Fourth of July

Most people know that on the July 4th, fireworks go off and people have barbecues.  Out of those people, most know why we celebrate that day.  If you ask a child, he or she will say "We have picnics and watch fireworks, but that's all.  The reason behind the celebration gets lost.  As the child grows up, he or she learns the real meaning behind the celebration of the 4th of July.

Our flag - fly it high and proud to celebrate freedom!

Independence Hall - where the Declaration was signed

The Signers' Hall

On this day in Philadelphia, representatives from the 13 original colonies finally agreed on the Declaration of Independence.  Just two days before, New York had abstained.  The Founding Fathers firmly believed that in order for this new nation to be a success, there needed to be unanimous agreement when it came to declaring independence against Great Britain.

No pens back then - ink and a quill

Statue of the Signer in Philadelphia

Five men worked tireless hours to make the document exactly what all men would agree upon.  Thomas Jefferson was the main writer of the text.  John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston were part of the committee to create the declaration.  Jefferson was chosen as the chief writer because the others knew he had a definite way with words.

Graff House - now known as Declaration House

Room at Graff House where Jefferson slept

Jefferson were retire to the Graff House (now known as Declaration House) each night to review the recommendations members of Congress made.  While he sat there, he would change words and phrases until he came up with something the members would agree upon. Jefferson was a bit of a perfectionist and was determined to rewrite the Declaration until all members were in agreement.

Every day there is a ceremonial reading of the Declaration

Several copies were made of the final draft - to be sent to each colony (now a state) to be read aloud to patriots and families who gathered in squares and churches to hear the famous words.  At the time, there were approximately 2.5 million people in the United States of America.  Today, there are over 300 million people.

John Adams

Thomas Jefferson

Did you know that two US presidents died on the 4th of July?  Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day - exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. They died within hours of each other.

The Fourth of July has been a federal holiday since 1941 even though the celebration of this day has been going on since the Declaration was first signed in 1776.

Henry Knox

If you are like me, you have heard about Fort Knox.  Have you ever wondered who it was named after?  I have.  So, when we were in Philadelphia and I saw a portrait of Henry Knox, I decided to look him up.

Henry Knox (1750-1806)  

Henry Knox was born in Boston, the 7th of 10 children.  His father was a shipmaster who had difficulty supporting his large family.  Once embargoes began, he could not continue in his line of work.  Unfortunately, Henry's father died at the age of 50 and Henry had to leave school to take care of his mother and his siblings.  His career started as a shop clerk in a bookstore.  Years later, he would own his own bookstore.  His education began at the Latin School but he was mostly self-taught since he had to leave school at an early age.

He would read every day, and once he began working at a bookstore, his love of reading continued.  His favorite topic was British military history, strategy, and tactics.  This knowledge would be stored in his brain and used during the most important war in history - the Revolutionary War.

In 1772, he became a member of the Boston Grenadier Corps.  A grenadier is a soldier who carries and throws grenades. Yes, even back in the 1700s there were grenades.

In 1775, he volunteered to fight at Bunker Hill.  When George Washington arrived in Boston that same year, Knox met him.  They became good friends and Washington was intrigued with the young man's knowledge of artillery.  Artillery is the weapons such as bows, slings, and catapults, that discharge missiles.  Knox advised Washington on how best to beat the British, having read all about their strategies while working in the bookstore.

He was made a colonel and put in charge of the artillery.  His first task was to bring a confiscated cannon from Fort Ticonderoga.  He brought 50 cannons on oxsleds back to Boston.  He placed cannons in different cities, strategically placing them to best help those cities defend themselves against a British invasion or attack.

Knox advised Washington to cross the Delaware, that fateful Christmas evening, and helped defeat the Hessiams.  Because of his bravery, he was promoted to Brigadier General.  The troops confiscated important stores and supplies from the Hessians that evening and ferried them all back across the Delaware.

While Washington's troops waited out the difficult winter at Valley Forge, Knox was in charge of raising a battalion for artillery.  A battalion is a body of troops who are organized to act together.  He helped General von Steuben train the soldiers during that winter.  He constructed an arsenal in Springfield, Pennsylvania, (just outside of Philadelphia) where arms were made and repaired.

The Continental Congress was going to replace Knox with a Frenchman, Ducondray, but Washington wrote to Congress on Knox's behalf.  his appeal was successful and Knox remained in charge of his troops.

Knox continued to excel and fought at Brandywine and Germantown.  He helped erect forts to keep the men safe during their winter encampments.  Whatever was asked of him, he did and more.

During the Battle of Yorktown, Knox placed the cannons in strategic locations which helped win the battle and the war.  After Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781, Knox was promoted to Major-General.

In 1782, he was stationed at West Point to oversee the withdrawal of British troops from New York.  In 1783, he followed the last British troops  as they departed New York.  When the officers gathered at Fraunces Tavern in New York to be relieved of their duties by General Washington, he returned to Boston.

In 1785, when he was only 35, he was elected Secretary of War by the Congress.  And in 1789, when Washington was elected President, Knox was elected our first Secretary of War and was made a member of Washington's cabinet.  He remained in his job until 1794, when he officially resigned.

He moved to Thomaston, Maine in 1796, where he lived for the remainder of his days.  He died in 1806, quite unexpectedly.

As I stated at the beginning of this post - Fort Knox was named after him.  At first, the fort was called Fort Duffield when it was erected in 1861.  In 1918, the fort was renamed after him, in honor of his duty during the Revolutionary War and as his position as our first Secretary of War.

Arlington National Cemetery

When I was updating my “What Happened Today” post on my other blog “Revolutionary, My Dear George”, I saw a small entry about Arlington National Cemetery.  When I visited Washington, DC last summer with Mrs. Cochrane and Mrs. Gibson, we traveled to Arlington.  We were moved by the solemnity of the place and moved by the sacrifice of thousands of men and women who are buried here. With all of this in mind, I thought I would write about how Arlington National Cemetery came to be.  Long before it was cemetery, the land belonged to a family you might recognize – George Washington Parke Custis – the adopted son of George Washington. 

Custis home atop the hill overlooking Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery is located across the Potomac River from Washington, DC.  More than 300,000 veterans from every American war is buried here, even the American Revolution.

As I mentioned above, the area/land used to belong to George Washington Parke Custis.  Many do not know George Washington Parke Custis.  The land actually belonged to his father, John Parke Custis, who bought the land in 1778.  He was going to build an estate on the land after the Revolutionary War.  Unfortunately, he contracted swamp fever while stationed at Yorktown and the land was held in trust for his young son.  His son and daughter were adopted by George and Martha Washington, who raised them.  When George Washington Parke Custis turned 21, he inherited the land.  He originally wanted to name the land after his grandfather, but changed the name to Arlington in honor of the family’s ancestral estate in the tidewater area. Arlington House was built in 1802 by George Washington Parke Custis.  He lived here with his wife, Mary.  The house was built in stages and finished in 1818.  He adored his grandfather and spent considerable funds purchasing items that once belonged to him. His daughter Mary Anna married Robert E. Lee in 1831.  When her father died in 1857, she inherited the estate and all its holdings. The couple lived at Arlington House until 1861 when Lee took over command of the Confederate Army.  At this time, his wife, Mary Anna went to live elsewhere, knowing to remain there would be too dangerous.  When she left, she sent several portraits of her great grandfather, George Washington, to family members for safe keeping.  Other memorabilia was stored in the attic or basement. When federal troops took up residence, she sent them a letter, asking that the belongings be taken care of in memory of George Washington, but her pleas were ignored. The house was ransacked and many artifacts were destroyed.

The federal government repossessed the land over failure to pay taxes (although how Robert E. Lee could pay taxes during the war seems a bit dramatic to me). It was put up for auction and purchased by the tax commissioner to be used by the government. The Union Army took over the house and turned it into a military headquarters.  The surrounding grounds became a camp for Union troops. 

In 1864, the land was turned into a military cemetery by Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War.  Apparently, it was designated as a cemetery by Quartermaster General Meigs who wanted to be sure Lee never returned to the site. The body count continued to mount and if you have ever been to DC or Virginia, you know the humidity can be quite dreadful.  The bodies had to be buried immediately or risk a terrible plague. Many believe Meigs despised the South and he served under Lee in 1838, resenting him. (of course, this is mere speculation).  According to records, the first burial was Private William Henry Christman of Pennsylvania.  According to another report, the first burial was a Confederate prisoner of war. Approximately 3800 freed slaves who died while living at the Freedman’s Village are buried here.  Confederate soldiers were first buried in civilian graves but were later reintered in marked graves with pointed headstones to signify they were in the Confederacy. Many believe the reason for such hasty burials also occurred because many were too poor to pay for the bodies to be shipped home to families across the United States.  For many years after the Civil War, the Confederate widows tried to go and decorate the graves of their loved ones but were turned away.  Many found ways to pay for these soldiers to be removed from the cemetery and taken back home so they could be buried with dignity.

Years later in 1882, Robert E. Lee’s son, George Washington Custis Lee, petitioned the government to reparations.  He was upset the family estate was confiscated.  He finally won $150,000 in compensation from the government.  The land was given back to the Lee family, but then Congress purchased it from Custis.

The Tomb of the Unknowns contains the remains of three unidentified service members – from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.  Three Greek figures representing Peace, Victory, and Valor grace the tomb.  The tomb is guarded by the 3^rd US Infantry, known as the Old Guard, because it is the oldest active duty infantry unit in the Army.

The Civil War Unknown Monument was the first monument to unknown soldiers.  It was dedicated in 1866 and holds the remains of 2,111 soldiers from Bull Run.  Many believe it holds the remains of both Union and Confederate soldiers.

Two former presidents – William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy are buried here. 

 

The Memorial Amphitheater is inscribed with the words “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” which means “It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country”.  I do not think anyone could say it better.  With Memorial Day coming soon, it is important to remember all who died for our country, from those first days to today – any man or woman who offers their life for their country should be commended.  We thank them for their sacrifice, for their bravery, but most of all, we thank them for their belief that this great country is worth fighting for.  You will always be remembered.  You will always be honored.

Independence Hall

What we know of as Independence Hall was not its original name or purpose.  Millions of people flock there every year to see where history was made.  They want to see where our country began.  Growing up in Philadelphia, Independence Hall was a common field trip, so just imagine children across our country who never have the chance to visit it.  Who never get to see those rooms and feel the power of those words - "We the People" and "When in the Course of Human Events".

Since I took hundreds of pictures on our journey, I thought it would be perfect to create a virtual field trip for students across the country - to see what I saw, to learn a bit about the building that draws millions.  Have fun.

the left wing of the building

Independence Hall under construction

Independence Hall was originally the Pennsylvania State House and was built from 1732 to 1753.  It took so long for it be finished because it was paid for in pieces.  As you walk through the halls and rooms you get a sense of what it must have felt like to be there when Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson stood there as well.  While the building itself has been renovated many times, it wasn't until the National Park service took over in 1950 that it started to resemble what it was in the 1700s.

statue of George Washington in the front

We entered through these doors to begin our journey into the past.

Imagine the view our Founding Fathers would have

It was in these buildings where the Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed. It was also here where the Constitution was debated.  Only Rhode Island did not send delegates to debate the Constitution.  George Washington himself presided over the debates and provided the voice of reason when tempers flared and disagreements ensued.  Remember the Constitution was written after the war, so Washington did not voice his own opinions, but became more of a moderator during the debates, allowing the men to speak freely and listen to each other's arguments.

this is where the secretary sat and took notes

this long parson's bench was a regular feature in many colonial homes

this very room was where they debated

Except when the British occupied Philadelphia, Independence Hall was the meeting place for the delegates of the Continental Congress.  It was in these very rooms where George Washington was asked to lead the troops and become the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.  So many important events happened in these very rooms - from signing the Declaration of Independence to deciding on the flag what would represent our country to signing the Constitution.  You feel the power of these rooms as soon as you walk inside. You become overcome by the spirit of the men who designed our country and the very documents which still guide us to this day.

this symbol had everything to do with why they wanted freedom

the Founding Fathers sat around tables like these while they talked

This is the very room where they debated

In the background you see a chair that presides over all others.  It is the chair with a rising sun on the back.  This is the very chair where George Washington sat.  It was called the rising sun by Benjamin Franklin.  Some argued it could not be distinguished between a rising sun and a setting sun, but Franklin with his usual verbosity, declared it must be a rising sun - because he felt we as a country were just beginning to rise.  A more perfect sentiment could not have been spoken.

picture the delegates from every colony represented here

writing implements - no pens back then

In September of 1774, fifty-five delegates gathered here to compile a list of grievances for King George III.  It became known as the First Continental Congress.  They knew they would need to meet again once they got their response from the king so they agreed to meet again the following year.  Before they could even meet, troubles were brewing in Massachusetts.  The King had refused to listen to their words, the Stamp Act occurred, and the Boston Massacre.  A powderkeg of events had ignited that would change everything.

many of the Founding Fathers smoked pipes (tobacco was a huge crop)

Beautiful - the architects were Andrew Hamilton and Edmund Wooley

Did you know that at the time of the revolution over 30,000 people lived in Philadelphia making it the largest city in the colonies?  As a matter of fact, there were more than 300,000 people living in Pennsylvania, which does not seem like much to us where cities have millions, but back then, this was huge.  Only Virginia had as many people at that time.  Word traveled slowly from one colony to another, so gathering all those men together in one place was quite a feat.

Look at the amazing stairs that seem to hang from air

the balcony and the woodwork are exquisite

Some of you might recall this clock from the movie "National Treasure"

Add caption

Just imagine the men gathered in this room.  Long rows of desks and chairs lined the room, going in a semi-circle.  When you sit here (and they do allow you to sit here), you get the impression no one was more important than anyone else.  No desks are fancier than others.  No chairs are different.  Every man, no matter his wealth or status, sat at the same type of desk and had the same say in the government.  the only person with the real power was Benjamin Franklin who sat on that dais above all others as he moderated the discussions (remember at this time, Washington was busy fighting the British).

This is the chair where Benjamin Franklin sat

It took a lot of debating, but the  men finally agreed there should be a separation of powers.  No one part should be more powerful than another.  This gave us the three branches of government - the executive, the legislative, and the judicial.  The men decided to base the new form of government on the Virginia  Plan (which by coincidence was written by Thomas Jefferson).

see the high ceilings and archways

these double doors opened to the front courtyard

Remember these were many wealthy men gathered together.  Men of properly since only men of property were allowed to vote, let alone go out and speak to others.  They needed to decide who should have more power - which state (since each colony was not to become its own state) would have more delegates in this new form of government.  The smaller states were not pleased with the idea of size being a deciding factor.  Instead, it was decided that the Senate would be made up of equal members from each state to not show favoritism to any one state.  This idea was presented by Roger Sherman from Connecticut.  But the House could be based upon the population.  Since the southern states had so many slaves, they wanted more voting power. Amazingly they decided to count every slave as 3/5s of a person since of course they could not vote, nor could they pay taxes. Imagine if someone told you, you only counted as 3/5s of a person.

another bench where visitors can sit and wait

this stairwell is quite steep

I imagined looking out over the President's House which sat just a bit ahead

committee rooms where men further discussed important topics

Our Senate met within these walls

This is where Thomas Jefferson -presided over of the Senate

once more - look how the desks are alive and arranged in a semi-circle

nothing fancy about these chairs or desks

the furniture was simple and functional - nothing more was needed.

a new symbol of our country

the King of France who has an honored position because of his aid

another meeting room

See Marie Antoinette in the portrait - France was our friend

the men needed to place their pipes somewhere

I hate to say this, but yes, Righty went for  ride that day

wrought iron balcony the men might step out on.

I hope you learned some things you did not know about Independence Hall before.  If you wish to learn more, visit the National Parks service site. www.nps.gov/inde/independence-hall-1.htm