We the People

Well, we finished up the revolutiony war. By the way, we won if you didn't know!!! Now, we are on to the founding fathers and the constitution. The kids have been doing a great job of learning about the constitution - and to think I didn't learn this stuff until my senior year in high school! I think we some times limit our kids - they learn things so easily! Here is a little performance for you about the Preamble of the Constitution:

Revolutionary War - Battles of Kings Mountain and Cowpens

Wow, this has taken forever to figure out how to post this video - thanks to us being a bit more long winded! Thank you Vonda for your help in posting the video! Our lesson today is on some battles in the south: the Battle of Kings Mountain and the Battle at Cowpens. Believe it or not, we are actually getting close to the end of the war! We are so going to miss this part of history, it has been so fun! So without further adieu, on with the lesson.

Hamburger or History?

Tonight Barack Obama is speaking on campus. I am not a political person. In fact much to the frustration of my dear husband, I don't wish to even talk about it. It just makes me so crazy to even think of politics and all the slimy tactics so many of them take.

What makes me speak of this today besides all of the traffic and people milling around outside my office window is that a professor told me a story that made me think about what makes history. He said that in 1963 he had gone and participated in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He did the march and was feeling very righteous and listened to some speeches and all. When it came time for Martin Luther King to speak he said he had heard him speak many times and was hungry so talked his friend into getting a hamburger instead of staying for his speech. So now he shakes his head in regret because that was one of the most famous speeches in American history and he traded it for a hamburger. Of course he had no way of knowing the significance at that time but felt it was just ironic.

This same professor is waiting in line for hours to hear Obama speak tonight. He feels the importance of this historical event and the need to be there. Go professor!

Me? I will be at home with my three grandchildren coloring Easter eggs and baking cookies. This is my history in making and is really what is important. Perhaps I will catch Obama on the news and perhaps not.

The Battle at Monmouth, Molly Pitcher and a Little Daniel Morgan

Well sisters, it has been a few days since I've posted. The kids had a full week (5 full days) of art education with a well-known local artist - Terri Axness. They learned art history, artists, art appreciation as well as 3-4 different mediums. It was a great week but we didn't get much history done! So we are back at it. The lesson we have for you today is about the battle of Monmouth and Molly Pitcher. We also have a funny picture I forgot to post earlier when we were doing the Saratoga Campaign. Daniel Morgan was very instrumental in the battle at Freeman's Farm. He was a frontiersman that was a sharp shooter with a rifle. He and his frontier buddies hid in the trees at Freeman Farm and aimed at the British Officers' epauletts. Here is a picture of Daniel Morgan doing just that (check out the fancy epaulettes and the terrified British officers):

Here is your lesson on the battle at Monmouth and Molly Pitcher:

Valley Forge - Fire Cakes and Hasty Pudding

Washington and his men wintered at Valley Forge after their battles in Brandywine and Germantown. There were harsh conditions at winter camp. We had a first hand experience at their main food sources. We made hasty pudding (cornmeal and water). Here is Lexie cooking some up - we didn't have a campfire so we used the stove - much more convenient:

The soldiers also had fire cakes - that is flour and water made on a rock and put by the fire. Here are the kiddos making the fire cakes:

Here is how they turned out - we tried to authenticate the fire by using the broiler. It worked well - burnt on the outside and doughy in the middle - just like they would have had to eat them:

And here is some funny reactions to how fire cake and hasty pudding tastes:

And another:

So, here are three soldiers freezing by the campfire and telling you a little more about wintering at Valley Forge:

Saratoga Campaign - Benedict Arnold's Plan

Here we are doing an obstacle course with heavy backpacks, getting the idea of why the Brittish Soldiers had a difficult time traveling - they were slow, as slow as 1 mile a day (Americans traveled up to 20 miles a day). But the British were carrying 100 lb packs and having to travel through swampy land and fallen trees that the American colonists had created to slow them down:

The Flanagan Kids history segment today is on the Saratoga Campaign and Benedict Arnold's Plan. You'll have to excuse the quality of the video on this one - I didn't realize my camera wasn't focusing properly. There is still good information and a cute performance from the kids at the end. The Saratoga Campaign involved a plan from the British for a three pronged attack on the American Fort at Albany, New York. Part of this plan involved a segment of the British Army lead by a man named Ledger. Half of his force were Indians. They ambushed a group of our reinforcements, but we had another reinforcement coming lead by Benedict Arnold. He new he was outnumbers 2:1 so he came up with a scheme to get the Indians to leave the British. It involved a half crazy loyalist who was a prisoner of the Americans. Benedict made a deal with him that if he went to the Indians and told him a great American force was coming, the loyalist could go free. Indians were very superstitious of crazy people. So, please ignore the fuzziness and watch cute performance by the kiddos!

The Battle of Brandywine and Germantown

Well, after Trenton and Princeton, Washington had a little trouble with 2 battles - Brandywine and Germantown, PA. We have some news reporters interviewing General Washington about what happened at Germantown:

Crossing the Delaware - The Battle of Trenton & Princeton

Hey sisters and nieces - here is another way I torture my homeschooled children. Send them out barefoot in the snow to see what the soldiers in the revolution felt like. You know, many had just rags on their feet, if anything, as they marched in the cold, icy snow. They left bloody footprints - so of course my children need to "feel their pain":



Of course, Soldier Lexie was insubordinate - no way was she going to be "foolish enough" to go outside with bare feet in the snow. She did, however, enjoy watching her siblings! So, now for a little education on crossing the Delaware and the battles of Trenton and Princeton:

The Battles at Moores Creek, Fort Sullivan

Did you know that not all the battles in the American Revolution were against the British soldiers? Take a look at this battle - The Battle of Moores Creek in North Carolina.

Who are these people and why are they dressed in skirts? Well in this battle a group of Scottish decent Tories attacked the Whigs. What are Tories and Whigs? Tories were colonists who were loyal to the Crown (England) and the Whigs were the patriots. A group of Scottish Tories attacked the patriots over a bridge at Moores Creek - they failed miserably and the patriots were able to confiscate quite a bit of ammunition and supplies from them.

Now for the Battle at Fort Sullivan in South Carolina. Take a look at this guy:

This is Sir Peter Parker who got the back side of his britches blown off by a revolutionist's cannon ball.

We had fun with an experiment while learning about this battle. Fort Sullivan was a rickety old fort. When the revolutionists found out that the British were going to attack, they fortified it with the only thing available: Palmetto (Palm) trees. These spongy trees were used along with sand behind them. Did it work? Were the Revolutionists better protected with Palmetto trees than with regular trees? 

We tried an experiment with sponge for our Palmetto trees:

And toothpicks as regular trees:

Then we went a shoot'n with Jordie's BB gun:

We discovered that Pamletto trees worked quite nicely. They "swallowed up the ammunition"

While the regular trees tended to just break off:

So yes, the Revolutionists at Fort Sullivan were well protected, they won the battle, and South Carolina still has the Palmetto Tree on its flag!

Nathan Hale - and the Battle of Long Island (we lost this one!)

No, don't worry, we're not torturing our children (too much anyway) in homeschooling! This is Nathan Hale - one of the brave souls who gave his life for his country. He really looks dead huh? Don't worry he's not! We also have a bit of information for you about the battle at Long Island. The revolutionists were almost trapped in this one but God provides a way out and George Washington took it!

Fort Ticonderoga and the Siege of Boston

Hi Sisters and Nieces! We had a great time with this lesson - check out the cannon we made:

Here is Ethan Allen surprising a British Soldier at Fort Ticonderoga - he was so surprised he was caught with his pants down!

Here is Henry Knox, the Ox, hauling the cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston for George Washington so that he can take over Boston from Dorchester Heights (check out Henry's belly, after all, he was 300 pounds):

And now for the video - you are going to learn all kinds of interesting facts - even how to load and fire a cannon. You never know when that information will come in handy!

The Battle of Bunker Hill

We've been learning about the Battle of Bunker Hill this week. As you know, our curriculum is really "hands-on". We made a salt dough map of the battle. Here they are making the map:

And here we have the cast of actors featured in our Bunker Hill video: Abbigail Adams:

And William Prescott:

O.k. - ready for an education? Here we go:

Revolutionary War - Battle at Concord

Well, we're at the Battle of Concord now - we even have special effects. Check out the smoke when the town is set on fire =0) The revolutionists get a bit shaken when they see the size of the Redcoat Army - they kind of look like the Don Knox Movie: Shakiest Gun in the West for a minute - but they recover nicely and send the redcoats a pack'n!!! We revolutionists seem to have caught a cold in the middle of this fighting - so please excuse the red noses and coughing! For those of you who lurk here without commenting - please comment. My kids love it! They are so excited to see if anyone has watched their videos. Sisters & nieces - pay close attention - you want to make sure you pass your test!

Revolutionary War - The Shot Heard Around the World

Once again, it is time for another history lesson from the Flanagan Revolutionists. Today's lesson is on the Battle of Lexington, featuring Captain Parker, Mr. Harrington and a Brittish Regular with a bad cold =0):

Revolutionary War - The Midnight Ride

Hey sisters! Ready for another history lesson? Check this out:

They will explain why they have Boston written on their heads down below! We've been doing some fun stuff the past few weeks. We made candles like the colonists did with our friends that we co-op with:

And we made some ink like the colonists did by boiling walnut shells:

Here are the kids cracking the nuts - check out the nutcracker Jordan has - do you recognize her? (Hillary Clinton- Jordan thought that was just too hilarious!)

Did you know that Paul Revere didn't say "The British are coming"? After all, most of the colonists were English or "British", so it wouldn't have made much sense. What he did say was: "The regulars are coming or the redcoats are coming". - This will definitely be on the test!!!! And here are the kids with some more information on Paul Revere and the midnight ride:

Revolutionary War - Boston Tea Party

Hello sisters - Today's history lesson is about the Boston Tea Party. We've got some mighty fine Indians acting for us today:

Here they are with their friendly face - Who us? We wouldn't dump tea!:

And here they are with their mean, angry about tea tax faces:

And here they are in action:

Boycotting Tea

Hello! How about a little lesson on why the colonists were boycotting tea? Dang - we've got some great actresses/actors in this family don't you think?

The Boston Massacre - Interpreted the Flanagan Kids Way!

Good Day Fellow Americans (aka Fuzi Sisters and Nieces)! It's time once again for a history lesson on the Revolutionary War. Today's lesson is on the Boston Massacre (the Flanagan Kids' Way). I hope you all are taking notes for your test!

Here are the still shots:

Everyone looking mean and tough:

The riot erupts:

And now, the live action:

I have to tell you a little about the out-takes we had on this one. Addie kept getting "Lobster Back and Bloody Back" mixed up - or combined. She was yelling you "Bast***s" - so much for the "G" rating, so we had to edit it out! Plus, all you could hear after that was me laughing hysterically!

Revolutionary War - Part II

O.k. sisters and nieces, it is Monday morning and time for another history lesson! We are learning about the different Acts that the British imposed on the American Colonies. One of the techniques we use to help us remember the order of events, is to use props. So you can see this in action today. When you learn with more than just reading about something, it teaches to your long term memory - even a five and six year old are remembering things that I have no recollection of -how about you???

History Lessons - Revolutionary War - Part I

Hello Sisters! It's time for another edition of history lessons from the Flanagan Homeschool! We have just started studying The Revolutionary War this week. Here is a picture of our little revolutionists:

O.K. - I can't resist - here are some more pictures:

So, with that, here is your first history lesson on Patrick Henry, the Voice of the Revolution, starring revolutionists Jordan, Addie and Lexie Flanagan:

Stay tuned for future editions from the Flanagan Homeschool! (Yes, there will be a test for you all!)