The Alamo (1836), Mexican-American War (1846–48), and Presidents (1837-1841)

"The Siege of the Alamo"  byHoward David Johnson

The Battle of the Alamo (1836) began with Texians driving all Mexican troops out of Mexican Texas. About 100 Texians were then garrisoned at the Alamo. The Texian force grew slightly with the arrival of reinforcements led by James Bowie and William B. Travis. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission. After defending against two attacks, Texians were unable to fend off a third attack, and all but two of the Texian defenders were killed. Davy Crockett (American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier and politician) was one of those that were killed. Santa Anna's perceived cruelty during the battle inspired many Texians—both Texas settlers and adventurers from the United States—to join the Texian Army.

Sam Houston Bergenholtz at the Sam Houston birthplace. 

"Remember the Alamo!" 

With the desire for revenge, the Texians defeated the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto led by Sam Houston, on April 21, 1836, ending the revolution.

Reading

The Mystery at the Alamo (The Boxcar Children Mysteries #58)

While the book was a fictional mystery, it has many accurate facts about the Alamo.

If you have a Kindle, the first chapter is a free sample. 

Bluebonnet at the Alamo, Mary Brooke Casad

The book gives the reader a brief tour of the river walk and the Alamo as viewed by two armadillos. The main plot revolves around Jim Bowie and his famous knife.

Writing, Painting and Drawing

Alex's notebook page from Draw and Write Through History
"During the 1830's, Mexico held much of the land that we now know as the western United States, including Texas. Americans, who settled in Texas, had to become Mexican citizens and obey Mexican laws. Santa Anna, the dictator of Mexico, made laws that the Texans didn't like. They declared their independence from Mexico and prepared for war. After the defeat at the Alamo, Texan joined Sam Houston in fighting and eventually defeated the Mexicans. Their cry of "Remember the Alamo!" is remembered even today."

The notebooking page we used came from the free sample at Homeschool in the Wood Time Travelers The Early 19th Century. I like the suggestions for putting a piece of cardboard under the soldiers piece to make it look a little 3-D. (This might be a little hard to see in the photo, but it is cool.)

Quentin's notebook page

The writing area needed to be changed for my younger two's writing, so we glued it to another page.

Drawing instructions (and copywork) for the Alamo can be found in Draw.Write.Now. Book Five by Marie Hablitzel and Kim Stitzer and in Draw and Write Through History, Napoleon to Lady Liberty: The World of the 1800's  by Carylee Gressman and Peggy Dick

Playing

Alamo Figures Toy Soldiers with Cannon and Carrying Bag

This set is great for playing and narrations.

In the Mexican–American War (1846–48), American forces quickly occupied New Mexico and California, then invaded parts of Northeastern Mexico and Northwest Mexico; meanwhile, the Pacific Squadron conducted a blockade, and took control of several garrisons on the Pacific coast further south in Baja California. After Mexico would still not agree to the cession of its northern territories, another American army captured Mexico City, and the war ended in victory of the U.S.

We made maps of how America grew, including the dates.

The detail of the maps depends on their abilities.

Presidents

Alex's notes for these presidents.

Martin Van Buren, eighth President of the United States (1837–1841). His administration was largely characterized by the economic hardship of his time, the Panic of 1837, a period of runaway inflation which ended with every bank accepting payment only in gold and silver, forcing a dramatic,deflationary backlash. The Panic was followed by a five-year depression, with the failure of banks and then-record-high unemployment levels. He was scapegoated for the depression and called "Martin Van Ruin" by his political opponents.

William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841) was the ninth President of the United States (1841). Harrison died on his 32nd day in office of complications from pneumonia.

Related posts:
Texas State Study
Sam Houston's Birthplace

North Eastern Indian Toys and Games: Wampanoag Toss and Catch Game

This simple toss and catch game is the first of the Indian toys we will make this week.

I found the directions from the Plimoth Plantation. 

You will need:

 some thin cotton string or jute twine about 15 inches long,

a (non-poisonous) flexible piece of vine about 12 inches long (we used willow branches) 

and a straight, somewhat thin stick about 8 inches long.

Wrap the piece of vine to make a circle about 1 ½ or 2 inches in diameter. Wrap it several times, and then twist the free end around the circle to hold it in place.

Tie one end of the string to the stick, about 2 - 3 inches down from one end. Make sure the knot is tight.

Tie the other end of the string to the vine loop.

You’re done! Now give it a try.

The object is to swing the loop out and up and try to catch it with the end of the stick you are holding. Once you master the toss and catch with one hand, try it with the other.

Colonial Toys: Handkerchief Doll

We started our history this year with Colonial America and this week we are focusing on Colonial toys. Today we made Handkerchief Dolls. I wasn't sure whether my boys would be interested in making dolls, but they love pretend play so much, they liked the idea of making them and using them like puppets to act out scenes. It is nice, too, to know how to make a toy out of just a few things. Once you know how, you can make them any time you want.

To make a handkerchief doll you need a square of cloth. We used plain white cloth napkins.
Take your square and fold it in half to make a triangle with the point at the bottom.

You will also need something for stuffing. You could use scrap cloth or wool roving. We used  some leftover flannel. Open up your handkerchief triangle.Roll your scrap cloth into a body shape and place it in the handkerchief triangle, and fold the top layer back over the stuffing.

 Grab a bit of the top where you have your stuffing and make a head by tying a little piece of string around to make a neck. If you have older children, you  might be able to twist the material to form the head, but with younger hands, it is easier to tie with string. If you want it to look more old-fashioned, you could use raffia instead.

 The two points of the triangle of the handkerchief forms the arms.  Cross the arms over and tie a knot to keep the doll to stay together.

 Tie knots at the end of the arms to form hands.

Your doll is now finished. You can leave it plain like this...

or you can add a face with a few embroidery stitches or a marker. You can make clothes for your doll out of cloth or paper, if you wish.

Now, you doll is finished!

(Note: Another slightly different version of the Handkerchief Doll can be found at Acorn Pies.)

American Revolution

I am just briefly covering this week as it coincides so nicely with the 4th of July, but since we are in the process of moving, I don't have enough time to cover it as I would like to, so we will start next year with the American Revolution again.

Military Drills

We have had fun practicing Revolutionary War military drills.

Military Rank Game

We have learned military rank, using a version of version of the old card game "war," but these cards had names of the various military ranks on them instead of numbers. They are learning which rank is higher or lower by looking at a ranking list and determining which wins in a skirmish. The lower rank in each round has to salute the winner.

Simplified Ranking of Continential Army Soldiers, 1775-1781

General

Colonel

Major

Captain

Lieutenant

Sergeant

Corporal

Private

Ensign

Narration Variations

I also want to show you some interesting variations of narrations that can be done for history topics. Katie (several years ago) wrote a newspaper article about an incident in the Revolutionary War. She typed it out on the computer in a column and then stained the paper with a tea bag to make it look aged.

She even made it look more like a newspaper clipping by including a piece of article on the opposite side, and some ink stains, which were not uncommon in those days of printing.

Another similiar type of narration is to make a letter as if from a soldier to his family, including some factual information. This also was typed on the computer in a handwriting type font and aged with tea bags.

The third example is more of a cultural narration, a recipe written as they were then and made to look like a piece of aged torn paper.

Next Fall...
Ideas we will explore when we start school in the fall:

Examining the problems of Eyewittness Accounts.

Maps, of course.

Reporting the events that lead up to the Revolutionary War and the events within it.

Tea (tasting) Party

Define Liberty...it was what the war was about, so what is it?

Facts about the 18th Century -what was it like then?

Spies and spying-how hard it is to retain oral information -could you remember facts you heard correctly?

Codes and Cyphers

Paper Doll of a Revolutionary figure

A Revolutionary figure's pocket...what would you find there? Can you match the item to the person?

Paul Revere's Ride

Battle of Bunker Hill Reenactment

You're the General...what would you have done?

Winter Encampment Writing Exercise

Gunnery Drills

Sketch of George Washington's Portrait

Make an Almanac.

Music of the period.

The Slave Trade {1550-1890} and 3-D Interactive Maps

 This week we learned about the Slave Trade between the colonies, the West Indies, Europe and Africa. Katie went on a field trip several years ago to a colonial village and participated in a hands-on drama about this trading.

"...she sailed over and traded her tobacco…
for my teapot. Then she sailed back..."



"... he (the docent) talked about why we (the English) sailed over and about the King getting something in return for sailing us over. He also talked about the Trading Triangle and he had us act it out. He had me be England and he had another girl represent London Town (colonies.) Now she sailed over and traded her tobacco…for my teapot. Then she sailed back. It then became complicated by her sailing over and trading her tobacco for a Bible but this time she sailed over to our my mom (who had taken her mom to represent slaves) to trade, of course leaving my mom with the Bible, taking the slaves back with her. And so that showed us the Trading Triangle." -part of a narration by Katie of a field trip to Londontown, Maryland

"...trading her tobacco for a Bible..."

This could be done at home, too with either props or pictures to represent the items that were traded in the various places.

We also  colored maps from Interactive 3-D Maps: American History. I have had several people as questions about these maps, so I thought I would tell you a little about them and how we use them. We copy the maps on parchment style paper because they are old-fashioned looking but they could be copied on either plain copy paper or cardstock.

They all have items that fold so that they stand up. I like these because they add a three-dimensional element to the maps but they can then be folded back down to lay flat in their folders.

They also usually have another three-dimensional piece that cannot be folded down to fit in their notebooks. These I have either modified so that they can  lay flat or I have cut them separate from the map, so that they can  play with them. This week's map has lines to represent the paths ships took in their trading expeditions. You are supposed to slit along these lines so that you can insert the moving pieces in these slits. This week's map has these slits so that you can insert the ships in and move them along the ship's trading paths.

There is also a three-dimensional ship you can put together that shows how crowded the slaves were in the ships. This piece would stick up and make it so that I couldn't put it in their notebooks, so I modified it and made it lay flat.

The book also has a page or two of background information for the teacher, which I often share with the kids. They have some comprehension questions as well and some suggestions for further research for your students.

Although the book is listed for grades 4-8, I think that it is much too simple for an 8th grader. My 8th grader draws his own maps or uses blank outline maps. My special needs 8th grader does do them as well as my third and first grader and they really enjoy them and learn a lot from them. I would say that it is more for students K-6. I help my first grader with cutting out the slits for the ships to travel but he can do the rest on his own. We have really enjoyed doing them and they add a nice element to their notebooks with little effort from the teacher.

Making Wampum and a Wampum Belt

photo of Wampum beads from Wikipedia

Wampum are shell beads of Eastern Woodlands tribes.

They were white and purple beads made from the quahog, or Western North Atlantic hard-shelled clam.

photo source

Woven belts of wampum have been created to commemorate treaties,  historical events, and for exchange in events such as marriages.

photo source

In colonial North America, European colonists often used wampum as currency for trading with Native Americans.

We made our own Wampum beads for trading and even wove them into a Wampum belt.

First we made the beads by dyeing two sizes of Ditalini pasta.

To dye the Ditalini, place about 2 cups of the dried pasta in a zip plastic baggie. Drop food coloring into the bag. I used the proportions of red and blue food coloring as stated on the back of the box as for dying Easter eggs.  Pour in 1 Tablespoon of Rubbing Alcohol. Now seal the bag and shake it all together. Make sure each piece of dried pasta gets coated. Pour your colored pasta out on a plate or paper towel. Food coloring can stain, so be careful. We left it to dry overnight as it needs to be completely dry before you start using it.

We made a game with the pasta Wampum by making the small white pasta worth 2 cents, the large white pasta worth 4 cents, the small purple pasta worth 5 cents and the large purple pasta worth 10 cents. We then practices counting, adding and subtracting by 2's and 5's. The boys added prices to pictures of items that the Indians and Pilgrims would have had and they each set up a store, using the Wampum as money.

At another time, we could change the amount that each type bead is worth and use them again.



To make the Wampum belt, you will need string, yarn or lanyard cord at least twice as long as the desired finished length. Find the middle point of the cord and tie a loop in it with a knot. Wrap a piece of tape on each of the ends of string to make an aglet so that the ends do not unravel.  String four small beads or two large beads onto one of the ends of the string.

Now take the string from the other side and thread it through the beads going in the same direction that you went before.

Now pull both ends so that the beads line up in a row.



Continue making rows of beads in the same way.

You can make patterns with your rows.

Continue making rows of beads until you have made your belt the desired length. Remember to leave some of the string to have an end to tie it together. When you reach the end of the belt, make a knot to make it secure so it won't unravel. Alternatively, you could tie on a jewelry fastener to make taking the belt off and on a little easier.

The boys had fun figuring out how much their Wampum belts were worth.

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