dupont Mansion) June 13, 2008

We headed out of town and state to Delaware, where we visited the Winterthur Estate. The common consensus after we were there, was that none of us had any idea what Winterthur was, why we were there, or what it had to offer. After asking the library curator (Kudos to Kelsey), we finally got an understanding.

Winterthur Estate is a private museum that was once the mansion of Henry Dupont. Mr. Dupont was an avid collector who wanted to create a museum (for tax purposes). The home is on 1000 acres and has 174 rooms.

Put these two pictures together and this is the entire place!

We took a tour of the fabulous place. After that, we participated in the school activities that they have school students participate in. One thing I am definitely going to incorporate into my American Revolution unit is drawing signs for business. Students can’t use any words, but through their pictures, one will be able to determine what type of business they own.

Reflection Pool- once a swimming pool.
The grounds at the Dupont Mansion were breathtaking. Mr. Dupont loved gardens and color. The vegetation that he planted and the trees that are on the property are incredible.

The entire time driving and walking around, I kept thinking about what it must have been like to be a child at this estate. The outside was nothing but one gigantic playground. There was an ‘Enchanted Forest’ with a bridge and a cottage. The trees, alone, provided wonderful playhouses. It would be a child’s dream!

Oops! I almost forgot! Before we were able to explore this wonderful, enchanted place, we had a lecture on Consumer Revolution in the 1740’s. Basically, this was the production and consumption of goods. No longer was it an ‘only surviving world’. It changed how people did work, about getting bigger and better. Taverns/coffeehouses were being built quicker than a blink of an eye. They were a cultural symbol, location of consumption, place of news & exchange, ideas and personal habits. I have briefly touched on taverns, however, I will be focusing more on their importance with the aim being the Consumer Revolution.

This is an elliptical, two-story stair case that is in, once was the main entrance to the Dupont mansion. So grand!

This is a waterfall that cascades into the pond below. They had huge koi fish in this pond.

June 11- Lectures June 11, 2008

Well, it was really wonderful to find out that Penn University really is a beautiful college. Where our dorms are must be the ‘bad’ part of campus.

The 34th St. subway stop is MUCH better than the 40th St. I actually didn’t mind traveling by subway. Wouldn’t it figure, the final day of subway travel is when I discover the ‘nice’ area.

We actually stayed on campus for our lectures. What was really exciting was the classroom actually had left-handed desks! That never happens, does it Sheila and Donna?

We had two lecturers today, David Waldstreicher and Robert Engs. David is the author of Runaway America which talks about Ben Franklin and slavery. Thomas Jefferson has a poor reputation mainly due to the fact that he owned slaves and fathered children by one. Benjamin Franklin, on the other hand, has a reputation that seems to put him on a pedal stool. However, Franklin owned slaves also! Both men, in my opinion, were hypocrites. They spoke anti-slavery; yet, both men had slaves and never freed them.

So, why does Jefferson seem to get the bad rap and not Franklin? Dr. Waldstreicher explained it well- With Jefferson, the evidence that supported his views and use of slavery was abundant and public. Franklin, however, hid his personal views well. In his autobiography, that was written not long before he died, he never mentioned it. Both these men were powerful politicians, who dealt with economic issues. Even though they were anti-slavery, they had to look at the economic-standing of their country.

Matt, I am going to borrow your analogy if you don’t mind! “It is like smoking; people know the dangers but do it anyway.” Jefferson and Franklin knew it was wrong, but they couldn’t stop.

This is a great teaching lesson for kids. When dealing with controversial issues, such as this, it is important to look at it as a debate. One must research and find materials that support their stance. With history, facts don’t always tell us what happened. It is interpretation of the facts that lead us to believe what happened.

The second speaker, Dr. Robert Engs, spoke about the Great American Slave Rebellion. Slaves won the war, however, they were denied their right to tell their history. The black soldiers and laborers were essential to Union’s victory. When teaching the Civil War to my students, I will be sure to include the four regiments of African-American soldiers, and their contributions to the Union Victory. This also put a different twist to the Emancipation Proclamation, and the reasons behind its creation- helped define the war aim, helped with the man-power, and neutralized Britain so they wouldn’t join South’s cause.

The power of freedom was best described by a former slave, In slavery, I have no worrying; in freedom, I have a family and land to support which causes me worrying. However, I would take the freedom!

After the two lecturers, I went back toward Independence Hall. (This is where I discovered the 34th St. subway stop!)   There, I visited Franklin’s Underground Museum and Carpenter’s Hall.

I think more people need to learn from this quote:

June 9- Amish Country June 10, 2008

To teach not only students, but also adults, about respecting diversity, there is no better way than through the eyes of the Amish community.

Today we visited Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, home of the Amish and Mennonite cultures. My knowledge of the Amish and Mennonite cultures was extremely limited and clouded. I didn’t understand the difference between the groups, and I sure didn’t know there was a third group, the Amish-Mennonites, which obviously is the combination of both the first two groups.

The Mennonites originated from Europe in 1535 with the belief that baptism was for believers not for infants. The Amish culture, started by Jacob Amon, felt as though the Mennonites were not strict enough, so they started their own group. The Amish live a life devoted to God through working of their land, enjoying life and family, and living as stress-free as can be. (I must say, it shows! The Amish look about 20 to 30 years younger!)

We had the privilege of being guests at The Allgyer family home. They are an Amish family with six children ranging from 3-17. Lavern (5) and Sadie Rose (3) were the highlight of the dinner. After our wonderful meal of chicken, fresh baked bread, mash potatoes, beans, applesauce, coleslaw, ham balls, pie and cake, (yes, we were ALL stuffed!), the family closed the evening on a lovely note- through song. Little Lavern brought some of us out to the horse stable to show us his new foal- Onafaith. Then, he and his sister got on their tricycles and entertained us by racing and running us over! They were precious!

I have a new found respect and admiration for these people. When teaching my students about diversity, I will teach them about this hospitable, hard-working, faithful, and dedicated group of people. They have the right idea. We, as the ‘English’, seem to be losing our focus on life. Instead of working to live, we are living to work!

When traveling through the country roads of Lancaster County, the land and farm houses exhibit exactly why the Amish work to live. It truly is ‘God’s Country‘.

Horse Carriages                                                                 Lavern’s foal- Onafaith

Horse Parking

June 6- Franklin Institute June 10, 2008

Statue of Benjamin Franklin

The day was spent at the Franklin Institute. This museum had the inventions of Benjamin Franklin. They had a Morse Code machine. I tried to spell out SOS, but failed. I would have definitely been out of luck if I really needed to use that code.

We then were able to “go behind the scenes” and see some artifacts of Benjamin Franklin. As we were sitting around the oval table, we had to wear white, cotton gloves so that we wouldn’t get our oil and salt from our sweat on the artifacts. I felt like I needed to ask for some ‘Grey Poupon’.

Next is a picture of one of Franklin’s lightning rods. It didn’t start out bent, but must have actually served its purpose- been hit by lightning, heated up, and then bent.

Lightning Rod

The thing about this Franklin Institute that I found bothersome, is that EVERYONE should have the opportunity to see these artifacts. One should not have to be part of a ’special’ group in order to see them. These artifacts should be available for all to see, even if they must remain in a show case.

After the Franklin Institute, we went walking around. We visited the City Hall of Philadelphia, which is the nation’s largest municipal building.

City Hall of Philadelphia

What an amazing building of architectural design!

Downtown Philadelphia is beautiful and clean. Definitely beats where we are staying! Getting off the subway on 40th St. by our dorms at Penn State is just a little FREAKY! Yes, Jonathon, FREAKY! Some man on the way out of the subway told me that I dropped something- “… like an address or phone number.” Yes, he was tall, dark, and extremely——— FREAKY!!!!!!! It is a different experience for us, country folk. When you feel like you need to run all the way from the subway entrance to the door of the dorms, you know it just might not be the safest place. And let me tell you, we stick out like a sore thumb as tourists. We have our cameras around our necks, looking completely lost, with Dave wearing his ‘goofy’ hat! (Love ya, Dave!)

It truly is an experience I will never forget! I am loving it!!!

June 10- American Philosophical Society June 10, 2008

Today, at the American Philosophical Society, we were able to see Jefferson’s first draft of the Declaration of Independence. The changes Congress made to the document are on the side margins. Yes, kids, even Jefferson had to edit his papers! This is a great teaching moment to show students that even a document as great as the Declaration of Independence was not perfect from the beginning. It had to go through many editing and revising processes to get it into the final form we know today.

The A.P.S. contained the Lewis & Clark journals, books from Franklin’s personal library, and the unique printing of the Declaration of Independence- printed on vellum paper which is calf skin.

The afternoon consisted of a visit to the Atwater Kent Museum that housed some abolitionist movement artifacts. One artifact that really touched the heart of the terrible treatment these slaves had to endure was the shackle.

Another teaching moment for me will be the picture below that shows what exactly a 1/2 of a bushel represents. Often times, students come across the word bushel. It is hard for me to explain what exactly a bushel measurement looks like. Now, with this picture of the 1/2 of a bushel, I will be able to pull it up on my Promethean board so the students can get the visual.

June 8- Philadelphia Museum of Art June 9, 2008

Wow! We got to sleep in. After walking around, lost, for about two miles, we finally found our breakfast destination, The Philly Diner, which ended up being only about a block from our dorm! Nice job, Dave!

The bus brought us to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For those of you who are fans of Rocky Balboa, this is the place where he trained and ran up the stairs in the movie. Some people only go to the museum just to see his statue out front. Others say his statue is not art. You decide!

The entrance of the museum is decorated with these beautiful flower arrangements that give off a wonderful aroma. At first glance, I thought they were artificial flowers because they were so perfect. At a closer look, I realized they were real.

Our tour guide took us to the American collection of art. One of the portraits that sticks out in my mind is that of a weeping woman sitting next to her baby who died of small pox. One walked away with a feeling of sorrow and grief for the mourning mother.

June 7- Washington’s Crossing/Monmouth Battlefield June 8, 2008

Three words to describe today- HOT, HOT, HOT!!!

It was 104 degrees today with humidity. Yes, we were warm. It is not the same heat as we have in Colorado. It gets hot there, but at least it is dry heat. Here, it is hot plus with the moisture in the air, it feels suffocating.

We started our day at Washington’s Crossing. This event took place on Christmas night in 1776. Washington and his soldiers crossed the Delaware River in the middle of the night and captured the German forces at Trenton. It took somewhere between 9 to 11 hours to cross the 830 ft. wide, 6-8 ft. deep, river. This was considered to be the turning point of the Revolutionary War.

We visited the McKenkey’s Ferry Inn where Washington ate and wrote his last orders before he crossed the river.

Another interesting bit of information: The name ‘Bar and Grill’ came from an actual grill-looking window that was attached to the bar. If the bartender needed to close up the bar, he would lock this grill to provide security. That is how it got the name ‘Bar and Grill’. Cool, huh?

The picture below is a picture of the Durham boats. These were the boats that Washington and his men crossed the Delaware River in. They were prototyped in 1757.

Next, we visited the Monmouth Battle in New Jersey. From the information I got, I cannot tell if this battle was an American victory or a draw. We also visited the cemetery of Monmouth. As I was walking along, I found a small headstone that had a little lamb on the top. The only thing written was, Little Harriet’s Grave.

Thank goodness we traveled by charter bus today. Our driver, Bob, kept it cool in the bus for us. Since we were cool, we were happy! It shows on Dave’s ‘Happy Hat‘.

June 5- National Constitution Center June 5, 2008

Today we visited the National Constitution Center. Based off the name, one would think it would house the U.S. Constitution, however, that is located in Washington D.C. The best part of the day was being able to have Carol Berkin, author of A Brilliant Solution, a book about the creation of the Constitution, as our guest speaker. She shared with us some myths of the Constitution:

• Everyone was brilliant. Not true! She listed six of the signers are being brilliant- Hamilton, Madison, Franklin, Wilson, and Morris. All the other men were ordinary but wealthy. Wealth brought knowledge and rule.
• The signers were confident. No they weren’t. They knew they had no money, were in debt to France, Spain, and the Dutch, couldn’t get British out of forts, had no navy to protect them, and colonies were in a civil war against each other.

A very interesting idioms: Rule of Thumb- man couldn’t beat his wife with a stick thicker than his thumb. It was a law. So, if I was living at that time, I would only have married a man with little fingers or no thumbs.

Brilliant Solutions author Carol Berkin

Carol Berkin

June 4- Princeton Battle June 5, 2008

House used as a Field Hospital

Today we visited Princeton Battle field in New Jersey. The Princeton Battle was during the second winter of the Revolutionary War. I thought there could be no prettier place than Valley Forge. Guess what? I was wrong! This place was breathtaking! The first place we went to was a house used as a field hospital. It was one of the four battles won by George Washington.

We visited a Quaker cemetary which I found so peaceful. Some of the headstones were literally just small moss rocks with no names or dates.

Our journey ended at Princeton University. We visited Nassau Hall which was the oldest building on campus. Back in the 1700’s when it was first built, the Nassau Hall was were students did everything- eat, sleep, and studied. It wasn’t until 1973, when the first class of women graduated. In front of this building is where the Declaration of Independence was read for the town of Princeton.

The house, above, is the house were Albert Einstein lived.

Princeton Battle Memorial