On Memorial Day we started a unit on Early American History that we will continue through the summer. The kids have been learning about many battles and people during the American Revolutionary War. They are actually really into it. One of these brave souls, was Nathan Hale. He grew up in Coventry, CT and was one of 10 living children. At the age of 13, he went off to college at Yale Univerity and became a school teacher. During the war, he served his country as a Captain in the Army. He went to stay in British territory at a cousin's house and spied on the British. Storing all the information in his boots, he set out back to his commrades to give them the information he had collected. His cousin, however, had betrayed him and the British were waiting for him. They captured him and he was hanged.
The ladies giving us a tour of the homestead were VERY informative and gave the kids a good glimpse of what it was like to live in the 18th century.
Their first stop was the schoolroom.
Boys typically were taught in school. Girls were not educated, but Nathan Hale believed in education for everyone, so he taught a special class, for girls, in the morning from 5-7 a.m. The kids learned about some of the things they would learn, as well as some of the punishments they would recieve for misbehaving in class.
Blake had to stand and hold a heavy log.
This girl had to stand and hold a sign that said "Noisy girl"
Then, we had the classic "Nose against the wall"
Last, was the dunce cap and if that didn't work...the switch across the knuckles of back of the leg.
Then it was time for recess. They had fun playing with the toys they had back in the day!
We, then, went into the homestead, which Nathan never lived in. He had died during the construction of it. I couldn't take pictures in the house, but the kids learned about the life of many of the members of the Hale family, and what their daily life would have looked like.
I was able to take pictures in the kitchen because if had been remodeled. The kids learned about cooking and herbs. They made lavender sachets to stick in their pockets. They needed something to make them smell good because they only bathed once every few months. EWWWWW!
The kids got to try writing with quill pens.
It was a great day with good friends!
