On Friday, the kids and I drove down to Colonial Williamsburg for the day.  Despite a 2.5 hour drive, we managed to see the first program we had hoped to attend.  

    George Mason, Richard Henry Lee and Archibald Carter were in the time period of late June 1776.  They were answering questions about two important documents they had recently written with the Virginia Delegation, the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Constitution.  

     Since we had studied the Virginia Declaration of Rights in preparation for meeting Thomas Jefferson last week, I knew the kids would get more out of this event than they had previously.  Wow! Did we ever! We were sitting in the second row and the men were in front of the stage, and they got into a heated debate over the slavery issue. It was so realistic, I was beginning to wonder if we should move! 

The kids knew it was acting and enjoyed it. Obviously, they were showing how heated the debates got, over different points in the documents during the assembly.  A major point that was made, was that this representative government that they were forming, allow us to choose our representatives to voice our views.  Also, they said that debate in assembly was a good thing. The time to worry would be when everyone in congressional session agreed on everything. 

     The scene was interrupted for a slave auction.  They left to free the area for the slaves to wait for auction. Carter looked over one of the slaves, as if he was prepared to buy him.  The hypocrisy was stark. The slaves proceeded to share their fears about their future.  They were roughly treated in the scene (again acting). This scene is not recommended for children.  The scene bitterly brings slavery to the forefront, in juxtaposition to the men who sought freedom from England. 

     Then we did a little shopping. Since my husband was at work, I purchased peanuts in the shell from Chownings Tavern for him. Finally I got my colonial blank book so I can take notes! It came in handy that day when I visited the quilter and Lafayette.   

      Then we went to see the Revolutionary City scene for the reading of the Declaration of Independence. This is a new temporary setting, while electrical work is being done at the Coffee House.  It was interesting to see some of the changes to the program, in a different location. One of the lines struck me as funny, perhaps because of how one of the actors recites it.  Do you realize the words "manly firmness" are in the Declaration of Independence?  When I brought it up to the kids afterwards, they said, "Oh Mom, you always say that whenever you read it or hear it." I do?

     After that we had lunch. The kids wanted to see RC, so I suggested we eat under the trees at the Courthouse, so we could catch all of the midday scenes. No they wanted to go to their favorite spot on Botetourt. That meant we'd have to miss at least one scene, but they like Botetourt, so off we went. As we ate our lunch there, a carriage driver parked his coach and hitched his horses in front of us. He was extremely friendly and chatty. These horses are the ones who drove the Queen of England around CW a few years ago!  He found out we had recently moved to Northern Virginia from San Antonio. We chatted about familiar places in San Antonio. Then he found that we homeschooled. He told me about some resources which he highly recommended I inquire about with the CW.  Really?  Then he found out how much I love CW.  The coachman gave me lots of ideas about my dreams to be in CW. He was very nice!

    Then we went back to the Courthouse to see Benedict Arnold. It seemed that he engaged with more of the townspeople than what I had seen in the past.  His arrogance never ceases to amaze me. One of his lines caught my attention that day, that I hadn't caught before.  I was ready to pick a bone with him!

     After this scene, we went to the St. George Tucker House.  They were extremely friendly greeting us and learning all about us.  They were taken with the kids and their costumes. As I overheard some of the ladies mentioning a need to have their picture taken, another lady was chatting with me.  When she found out I had just driven down from Northern Virginia that morning, they asked how many days we'd be staying in the area. I told her we were driving back that evening. In shock, she asked in disbelief, "You can do that?"  I laughed and said yes.  (Can't afford a hotel room every time we come.) I told her that I CW is my favorite place in the world. She said I was just like her and she got a good look at my name on my pass.  She told me her story of how her dream to live and work in CW came true. I was loving all of this encouragement!

     She took us to meet the quilter, who showed us an eighteenth century piece that she was working on. Although we call this pattern a Grandma's Flower Garden today, it went by another name in Britain in the 1700's, and the pattern dates back to the 1400's.  It was considered a mosaic pattern back then.  As I looked at it, yes I could see that.  This was the era of the NeoClassical movement, where they renewed ancient Greek and Roman art and ideas.  We had studied and created mosaics when we studied the Ancient Romans in Year 1 Unit 4.  It was interesting to think of this quilt piece in that perspective. I learned not only history but also practical quilting tips for today. I told her what my weaknesses were in quilting and she gave me great ideas that I jotted in my new colonial blank book to easily reference later. She also named a great fabric shop in my area.  I told her about my poor pathetic sewing machine and about the costumes I make.  I also told her about the recent idea I had for my son's character for our upcoming Year 4 Unit 1 celebration, who could represent someone in WWI that reflects someone in CW!  Any guesses to what event and to whom I am referring?

     Finally it was time to go to Kimball Theater to meet the Marquis de Lafayette.  We had not been able to see him give a full speech since the summer before when we were on vacation.  Then he was in the time frame September 1781, telling us about how he had cornered Cornwallis at Yorktown and the ultimate victory the Continental Army foresaw.  Well today he surprised us, changing things up! I was completely taken by surprise.   

He said it was a year after the signing of the Treaty of Paris! 1784! The American Revolution was over! Therefore, we got to hear him talk about completely new things! During his speech, he talked about his role in the American Revolution. During the Q&A, he answered questions about what he had been doing since he returned to France. This was new information to hear from him! He talked about the need to help the poor in his country, about the rumblings and need for change, and his hope to keep the monarchy, yet to institute a representative government for the people. Oh, I knew exactly which question I wanted to ask! It had everything to do with this line of talk, and reflected our government studies last year. Alas, I wasn't brave enough to raise my hand.  That was okay, I was having fun listening to some of the other questions and seeing his reaction. He got some funny questions from the audience and we were all laughing and laughing. The funniest seems to reflect our school year. Someone asked if he had met Napoleon! (Napoleon has been part of our previous school year, every single week of our studies of the 19th century, and even at Chincoteague this summer.) I wonder if the man who asked the question had any idea that this actor portraying Lafayette also portrays Napoleon in Europe in his free time.  The reaction of the actor was classic, but he pulled off a great answer, as always!  Apparently,  they did bump into each other, literally, as Napoleon had his nose stuck in a book while walking down the street.  But Lafayette tells the story much better than I ever could!  My son kept raising his hand to ask a question, but Lafayette never saw him.  He had a lot of questions to answer!

After the Q&A, the actor stepped down from the stage for more questions and pictures.  We went down and my son got a chance to ask his question. My son said he knew Lafayette did great things for our country, but what was the red medal for? It was  presented to Lafayette by the King of France for his service in America.  It was fascinating, listening to some of the questions and hearing the answers. I would never think of some of those questions and the answers were amazing. People who were crowded around, filtered out and we found ourselves last to be with Lafayette. (gulp)  Suddenly, I could not think of anything to ask. I smiled and nodded my thanks and fled.  As usual, I was too shy. My daughter later told me she had a question. Why didn't she ask him?  I couldn't understand it. Ahh, our children are mirrors to our own selves.

    Our next stop was the Colonial Nursery. I have a narrow area in front of the house that has tiger lillies which only bloom a few weeks in the year. I thought of transplanting them in the midst of other plantings in the larger garden, and replacing them with boxwood.  I saw some at Mount Vernon recently and loved the idea of boxwood that were propagated from Washington's gardens. However there are no gardeners there to talk to and I needed guidance. How big do they grow?  I wasn't sure of how many to get or if they'd fit in the space.  I got precisely the help I needed at the Colonial Nursery and I now have some English Boxwood propagated from the CW historic area! 

     Then we went to the Palace Kitchen and the kids spent their time guessing all the food that was setting out on the table.  I can easily pass on most colonial food, but the dark chocolate pudding definitely looked tantalizing.

     Then we went to the Palace Garden to meet with General Lafayette and Colonel Ennis about war plans at Yorktown. As the meeting neared an end, and it began to rain, and there began to bewere sparse questions, I dared to ask a question: What did the French soldiers think of General Lafayette, a Frenchman, wearing an American uniform? His answer matched precisely what I had read, (it's good to know the Lafayette biographies I have are on the right track) but I was wondering if he had inside information I might not be aware of. I guess not. Basically, there were other Frenchmen who fought in the Continental Army and it was not seen as treason, but as an opportunity. He named several Frenchmen and their positions in the Continental Army.   

     Afterwards we made our way to the cobbler

   and my son had lots of questions for him. He even told him how he sewed his own boots for unit celebrations. The cobbler was quite impressed so we explained how we cheated and he was still impressed, and told us he made pieces in a similar style! Really? That was fascinating!

     Then the rain had let up and we went to see the review of the troops. To our surprise, Lafayette arrived galloping across the field on his horse!  We had never seen him on his horse for this scene before. Being taken by surprise, I wasn't ready for the picture.  I think the horse livens up the already terrific review of the troops scene.

Before I knew it, he galloped away. Oh no! Where's the action setting on my camera? Gotta use that with Lafayette on a horse. I couldn't remember where the setting was, so I just took the picture. It's blurry but there he goes!

    It was the end of another incredible day at Colonial Williamsburg. Even though we had seen all the scenes before, each one was different from what we had seen before and we learned many new things.  When I told my husband about how we didn't ask Lafayette any questions, he exclaimed, "What? You've waited a year to see him and you passed up that opportunity to ask questions?" My kids and I are now brainstorming questions and writing them in the back of my blank Colonial notebook.  Now I am bugged that I didn't ask one question in particular, that reflected our government studies last year.  Next time.