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George Washington, Father of Our Country

2/22/2018

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George Washington, the father of our country, is a man many believe to be the greatest president America has ever had.

President's Day, Washington's birthday (January 22), the days leading up to Independence Day, and Constitution Week are all wonderful opportunities to teach our children about Washington. Actually, any time is a great time to study the life of this great hero!

Understanding the character of President Washington and how he grew into the challenges he faced can help us, and our children, rise to the difficult challenges of our day.  

George Washington can be our hero and friend as we study his life and seek to follow his example.
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Books about George Washington
  • The Real George Washington by Parry, Allison, and Skousen
  • George Washington's Sacred Fire by Peter A. Lillback
  • Founding Fathers Uncommon Heroes  by Steven W. Allen
  • 1776 by David McCullough
  • Being George Washington by Glenn Beck

Free Resources, Activities, and Ideas

1)  Learn about Washington.  
  • Take a virtual tour of his life.  
  • Read a short biography for children.  
  • Invite family members to tell a story or give a report about what made Washington great. 

Watch historical videos about President Washington's life.  (These last about 12 minutes each.)      
     George Washington - Part 1: The Early Years      
     George Washington - Part 2: The Military Commander      
     George Washington - Part 3: Guiding the New Nation

Listen to David McCullough telling about Washington and the early patriots.

Watch as Arnold Friberg shows how he painted the masterpiece "The Prayer at Valley Forge and tells what he learned about General Washington.

Watch "A More Perfect Union" to learn about Washington's pivotal role in crafting the United States Constitution, the inspired document that has laid the foundation for our liberty, peace, and prosperity for over 200 years.

2)  As a young man, George Washington worked as a surveyor and map maker. This experience helped him when he was a general fighting in unfamiliar territory. If you have young children, you might want to teach them some simple map skills. Or you could talk about the importance of learning geography and sing "Fifty Nifty United States."  

You could also discuss how the talents and skills we learn as young people can help prepare us for our life's work. The Mapmaker of Mount Vernon explains how important Washington's experiences as a surveyor were to his success.

3)  Washington's work required that he be an excellent horseman. If you have access to horses, it might be fun to go horseback riding and talk about the importance of the animals in our life. 
 
4)  You could tell the story about how General Washington and his men crossed the Delaware River, and take your family on a boat ride.  

Or you could watch this video about what it was like to cross the icy Delaware river at night in a snow storm when many soldiers lacked coats, and even shoes. Discuss the great sacrifices George Washington and his men made. Talk about the sacrifices we can make today.

5)  Washington was a competent marksman and a courageous leader. You could have a friendly target shooting activity with whatever toys you might have. Over the years we've used toy guns, BB guns, squirt guns, slingshots, bows and arrows, darts, horseshoes, balls of all shapes and sizes, etc. (Be sure to talk about any safety rules that apply.)

You could tell the ​story of when George Washington was colonel of the Virginia Militia and fought in the French and Indian War. After one battle was over, it was discovered he had four bullet holes in his jacket. He later gratefully acknowledged: "By the all powerful dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation." You could talk about times when you felt God  has blessed, protected, or prepared you.

6)  George Washington was a gentleman farmer. He loved his home life at Mount Vernon and he enjoyed cultivating the land. You could take a virtual tour of Mount Vernon. Or you could plant an indoor herb garden or prepare a small outdoor garden.

7)  George Washington experienced sorrow and adversity in his early years that prepared him for later challenges. For example, when Washington was 19, he went with his brother Lawrence to the island of Barbados to help Lawrence recover from a serious case of tuberculosis. While there, George became very ill with smallpox. It must have been a trial at the time, and left George with unsightly scars on his face. But later, when he was general of the colonial army, George and his men were exposed to smallpox. Many became very sick and were unable to perform their duties. Due to his prior exposure, George was immune and able to carry out his heavy responsibilities.

Challenges helped to strengthen Washington's faith, develop his virtuous character, and increase his ​capacity to endure the indescribable hardships he and his men suffered during the Revolutionary War. Telling stories about George Washington's trials could be an opportunity to discuss any difficult experiences your family may have had, and to talk about how adversity can plant the seeds of later opportunities and blessings.

8)  Explain to your children that George Washington was not always a great leader. He was once a boy, not too different from other boys.  But he prepared himself, did his best when he was faced with new challenges and opportunities, and relied on God to help him. Remind your children that they can prepare themselves, do their best, and rely on God too.

Hope you enjoy celebrating the life of this great hero! His example can be an inspiration for us and our children as we seek to preserve and pass on the great gift of liberty we have received.



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Happy Birthday Abraham Lincoln!

2/12/2018

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Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky on February 12th, 1809.  When he was born, there was nothing to distinguish him from other babies.  

As a young boy he enjoyed walking, running, wrestling, reading, and doing math.   

Rising from the humblest of beginnings, he was elected President of the United States at a time of great national turmoil and division.  His leadership was a key factor in the eventual unity and restoration that took place.   He was a man with a mission, and that made all the difference.

WARNING: For parents with young children, the History Channel video below has a dramatic reenactment of President Lincoln's assassination between about 3:00 and 3:14. You might want to preview the video to see if it's appropriate for your children. 
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Abraham Lincoln’s Life
  • Timeline of Lincoln’s Life
  • Young Abe Lincoln
  • Mini Biography  (3:54)
  • The Story of Abraham Lincoln
  • Abraham Lincoln’s Autobiography 
  • Lincoln and Depression
  • Quotations of Abraham Lincoln

Stories
  • Lincoln and the Little Girl
  • Training for the Presidency
  • Honest Abe
  • The Wisdom of Solomon
  • George Pickett's Friend
  • Lincoln the Lawyer
  • Mr. Lincoln and the Bible
  • The Springfield Farewell Address

Speeches
  • First Inaugural Address
  • The Gettysburg Address (2:49, 2:32, 5:53)
  • “House Divided” Speech
  • Second Inaugural Address
  • Lincoln's Most Important Speech  (3:02)

Proclamations
  • Proclamation of a Day of Fasting
  • Emancipation Proclamation
  • Proclamation of Thanksgiving


Possible Activities to Enjoy on President Lincoln's Birthday
(Choose the activity, or activities, that you think could be fun and meaningful for your family.)

  • Young Abe enjoyed wrestling, walking, running, and an early form of baseball.  Spend some time enjoying one of these, or another sports activity your family enjoys.  Talk about the importance of wholesome recreation.
 
  • Abe loved cats.  He adopted orphaned kittens, and enjoyed playing with them.  He also enjoyed dogs and horses, and his family had two goats when they lived in the White House.  You could spend some time enjoying your family pet(s), get a kitten for your family, spend some time with horses, or visit a local pet store. 
 
  • Abraham Lincoln loved collecting and telling jokes and stories.  Each family member could find one or more  stories or jokes to share with each other.
 
  • Abe's favorite hobby was to read and learn..  Have a family read-a-thon complete with fun snacks and soft pillows to relax on.  Abe loved to read so much that he sometimes borrowed books from others.  You could go to the library and "borrow" some fun books to read -- maybe something about Lincoln -- or read some of the stories above.  
 
  • Abe's favorite foods were fruit salad, cheese, and crackers.  You could enjoy these for a fun snack while you participate in your activities.
 
  • Abraham Lincoln had more than his share of  struggles and failures.  You could watch "Famous Failures" and talk about how our failures can help teach us what we need to know to succeed.  Or you could tell a couple of experiences Lincoln had when he struggled with depression, and discuss how our struggles can help us grow.
 
  • When he was president, Abraham Lincoln wrote a number of speeches and addresses that expressed his feelings.  You could memorize or recite one of his speeches, like The Gettysburg Address, or The Emancipation Proclamation, or you could write something that expresses your feelings about America.
 
  • One of the great accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln's life was helping to bring freedom to the slaves.  You could watch this short video and talk about why that was so important.
 
  • As an adult, President Lincoln enjoyed going to plays.  You could go to a play together, or enjoy a modern day variation -- go to a movie, or watch a good video at home.  You could include this one minute summary of President Lincoln's life.
 
  • Abe enjoyed people and loved to visit with friends and neighbors.  You could visit some friends or invite them to join you for some activities in your home.  You could even bake a birthday cake and have a birthday party for Abraham Lincoln where you tell a little about him (see above), enjoy a few activities, sing Happy Birthday, and have cake and ice cream.​
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