Starting our Homeschool Year with a Bang: The American Revolution

 

Even though I have lived in New England now for half of my life, I still sometimes have surprising moments. For example, I  grew up near a civil war battle site in West Virginia where I attended a few reenactments. West Virginia became a state during the civil war, so it's a pretty big deal down there. So when I hear about a war reenactment, I immediately think of blue and gray and the 19th century. Somehow, it never occurred to me that people would reenact the Revolutionary War! Nevertheless that thousands of people, including whole families would dress up in colonial garb and camp out at Old Sturbridge Village. I have to say, it was awesome! Rebels and Redcoats is the largest American Revolution war reenactment in New England and there were large camps both British and American set up all around the village.There were plenty of soldiers, but also families at the camps, doctors, fife and drum corps, parades, cannon firings, and the actual battle.

Any time we had a question, there was a history buff right there ready to answer. The girls learned how they did laundry during the colonial times, and got to try it out.

After watching them shoot a cannon, we were wandering around the American camp, and this little boy said. "Would you like to learn something?"
 
We of course said, "Sure!" Then he went on to teach us all about how they started fires and kept them going. He demonstrated with a  flint and steel and this pipe he used to blow into the fire.  He was great, and I have to say, it kind of made us reconsider using any kind of history curriculum at all. Why spend that money, when we could just start buying historical reenactment gear?

We all left the village totally excited to learn more about the American Revolution. Check back this week for more of our adventures.