Category Archives: Modern History and Government
Christianity and the Modern World
I went to public school, which wasn’t all bad. I learned a ton of great information, probably most importantly I read, wrote about, and discussed the classics in an advanced English class under an incredible teacher, which gave me the … Continue reading
Comparing The Rights and Responsibilities of Three Countries
We did a government activity for Family Night this week. Every week we have one evening set aside that we spend as a family. We do it because we know life is busy and time gets away. Soon our kids … Continue reading
Niagara’s Trickle
When I think of Niagara Falls the first thing that comes to mind is HUGE. It connects Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and drops 326 feet in 35 miles. Daytime flow over the falls in the summer is 748,100 gallons … Continue reading
Courage, War, and Freedom
I read this quote the other day and it made me think that maybe all of us take our freedoms for granted a bit too much: Read and discuss the quote with your older children. Here are a few essay … Continue reading
Presidential Fact Finders
To celebrate President’s Day this year, we’re playing Presidential Fact Finders. You start with a simple craft, then turn it into a game! You’ll need 2 contrasting colors of construction paper, pencils, scissors, glue, and this printable template from our … Continue reading
The Story of Stilts
A stilt walker fixing wires Stilts were invented centuries ago, not for play, but for work and for transportation. In Belgium they were a necessity for the citizens of Namur, a city situated by 2 rivers that frequently flooded. The … Continue reading
President Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation
In 1863, in the midst of a terrible civil war and when all seemed darkest, Abraham Lincoln made this proclamation for a national day of Thanksgiving to God. Read this before your Thanksgiving Feast: By the President of the United … Continue reading
Mad Scientists: Fritz Haber
Fritz Haber was mean to his wife. That probably gets me more riled than all the rest of it, since really it led to all of it. Fritz and his wife, Clara Immerwahr, were both brilliant chemists. Unfortunately, unlike contemporaries, … Continue reading
Veterans Day Learning
Four US soldiers watching the allied bombing at Normandy. Veterans Day was first known as Armistice Day and celebrated the day the treaty was signed ending WWI, November 11, 1918. In 1954 the congress declared the day be renamed Veterans Day and that it … Continue reading
The Discovery of Machu Pichu
We’ve been studying the ancient people of the Americas including the Inca. Nathan, 13, wrote this report on the discovery of Machu Picchu. Hiram Bingham was a professor at Yale University who tried to find the mysterious city of Vilcapampa. … Continue reading
The First Amendment For Kids
The First Amendment covers the individuals right to conscience. We can say, think, believe, and write what we like and express those thoughts in public and to the government without fear of reprisals. Here’s what the First Amendment says: Congress … Continue reading
Flag Day
It’s Flag Day in the United States. I hope that no matter where you live, when you see your flag, you feel the same feeling I do when I see my flag. I remember even as a child watching a Boy Scout flag ceremony … Continue reading
Anne Frank
Today my mother-in-law sent me this amazing website all about Anne Frank…here’s a bit of info. she sent me about it: Today marks the anniversary of Anne Frank’s birth. During World War II, her family hid from German occupying forces. … Continue reading
Memorial Day Learning
Crafts are fun and can fill time, but if you want to really learn about Memorial Day, you have to learn about why America is worth fighting for and why people in the past have pledged their lives, fortunes and … Continue reading
Hobos
From the 1880′s to the 1930′s hobos were a familiar sight along the railroads and back roads of America. They were travelers, always looking for a cheap way to get from here to there. Hoping to find work, opportunities, and … Continue reading
Bill of Rights For Kids
My favorite novel is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, but my favorite document is The Constitution of the United States. This inspired document has done more good in the world than almost any other written word, except the Bible … Continue reading
Some Favorite Books on the Holocaust
You could tell kids about the holocaust or have them read about it in a text book, but given all the absolutely tremendous first hand accounts, why would you? Such a topic is far more meaningful and life changing coming from someone … Continue reading
Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement
Every homeschool and every classroom and every family in America should spend time on Monday learning about and talking about the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. King. Once a year is certainly not too much time to spend on a chapter of our history both so recent and … Continue reading
Mad Scientist: Alexis Carrel
Alexis Carrel was a French Scientist who won the Nobel Prize in 1912 for developing methods of suturing veins and arteries. His work and methods have saved thousands of lives and are still very much in use in surgeries today, especially in the area of … Continue reading
General George Henry Thomas
Have you ever heard about a hero named George Henry Thomas? Thomas was born in Virginia to slave holding, plantation owning, Southern aristocrats in 1816. Most children follow very closely in the footsteps of their parents, but Thomas departed from … Continue reading
History of Ecology
Ecology is the study of earth’s living systems and how they interact. It is not environmentalism, a social and political movement. Ecology is one of the most complex sciences and is very new. As such we are only at the … Continue reading
Old Glory
On our sister site, The Executive Mom, we’re offering an Old Glory Sign as a giveaway. To enter, all you have to do is leave us a comment about what your Independence Day plans are this year. The catch is, … Continue reading
Cold War
The Cold War wasn’t. Cold I mean (except in Korea. It was cold in Korea). Here’s a run down of what the Cold War was and how it got us where we are today. I strongly recommend that when you … Continue reading
The Other Immigrants
Everyone has heard of Ellis Island and the Irish, German, French, British, Scandinavian and other European immigrants, but we don’t hear much about Angel Island and the Asian immigrants. As you’re studying modern Chinese history, take some time to find … Continue reading
Political Science
One of the most confusing things one can study is human government and economics. The problem is that every government is unique and none fit into nice neat categories. Political scientists, teachers and encyclopedias disagree on basic things like definitions. … Continue reading
Up Periscope!
My two older boys, ages 12 and 11, and I made this periscope. It could be used in connection with learning about WWI, where they used periscopes to see over the edge of the trenches and in U-boats, while learning … Continue reading
World War I Timeline
Also known as the Great War and the War to End All Wars (sure wish that had worked out), the First World War changed everything. Though it had absolutely nothing to do with America, yet America fought in it and emerged … Continue reading
The Pony Express
The Pony Express was an early mail service that crossed North America in 1860 and 1861 (right before the Civil War). It ran from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California and consisted of relay teams f horseback riders carrying messages. … Continue reading
Patriotic Music For America
Patriotism, a love of country, is an important feeling to nurture in your children. If we love our country we will work to make it a better place. We will acknowledge the mistakes and national sins of the past and … Continue reading
The Tenth Amendment For Kids
My kids learned about the tenth amendment in connection with the civil war. Back then everybody was yelling “State’s Rights! State’s Rights!” What were they talking about? They were talking about the tenth amendment. The Tenth Amendment says: The powers not … Continue reading
American Government
The most basic understanding of the Constitution of the United States is an understanding of our form of government. It’s not a concept that can be taught to kids without some visual aids. Fortunately these are not difficult to make … Continue reading
Teaching the Bill of Rights
Teaching about the founding of the United States and the writing of the Constitution should be an essential part of education for young Americans. The Bill of Rights was a hotly debated issue when the Constitution was first penned. The … Continue reading
Economics For Older Kids
Economics is simply the study of money, both in a macro scale (the entire country or the world) and in a micro scale (your own checking account). Money is one of the most important subjects a person can study before … Continue reading
Women’s Suffrage
Here’s a great video to get kids interested in the subject of women’s suffrage: Discuss with kids the reasons why some people in a society are not allowed to vote while others are: not considered competent (men thought women were … Continue reading
Civics Lessons
Whatever your belief system or which side of the aisle you stand on politically, you need to teach your kids about American government. It is absolutely sure that the public schools will not. They will probably tell your kids very … Continue reading
