Monday, the 24
th of March, we went to Historic Jamestown to see the original site of the fort. We watched a video at the Visitor's Center illustrating the extreme difficulties the settlers had in trying to make this a successful venture (we had also read library books about Jamestown, and Ashley had studied it in school). The walk through marsh land over a wooden walkway was pretty. The kids liked seeing the statue of
Pocahontas. I found it very interesting that a portion of the original church still exists there. The
archaeological dig was covered up because it was still early in the season, but a guide showed me pictures and explained how by digging down to the clay, they could find every time the colonists dug into the ground, whether for a grave, a well, a foundation or a fence post.
We left Jamestown and drove to Yorktown Battlefield, the site of the battle that effectively ended the Revolutionary War. This was probably Will's favorite part of the trip. At the Visitor's Center, we watched a movie that explained all about the battle and how the British were forced to surrender their arms to the Americans. We all decided that Britain's General Cornwallis was a coward, acting like he was too ill to present his sword to General Washington and had someone else do it for him. The Visitor's Center also had some very cool artifacts including General Washington's Battle tents and a rifle surrendered by the British. We then went on a driving tour of the Battlefield which was fascinating. We were able to imagine the progression of the battle as the original earthen barricades still exist (and were later used in the Civil War).
Above is the Moore House, where the terms of surrender were agreed upon. It was amazing to be in a place where such an important event in our nation's history occurred!
Here, Natalie and Zach are waving their "white flags" at Surrender Field, the place where all of the British soldiers laid down their weapons amid a lot of pomp and ceremony. It was amazing that such a peaceful field once saw such a momentous occasion!
Monday, the 24th of March, we went to Historic Jamestown to see the original site of the fort. We watched a video at the Visitor's Center illustrating the extreme difficulties the settlers had in trying to make this a successful venture (we had also read library books about Jamestown, and Ashley had studied it in school). The walk through marsh land over a wooden walkway was pretty. The kids liked seeing the statue of Pocahontas. I found it very interesting that a portion of the original church still exists there. The archaeological dig was covered up because it was still early in the season, but a guide showed me pictures and explained how by digging down to the clay, they could find every time the colonists dug into the ground, whether for a grave, a well, a foundation or a fence post.
We left Jamestown and drove to Yorktown Battlefield, the site of the battle that effectively ended the Revolutionary War. This was probably Will's favorite part of the trip. At the Visitor's Center, we watched a movie that explained all about the battle and how the British were forced to surrender their arms to the Americans. We all decided that Britain's General Cornwallis was a coward, acting like he was too ill to present his sword to General Washington and had someone else do it for him. The Visitor's Center also had some very cool artifacts including General Washington's Battle tents and a rifle surrendered by the British. We then went on a driving tour of the Battlefield which was fascinating. We were able to imagine the progression of the battle as the original earthen barricades still exist (and were later used in the Civil War).
Above is the Moore House, where the terms of surrender were agreed upon. It was amazing to be in a place where such an important event in our nation's history occurred!
Here, Natalie and Zach are waving their "white flags" at Surrender Field, the place where all of the British soldiers laid down their weapons amid a lot of pomp and ceremony. It was amazing that such a peaceful field once saw such a momentous occasion!
1 comment:
That sounds like almost a spiritual, sacred experience to be in the place where our nation was born and where we won our freedom from the British.
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