Traitors or Patriots?

I always love talking about the American Revolution in class. It always stirs deep emotions among true students of History. There is a certain pride we feel as Americans as we learn about the heroism that made our nation. It's hard not to be proud when we relive moments, real, or slightly exaggerated by the mythology of our history, like Nathan Hale regretting, "...that I have but one life to give for my country," the winter at Valley Forge, or the crossing of the Delaware on Christmas night in 1776. The bravery of those who stood face to face against the most powerful army and navy in the world on the green at Lexington, Bunker Hill, and countless other battles should be respected and admired. Our nation and what we stand for was formed in this time of rebellion.

However, I love to play "what if" games with historical moments. What if the British had won? What if Washington had been captured during his retreat from New York? What if Colonel Rahl had interrupted his card game that cold Christmas night in 1776 to read the note warning him of the impending attack from the Americans? Certainly our government would not accept behavior today is similar to our founding fathers in our time of revolution! We would exercise our military might and attempt to crush the "traitors." So, are the brave men and women who fought against the British in our war of revolution patriots or traitors?

Well, both, I suppose! I try to stress in my class that the winners write history. In the case of the American Revolution, the Patriots narrative is the one most cited and remembered by us today. Had the American Army lost, history would tell a different tale. I'm sure Washington, Jefferson, Sam Adams, John Adams, John Hancock , and the rest of the Patriots would still be talked about in History classes, but in a much different light. Not as the heroes we know today, but as scoundrels who led a failed rebellion- much like Nathaniel Bacon, Guy Fawkes, or John Brown. There are always at least two sides to every story. A good historian will find as many narratives of the same event as possible, and evaluate from there. Today there are many ways to find those alternate versions of history including the Internet. Be careful! Not all versions are created equal. Many people write with bias and with a mission to revise the actual events. They might write persuasively and seem to back their ideas with lots of "facts." My parting words...Don't always believe everything you read , see on TV, or hear from someone else- even me!

If you are in my class I have some more bonus opportunities for you. You can bring me in some sources you find that you believe show bias or could be propaganda and explain to me why you think that. You could also write me a one page essay explaining ways our Constitution has built in opportunities for ordinary citizens to legally petition our government to change laws that are unfair. In other words, how can ordinary citizens participate in our government today to make changes to our laws or influence our lawmakers. Bring this stuff to me before Christmas break for your bonus points.

Next post?.......How could a nation dedicated to the proposition that ALL men are created equal leave women out of the process, enslave a race of people, and exterminate (bias word?) the native people of this land?

Freedom

What is freedom? Who is free? If someone is not free, what kind of things stop them from, being so? These questions, and many more, have been troubling me since we took a field trip to the National Underground Railroad Museum and Freedom Center. I was deeply troubled as we left when our docent reminded us that slavery still exists today. It's not something I really thought much about. As a history teacher, it's easy to think of slavery simply in terms of antebellum slavery here in America that ended with the 13th Amendment. I visited the Freedom Center website the evening after we returned from our trip. I read about modern slavery. I watched the video on the website from www.freetheslaves.net. I was appalled to discover that there are more slaves today than at any other time in world history. An estimated 27 million people live in some form of bondage with 17,500 being trafficked into the US each year. About 3/4 of them are women, and 1/2 are children. Most are involved in sex slavery, but some ar eused as farm workers, factory workers, maids, hotels, and even as child soldiers. Ironically, it was while watching the controversial TV show "24" that I saw a moving portrayal of child soldier slaves. Children kidnapped and forced to kill. Forced to abandon their innocence and take up arms against people who they don't even know, let alone have a working knowledge of the wrongs those people may or may not have committed against them.

I cannot imagine the strength of someone's desire to be free because I do not know what it's like to NOT be free. An exhibit we did not get to see on our field trip was a box. Henry Brown wanted to be free so badly that he mailed himself from Maryland to Philadelphia in a crate. How big was it? Look at this! You can read about Henry "Box" Brown" in Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine.

I have been trying to think of a way to make a difference in the lives of those held against their will. The Freedom Center Website has some organizations with good ideas, but I want to act locally and inspire others to do likewise. Do any of you have any ideas how to help?

Obama Victory Speech

On November 4, 2008, Barrack Obama won the election for president. He laid out his vision for his presidency in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois that night in his victory speech. The part of the speech that stood out for me was the three words that became a battle cry during his campaign, "Yes we can!" The theme continues in this speech. Whether you like him or not, whether you voted for him or not, the message of personal accountability and community action are essentially American. The idea of government of, by, and for the people is a recurring theme in American History. From the Sons of Liberty to the Underground Railroad to the Suffragettes to Chavez and his migrant workers to King and the Civil Rights Movement, American citizens have consistently stood up for what they believe in and become the change they wanted to see. It is the power of the people in those movements that created the change. No change can come without the will and consent, and action of the people. Obama calls all of us to action to improve our nation.

See Obama's historic victory speech here .

Welcome!

Welcome to all of you. I'm glad you could stop in. Sometimes in education, we get stuck doing the same thing we have always done. I love history, and I am a student of history, but that has made me realize things always change. As a lover of history, I long to connect to our past- to study it, to analyze it, and to learn from it. As an educator, I want students to love learning, know how to access information, and use that information to be productive citizens and the best people they can be. In the classroom, I can provide opportunities for students to do that, but learning cannot stop when the students leave the building.

Our world is changing everyday faster than we can imagine. I hope this blog can be a place where students, parents, teachers, administrators, and anyone else interested can come and share ideas about the past while preparing for the future.

Use of technology and communication between students and teachers outside the classroom are sometimes "boogie men" for administrators and educators of all stripes. Hence, my blog name is "Trouble the Water." It has biblical roots as a place the sick would gather in wait for God to "trouble the water" of a sacred pool. The story says that the first person to enter the water after the troubling would be healed of all sickness- they would "get clean."

The saying took on new meaning in the Antebellum South as slaves would sing of God troubling the water. There is debate about the meaning, but the most common explanation I have heard is rooted in the song Wade in the Water. As slaves prepared to run away, they may have sung this song to alert their loved ones of their pending flight. The water they were going to wade was the Ohio River. The troubling of the water would result in getting clean, or free, on the other side.



Wade in the water.

Wade in the water, children.

Wade in the water.

God's gonna' trouble the water.



So, I think it's time for educators to get clean, and use more technology in the classroom. There must be a firm commitment to improving the technology infrastructure, teacher technology training, seamless integration of technology in the classroom, and student access to technology in our district and throughout the country. This is my version of troubling the water without placing the blame on anyone. I do not mean to attack, I mean to issue a wake-up call to my school, specifically, and American education, in general. I am wading in the waters of uncharted territory for me so I can get clean and teach the past with an eye on the future! Please enjoy this video and see how it inspired me to create this blog.