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The AmericAn VillAge
presenTs
Liberty !
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Welcome to the American Village. Today you will experience a unique learning
adventure, a revolutionary experience which allows you to participate in the
remarkable story of America’s journey for liberty and independence. more than two
centuries ago, george Washington called on all Americans to “preserve the sacred fire
of liberty.” it is the fire that united 13 separate colonies as they began to think of
themselves as Americans. it is the same fire of liberty which ignited the American
revolution and which has fueled the expansion of liberty by patriots in every
generation. it is my hope that what you discover on your own journey at the
American Village will inspire you to be committed to the ideals of liberty and
self-government. The work of building good citizens is essential for our country’s
future. Thank you for being a part of this vital work to keep the republic.
Tom Walker
founder and ceo
The American Village
my nAme: ____________________________________________
my school: __________________________________________
DATe of my VisiT: ______________________________________
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Seeds of Revolution
N o Ta x at i o n W i t h o u t R e p r e s e n tat i o n :
how would you feel if your government suddenly took away your voice and your ability to make decisions? The year is 1765 and the
parliament of great Britain has just passed new taxation without the input or consent of the American colonists. for a century and a half,
we have taken part in creating laws of this land, and now Britain is trying to deny us this privilege. We must decide to make a stand so
that our rights are not taken from us! We will make our voices heard!
A. What the British Did
1765
- Stamp Act
1765
- Quartering Act
1767
- Townshend Acts
1773
- Tea Act
colonists were required to pay taxes on
any printed document.
colonists were required to house and
feed British soldiers on their property.
colonists were required to pay taxes on
products made in great Britain.
great Britain tried to force colonists to
purchase tea from the British east india
company in order to maintain taxes.
B. How the Colonists Responded
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The Spirit ofLiberty
The Shot Heard ‘Round the World:
it is April 1775; Boston is now occupied by British redcoats. english
plans to disarm the minute men and arrest important patriot leaders are
about to unfold. An unlikely informant has risked everything to warn
The sons of liberty. can we let this happen, or will we take up arms
against the strongest military in the world?
The cUpiD code was developed as a way to write in secret code. it is one of
many forms of espionage used by patriots during the American revolution
to keep important information from the enemy. This chart contains the key
for the cUpiD code. The numbers represent the 26 letters of the alphabet.
each column contains the letters of the alphabet, listed in order beginning
with the letters in the key word - in this case, the word “cupid.”
To code a message, start with column one and select the row number in
which the first letter of the word appears. move to the second column
and select the row number in which the second letter of the word
appears, and so on by moving over one column each time. After
reaching the last column, continue the process by moving back to the
first column. hyphens are used to separate the letters in a word. for
example, the word “history” is coded 5 - 14 - 3 - 11 - 11 - 15 - 4.
Try your skills with the cUpiD code. Decode the following message
and then try writing your own.
10 - 14 - 14 - 5 - 5 - 4 - 13 - 4 9 - 5 - 1 - 10
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The Virginia Convention
Declare the United Colonies Free & Independent States!
Upon the 15th day of may 1776, delegates to the 5th Virginia convention led by patrick henry have gathered against the will of British
officials, and drafted resolves that would free Virginia from england. These resolves suggest to the continental congress that all other
American colonies do the same. Virginia is the largest colony and its actions will have a huge effect on the others. Will you as a delegate
vote to free Virginia, or remain loyal to mother england? America’s fate hangs in the balance and every voice counts!
______ 1.
loyalist Viewpoint
A. Appoint a committee to declare
a declaration of rights, plan a new
government, and provide liberty to
the people.
______ 2.
patriot Viewpoint
B. mr. edmund pendleton
Match the Following:
c. i am a farmer who sees that America
offers opportunities i could never enjoy in
england.
______ 3.
henry’s resolves
______ 4.
smith’s resolves
D. i am a merchant; i deal only with Britishmade goods. This fighting could ruin me.
president of the
convention
e. our delegates in congress should procure
an immediate, clear and full Declaration of
independence.
______ 5.
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Volley, Fire &Batt le Cry
L i b e r t y o r D e at h !
America’s continental Army under the command of general george Washington faces not only the challenge of British redcoats, but also
starvation, worn out clothes, and the fury of nature. however, through it all, America’s soldiers remain steadfast in their commitment to
protect the sovereignty of our nation from tyranny. general Washington said of his men: “Discipline is the soul of an army. it makes small
numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.” fellow citizens, freedom is not free, so step forward and find the
commitment and discipline to join the ranks of America’s warriors to defend freedom and liberty from all enemies.
See if you can list in order the
steps of loading and firing a
musket:
Charge with cartridge- pour the powder down the barrel, insert the ball, and begin to pull the
ramrod out of the barrel
1. ________________________
Make ready- bring the musket up and pull the cock back
2. ________________________
Take aim- aim the musket
3. ________________________
Fire- pull the trigger, fire the weapon, bring the musket back
to the loading position
4. ________________________
5. ________________________
Return rammer- return the rammer under the barrel and bring the musket up to the soldier
Open Pan- the flash pan is opened so that the priming
powder can be poured in
6. ________________________
Shut pan- close the pan and bring the muzzle up so that
the powder can be poured down the barrel
7. ________________________
Ram down cartridge- using the ramrod, push the musket
ball down the barrel and pack it
8. ________________________
9. ________________________
10. ______________________
Prime- pour a little bit of powder in the priming pan
Handle cartridge- remove the cartridge from the
cartridge box
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The Constitutional Convention
The Miracle of Philadelphia
in september of 1787, delegates were sent by America’s new states to the federal convention in order
to amend the Articles of confederation, which had proven inadequate to govern America. The result of
this convention was a dynamic new form of government that was to become the world’s most
successful model. After long summer months of being locked and shuttered inside philadelphia’s
statehouse, the delegates finally emerged, having completed their task. The oldest delegate, Benjamin
franklin, was asked what form of government America was to have. he responded, “A republic, if you
can keep it.” soon afterward a Bill of rights was adopted, designed to “keep the republic” and protect
the principles of liberty and self-government.
The challenge for each American now is to help “keep” or take care of our republic, the United states
of America.
What were some of the outcomes of the constitutional convention?
Who were the framers?
interesting facts:
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The Call to Washington
George Washington: The Indispensable Man
george Washington was called the "indispensable man." he was the leader that America could not do
without. When our country called him to service, he sacrificed his private happiness for public duty.
in 1775 the threat of all-out war with the mother country england increased. America’s new
continental Army needed a leader. The continental congress turned to george Washington who had a
reputation as a strong leader. As America’s general he led colonists against the strongest military on
earth to win American independence. When America won in 1783, Washington the conquering general
could have kept power and become king. instead, he voluntarily gave up military power because he
said the war was fought for the cause of liberty. he retired to his beloved home, mount Vernon, but
his retirement from public service was brief.
The newly independent America had a weak form of government under the Articles of confederation.
it was in danger of failing. A federal convention, known now as the “constitutional convention” was organized in philadelphia in may of
1787. some of Washington’s advisors urged him not to serve as a delegate. They feared the convention would fail and his reputation would be
harmed. But Washington felt the needs of his country came first. he was elected by the other delegates to serve as president of the
convention. his commanding but quiet presence helped the other delegates work together. When the delegates designed the office of
president to perform executive duties, they envisioned Washington as the ideal.
Washington was elected twice unanimously as our first president. he left retirement at mount Vernon once more and took office in 1789.
he set the standard for the presidency and helped America establish itself as a new nation. After faithfully serving two terms, he set another
example and decided not to seek reelection. America elected John Adams to the office, giving the country its first peaceful transfer of power.
Washington was called “father of our country” long before he was elected president. he led the American revolution for independence, he
led the constitutional convention, and served as our first president. When he died in 1799, America mourned its beloved hero, saying he was
"first in War, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” even today his example can inspire citizens and leaders to serve
our country.
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Revolutionary
Word Search
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Two Great Documents
The Declaration of Independence (July 4,1776)
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are
instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
let’s look more closely at what this means.
The “Unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United states of America” was adopted July 4,
1776. That day is America’s birthday because this document boldly declared our
independence from great Britain. it spelled out in detail how our country would declare
freedom from the mother country. The founders called these “truths” – or principles that
last for all time. our founders declared that each person is given life and liberty equally by our creator – meaning that every citizen has the right
to live their life in freedom and are equal in the eyes of god, our creator. They also declared that government gets its powers only because the
people agree and allow for it to have certain powers. The signers of the Declaration pledged support for the Declaration by relying “…on the
protection of Divine providence” – meaning they believed they had god’s guidance and approval. further, they pledged “our lives, our fortune,
and our sacred honor” – meaning they were willing to stake their lives on this belief, their savings, and their own good names. shortly after
its adoption, general george Washington had the Declaration read aloud to the entire American continental
Army. The troops then knew what they were fighting for: a revolutionary ideal of a
nation founded on the timeless truths and principles of liberty and government by the
people. so they, too, would commit their lives and honor to fight for a free country.
The Constitution (September 17, 1787)
After the American revolution, our country operated under an agreement called the
Articles of confederation among the new states. it was a contract, but many believed it
was not strong enough to hold our young country together, and that we were in grave
danger from other countries and from internal disputes.
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the states together, while retaining the rights and sovereignty of each state. This federal government consisted of three branches in order to
balance power and closely reflect the will of the people; these branches are the Judicial, the legislative, and the executive. After the federal
in 1787, four years after the end of the American revolution, the framers of our constitution met in philadelphia to revise the Articles. instead of
convention ended, the oldest delegate, Benjamin franklin, was asked what form of government America was to have. he responded, “A republic,
revising the Articles, they determined to draft a new constitution – one strong enough to protect the nation and unite the country.
if you can keep it.” it is the responsibility of every generation of Americans to “keep” our republic and The constitution of The United states tells
“We
the to
People
of that.
the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the
us how
do just
common defense, promote the General Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish
this
Constitution
forlearned
the United
States
of Declaration
America.”
What
have you
about
the
of Independence and the Constitution? Fill in the blank...
These words represent the “preamble” that declared the purposes of the constitution. They wanted balance - they did not want any level or any
The formal
term “the to
United
of America”
was threaten
used for the
the liberty
first time
in which
document?
branch
of government
be sostates
powerful
that it would
of the
people.
for that reason, the constitution divided up and gave
________________________________________
certain powers to the federal government, and it reserved other powers for the states and the people.
Within
itself, the
constitution
powers into from
three england
different,was
but_____________________________________.
equal branches:
one ofthe
thefederal
primarygovernment
reasons colonists
were
determinedseparated
to declarethe
independence
•
legislative
The branch
• of government
executivedesignated with the power to make laws is called the ________________.
•
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create a system
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____________________
constitution
Day
is celebrated
on ____________________
people.
our founders knew(date).
that the
principles of
liberty
and self-government
expressed in the (date).
Declaration
of independence would always be like an “experiment” in the hands of the American people.
Twelve colonies sent delegates to the convention; the colony without representation and the last state to
ratify the constitution was _______________________________________________.
The first plan of government for these new United states was known as
___________________________________________________________________________.
Would
you place your signature here as a symbol of your willingness to take part in
the
“experiment”
in self-government
your
resolve
to “Keep the Republic”?
A person
sent with power
to act for another isand
known
as their
__________________________.
The person selected to write the text of the Declaration of independence was
____________________________________.
What form of government was created by the constitution? ___________________________
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What I Learned at the American Village
about America’s journey for liberty and independence:
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
put
______________________________________________________________________________________
your
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
photo
here!
Post office Box 6
Montevallo, al 35115
(205) 665-3535
1-877-811-1776
www.aMericanvillage.org