Lowell Textile Mills

Our last day in Boston!

Today we went up to Lowell to learn about the textile mills.  I can say I really don’t know much about the Industrial Revolution, so I knew today would really be a learning experience.  Seeing the actual machines, and then seeing them operate, was pretty fascinating.  I took some video of it because I want my students to be able to hear how loud it would have been in a factory- and that was without all of the machines running.  After we saw that we went up to the musuem on the top floor- what an incredible job they have done.  I thought the best part were the video clips that were around the room.  How meaningful to hear the stories of the mills told by the people who were actually there.  They didn’t sugarcoat anything, they just told it exactly as they experienced it.  To me that had the most impact, and I was drawn into watching all of them.  I would love to have a video like that to show the students, that way it doesn’t just explain about the factories and what life was like, it actually makes it more real and like you can actually feel (as much as we can) what they went through.  Because I had seen those and was fascinated by their stories, I was a little disappointed with the slide show we saw in the other musuem.  I understand they need to give background information, and a general view of the industrial revolution/life in factories, but I thought it was too positive.  What about all the terrible working conditions?  What about what the girls went through living in the towns and working in the factories?  What about the wages (or lack of) they were paid?  These are just as important and I think they should have also been addressed, but I guess in a 15-20 min. clip you can’t cover everything.

I also really enjoyed the boat tour, what a beautiful way to see the canals and to get an explanation of how they work- very interesting!

It was a great way to end a great trip!  This has been an experience I won’t forget, and I really appreciate everything I have learned and been able to see.  I feel very fortunate that I was able to partake in such a great adventure with a great group of people!

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Independence is Declared!

Wow, what a day! We heard an incredible lecture this morning by  Dr. Pauline Maier.  I was intrigued before the lecture even began since we read her book, and it only got better as she began to speak!!  Everything she said just made what I read in her book more meaningful.  I loved the last thing she said, Thomas Jefferson wasn’t the creator of the Declaration, it was the creation of the American people.  How true that is!  She also said that students need to actually read the Constitution and study the content-if they don’t learn it in the classroom they won’t learn it.  That just put it into perspective that it is my job to teach the students about how our country started and really read these documents and talk about them- not just read over them.  If it isn’t taught to them, how will they every think critically and be able to analyze some of the most important documents in the history of our country.

In the afternoon the Historical Society went over some documents with us and then showed us the most meaningful website I have seen.  I can’t believe we will have access to all of the documents that are on there.  Not only will my students hear about these documents, but they will also have the opportunity to see them too.  This is one source I am very excited to use, and I know my students will benefit greatly from it.  I very much appreciate all the hard work they did that we will be able to use!

One if by land, two if by sea…

Today we got to continue our adventures through historic Boston along the Freedom Trail.  Our first stop was at Paul Revere’s House.  I really enjoyed the book we read- Paul Revere’s Ride by David Fischer- so I was really excited to spend the morning focussed on him.  Even though he is famous for his Midnight Ride, there is so much more to him (I never knew he was a dentist!).  The activity we did where we focussed on primary documents/artifacts was a great way to really see who Paul Revere was.  This is a great activity to do with students to really allow them to get a feel of who these revolutionaries were.  Every day I think of new ways/ideas to help teach history to my students.  Even though I am in Boston and getting to see all of these places firsthand, I am constantly thinking of ways that I can bring all of this back to Colorado so my students can get as excited about the Revolutionary War as I do- I can’t wait to share all of this with them!

After we toured Paul Revere’s house (hard to believe we were actually in his house where he lived!) we walked through the streets of the North End to Old North Church.  I loved the old cobblestone streets, it was just like you were in colonial times.  It was also pretty fascinating to see the Old North Church.  I have read about the church and the lanterns a million times, but now I actually got to look up to the steeple and see where the lanterns were hung- hard to believe!

After a great lunch at an Italian restaurant in the North End we made the trek across the bridge to the Battle of Bunker Hill Monument.  How fitting that the first organized battle in the war for Independence gets such a great monument overlooking the city on a hill.  Even though the museum across the street wasn’t finished yet, it sure was fun to get to see it before anyone else (I even saw an article about it in the paper when we returned).  They have done a wonderful job there.  I even walked up all of the steps to the top of the Monument- more exercise then my tired body wanted, but it was a great view from the top and I get to say I have been to the top of this huge monument! 

We ended our day by making a quick stop at Old Ironsides, what a beautiful ship!

It was another great and funfilled day in Boston!!!

The Revolution Has Begun!

Our adventures in Boston have started on the road to the revolution.  Our day today began at the Old State House- what a beautiful building!  I loved listening to Dr. Allison as he discussed the Boston Massacre, and included many details I hadn’t heard before- it was very interesting.  How fitting that this discussion took place just steps away from where the actual Massacre happened.  I also really enjoyed the activity that Sue Goganian facilitated on the Massacre.  I have had my students act out the picture of the engraving, taking on different people in the picture and then answering questions as if they were that person; this is another great activity I think I can add to that.  The more hands on I can make what I teach them the more it sticks in my students’ minds.  I also like having them portray both sides.  In addition to seeing it through the eyes of the colonists, it is also important to understand what the redcoats were going through.

It was nice to get out to Faneuil Hall for lunch and do a little exploring around the city!  Later, when we got to go inside Faneuil Hall, I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was, it was hard to take it all in.

After lunch we went to the Old South Meeting House.  This was another beautiful building!  I love being able to be inside these buildings, it helps me to picture in my mind what it looked like as the colonists were making the decision to revolt against England.  I really enjoyed the role playing activity, I think this will be great to do with my students.  It’s hard to believe all the great ideas, pictures, handouts, and books we are getting to take back with us to use in the classroom.

Finally, we got to venture out on the Freedom Trail.  Even though we were winding our way through a modern city, you could still get the feeling of a city on the brink of a revolution.  The old buildings, churches, and gravesites intermixed within the city were aweinspiring!  We got to see the gravesites of some of the most famous people in our early history.  I can’t wait to continue this tomorrow!

To end the day today we rode the ferry back to Salem from Boston Harbor-what a beautiful and breathtaking site!  I recommend this to everyone!  Seeing the outline of the city as you sail away is quite a view you won’t forget.

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Massachusetts Historical Society

What an incredible place to spend the day.  When you first walk into the building it seems like just another historical building, but then when you really think about everything that is inside of this building it is hard to believe!  What a wonderful resource for historians, I couldn’t imagine being able to spend an afternoon just browsing through all of the old documents that are there.  Since we were not able to do this, I felt very fortunate to be able to see some of the documents.  My favorite was the engraving of the Boston Massacre done by Paul Revere.  I spend quite a bit of time on this document when I am beginning the Revolutionary War, discussing and analyzing it with my students, and to see the actual engraving done by Paul Revere was amazing.  How cool it will be to show my students the picture I took the next time I teach this!  I also thought the letters from the printing press were pretty interesting- I had never really seen those before, and some of them belonged to Benjamin Franklin!!  I look forward to returning on Thursday.

Lexington and Concord

We are finally getting to the Revolutionary War!  I love this part of our history, and to be at the actual place today where the whole war for independence took place was pretty surreal.  When we were walking down the road to the Bloody Angle I could picture what it would have been like when the redcoats were walking down that same road more than 200 years ago.  It’s hard to imagine what both sides were feeling at that time- fear, anxiety, reluctance- but they were the ones who put their lives on the line for a cause they believed in, something I think our students today don’t always see.  I wish I could take all of them to this site today so they could get the feeling of the place rather than just reading about it. 

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Old Sturbridge Village

What an awesome day!!  I woke up tired and crabby, it was raining outside, and I just wasn’t ready for another day.  However, when we got to Sturbridge Village it was like we were transformed back in time.  The whole day was unbelievable, by far my favorite thing we have done so far.  To be able to actually see all of the mills not only set up like they would have been, but also working too was incredible.  The whole village was magical, as if you were there in the late 1700’s, early 1800’s.  I think what stood out the most to me was how hands on everything was, and because of this I got so much more out of the day.  It really is important to remember that the more we can get our students involved and interacting with history the more meaningful it will be and history will actually be fun!!  I got some great pictures and film footage that I can’t wait to share with my students!

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Colonial Maine

Even though the bus ride was a little long, once we got to Maine it was worth it.  We started at Colonial Pemaquid Historical Site- one of the earliest English settlements.  The introduction in the teacher’s guide said it was nestled next to a small harbor, and it really was.  The view from the fort was beautiful!  After the fort we got to eat lunch right by a lighthouse, and even go up in it too!  What a perfect way to enjoy our wonderfully tastey boxed lunch!!  Finally we went to Old Fort Western on the Kennebec River.  Unfortunately, I was a little tired and worn out by this time so I don’t feel like I got to enjoy it as much as I would have liked.  My favorite part was seeing where the weapons were kept.  We ended the day going to Freeport for dinner and some shopping- I would have loved to have spent a little more time there.  This was the first time I had been to Maine, and I really enjoyed it!

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Salem Witch Trials

Today we got to focus on what Salem is famous for, the witch trials.  After we left the cemetery I thought we went to places that were not considered tourist traps, but really did show what it was like during the trials.  To me it is hard to believe that something like this could happen, that a village and/or town could get so causght up in this type of hysteria.  Seeing the video on the bus up to Maine I think showed really how ridiculous  these accusations were, even though I think they overdramatized things a bit too much.  The most serene part of the day was going to the cemetery, but at the same time it was sad to see the grave of a woman who was so wrongly accused and to think about what she must have gone through.  That put it into perspective how serious the outcomes can be, that someone would have to die for what these girls did.  To me it was very sad and gave a different point of view to the trials.

Deerfield

Growing up I had always heard of Deerfield because my cousin went to Prep school there, but I never realized the historical significance of the town.  The lecture by Kevin Sweeny was very informative about what actually happened in that area.  Even though I knew the frontier was a dangerous place for the colonists to live, and there were frequent Indian attacks, I don’t think I completely realized how dangerous it was until we were actually there.  I understand the town referring to the attacks as a massacre because a lot of people did die, but I would also have liked to hear a Native American perspective on why they attacked the town.  Sometimes I think we forget that we were encroaching on their territory rather than they were attacking the colonists on colonial territory.  I think as an educator we need to make sure that both sides of the issue are explored; we can’t just say the Native Americans attacked the colonists therefore it was a massacre, we also need to look at why they did it and if maybe they were provoked.  I think that would be a good teaching tool with the students to be able to show them both sides of the conflicts with Indians.

                Enough about that.  I really did like the town, I thought it was beautiful, although it did seem somewhat strange- it was almost like the town hasn’t entered the 21^st century.  There were no stores or things you are so used to seeing in a town, which even though it is different it is nice that a town doesn’t have all of that.  My favorite part of the day was going to the Wells-Thorn House.  I was amazed at how the house changed from the one room house to a house with multiple rooms.  It was also interesting to see how the house changed with the addition of material objects.  I thought our tour guide did a great job of showing us the house and explaining everything that was in it.  If I could take anything from the town and bring it back to my students in Colorado to show them, that would be it.  I think it really showed how life began to change on the frontier.