Once Upon a Nation History Makers
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Mary Pickersgill: the Woman Who Sewed the Star-Spangled Banner
Social Studies and the Young Learner 25 (4), pp. 27–29 ©2013 National Council for the Social Studies Mary Pickersgill: The Woman Who Sewed The Star-Spangled Banner Megan Smith and Jenny Wei Just imagine: you live in a time before electricity. There are no sewing machines, no light bulbs, and certainly no television shows to keep you entertained. You spend six days a week working 12-hours each day inside your small home with four teenage girls and your elderly mother. This was the life of Mary Pickersgill, the woman who sewed the Star-Spangled Banner. This image is the only known likeness of Mary Pickersgill, Each two-foot stripe of the flag was sewn from two widths of though it doesn’t paint an accurate picture of Mary in 1813. British wool bunting. The stars were cut from cotton. Though Visitors who see this image in the “Star-Spangled Banner” the flag seems unusually large to our eyes (nearly a quarter of online exhibition” (amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner) the size of a modern basketball court), it was a standard “gar- often envision Mary as a stern grandmother, sewing quietly rison” size meant to be flown from large flagpoles and seen in her rocking chair. No offense to the stern grandmoth- from miles away. ers of the world, but Mary was actually forty years Mary Pickersgill had learned the art of flag making younger than depicted here when she made the from her mother, Rebecca Young, who made a Star-Spangled Banner, and was already a suc- living during the Revolution sewing flags, blan- cessful entrepreneur. -
COLLEGE of LETTERS and SCIENCE a Showcase of the People and Progress in the UCLA College of Letters and Science
Winter 2011 Volume Fifteen COLLEGE OF LETTERS AND SCIENCE A showcase of the people and progress in the UCLA College of Letters and Science 8 10 12 Making Sense of Our Life Lessons: The Changing Nature of 6 Inner Worlds Beyond the Lecture Hall Forging Friendships Migra Shelley Taylor, winner of the 2010 At the first College Summer Institute, A new study of students on Historian Kelly Lytle Hernández has Lifetime Achievement Award from the new Bruins got a head start on Facebook by sociologists traced the little-known history of how American Psychological Association, is university life that included a Andreas Wimmer and Kevin Lewis Mexican immigrants slowly became a founder of three fields in psychology civic engagement project to deepen found that race is trumped by the primary target of U.S. immigration that explore the issues that profoundly their involvement in the campus social connections and geographic law enforcement. affect mental and physical health. community. origins in friendship-building. On the cover: The Complexity of Emotion A Wondrous Machine to Unlock the Secrets of the The UCLA Physics & Astronomy Building, Harryette Mullen, professor of home to state-of-the-art research and English and winner of the 2010 Universe education space for the sciences. Jackson Prize for Poetry, uses UCLA scientists are playing her writings to explore globalism, Photo by Reed Hutchinson pivotal roles in the international the African American experience, consortium of researchers women’s issues, and a love of seeking fundamental insights wordplay. about the Big Bang. 14 16 S n a p s h o t s College News Great Futures for the College An update of events and progress The impact of philanthropy in the UCLA College of Letters on the College. -
Marcus 16 Years Old House Servant at Mount Vernon Hercules “Uncle Harkless” 43 Years Old Father of Three Children Personal C
Marcus Hercules “Uncle Harkless” 16 Years Old 43 Years Old Father of Three Children House Servant at Mount Vernon Personal Chef to General Geo. Washington Chief Cook at Mansion House Earned a salary of one to two hundred dollars a year by selling leftovers from the presidential kitchen. Kitt Caesar 25 Years Old 45 - 50 Years Old Father of Two Spiritual Leader of the Enslaved Community Wife died in childbirth with second child. at Mount Vernon Carpenter Washington’s Union Farm Field Hand Thomas Christopher Sheels (Father was free and white) 13 Years Old 25 Years Old Field Hand Received permission to marry a woman from (Father was sold to the West Indies by a neighboring farm. George Washington when he was captured after escaping from Mount Vernon) Personal Assistant to George Washington Billy Lee Slammin’ Joe 40 Years Old 45 Years Old Married a Free Black Woman in Philadelphia Married to Silla at Dogue Run Farm ● Served as Washington’s huntsman Six Children prior to Revolutionary War. ● Served with Washington during the Revolutionary War. Ditcher at the Mansion House Farm ● Shoemaker to other slaves at Mt. (A ditcher helped drain marshy lands so they Vernon after the Revolutionary War. were suitable for farming) Savary Austin Son of a ditcher and a field hand. 25 Years Old 11 Years Old Waiter at the Mansion House. Assisted with the care of the animals at Dogue Run Farm. Married to Charlotte Five children Simms Tom Davis 17 Years Old 25 Years Old Carpenter’s Apprentice at Dower House Brick Layer (Temporarily relocated to Mr. -
The American Contradiction: Conceived in Liberty, Born in Shackles Kenneth C
Social Education 84(2), p. 76–82 ©2020 National Council for the Social Studies The American Contradiction: Conceived in Liberty, Born in Shackles Kenneth C. Davis America was conceived in liberty and But “The past is never dead,” as must acknowledge that slavery rocked born in shackles. This is the Great William Faulkner, a son of the South, the cradle of American history. Contradiction at the heart of our nation’s once wrote. “It’s not even past.” We need a new framework to teach story. Let’s be clear. American slavery was that subject. I believe it must begin When the United States of America not a minor subplot in the American with five central points about the role was founded in 1776, the Founding drama, but one of the central acts in its that racial slavery played in the found- Fathers declared the lofty ideal of “all history. For many years, the long, tragic ing, creation, and development of the Men are created equal.” The Framers narrative of slavery’s destructive power American republic. We must weave of the Constitution later set out to form and its cruel savagery were concealed these fundamental facts into the bed- a “more perfect Union” to secure “the rock of how we teach American History Blessings of Liberty.” and Civics. But among their ranks were many men “Let’s be clear. American who bought, sold, and enslaved people. •Enslaved people were in America Slavery was present at the nation’s birth slavery was not a minor before the Mayflower Pilgrims. and was essential to the foundation of subplot in the American the political and economic power that In August 1619, a shipload of Africans built the country in the early nineteenth drama, but one of the captured to be sold arrived in Jamestown, century. -
Betsy Ross's 5-Pointed Star - How Did She Do That?
Betsy Ross's 5-pointed star - How did she do that? 1952 Betsy Ross stamp depicting her meeting with the Flag Committee composed of George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross Elizabeth Griscom Ross (January 1, 1752 – January 30, 1836) There is some debate as to whether Betsy Ross really sewed the first U.S. American Flag but it is generally acknowledged that she was an integral part in redefining its final design. Betsy Ross's daughter, Rachel Fletcher, testified in 1870, "[The committee] showed her [Betsy Ross] a drawing roughly executed, of the flag as it was proposed to be made by the committee, and that she saw in it some defects in its proportions and the arrangement and shape of the stars. That she said it was square and a flag should be one third longer than its width, that the stars were scattered promiscuously over the field, and she said they should be either in lines or in some adopted form as a circle, or a star, and that the stars were six-pointed in the drawing, and she said they should be five-pointed." Source: http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/ Evidently the committee thought that it would be too hard to create 5-pointed stars so they designed 6- pointed stars. Betsy educated these famous men by showing them a simple folding with only one scissors cut that produced an eloquent 5-pointed star. 1. Use the instructions on the next page to create your own "perfect" pentagram. 2. Use the picture of the fold lines on the third page to try to work out (and come to class ready to explain your reasoning of) why this works? We found several "make a 5-pointed star with only one cut" recipes on line. -
“Ona” Judge Staines, Or
ONEY “ONA” JUDGE STAINES, OR, HOW DADDY-O GEORGE FUCKED WITH HIS SLAVES “NARRATIVE HISTORY” AMOUNTS TO FABULATION, THE REAL STUFF BEING MERE CHRONOLOGY “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Oney “Ona” Staines HDT WHAT? INDEX ONEY “ONA” STAINES ONEY “ONA” JUDGE 1752 July: Upon the death of his half-brother Lawrence Washington, George Washington inherited rights to the Mount Vernon plantation in Virginia, inclusive of 18 slaves. (The ledgers and account books which he kept show that he then bought slaves when necessary and possible, to replenish this original 18. In the account books of Washington, the entries show that in 1754 he bought two males and a female; in 1756, two males, two females and a child, etc. In 1759, the year in which he was married, his wife Martha, brought him 39 “dower-Negroes.” He kept separate records of these Negroes all his life and mentions them as a separate unit in his will. Washington purchased his slaves in Alexandria from Mr. Piper and perhaps in the District in 1770 “went over to Colo. Thos. Moore’s Sale and purchased two Negroes. During Washington’s lifetime, the number of slaves would increase to 200.) It would seem that during Washington’s youth, he would be rather casual in regard to the lives and fortunes of black slaves. For instance, Henry Wiencek reports in AN IMPERFECT GOD: GEORGE WASHINGTON, HIS SLAVES, AND THE CREATION OF AMERICA (NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003) that at one point, the young man found it not to be beneath him, to participate in a lottery some of the prizes of which were slave children! November 4, Saturday: La clemenza di Tito, a dramma per musica by Christoph Willibald Gluck to words of Metastasio, was performed for the initial time, in the Teatro San Carlo of Naples. -
Fall 2008 – No
The National Underground Railroad National Park Service Network to Freedom Program US Department of the Interior National Capital Region Washington, DC THE CONDUCTOR (Fall 2008 – No. 24) New NCR Network to Freedom Members The Site of John Little’s Manor House (DC) in Kalorama Park was the residence of freedom seeker Hortense Prout who was found in a Union army camp. The Northampton Slave Quarters and Archaeological Park (Prince George’s County, Maryland) was the starting point for eight bondsmen escaping from the Sprigg family. The Freedom Site for Emily Plummer (Prince George’s County, Maryland) is now called Riversdale, and was where her husband brought her back from jail in Baltimore. NATIONAL HARRIET TUBMAN PARKS APPROACHING REALITY The momentum toward national commemoration of Harriet Tubman is growing. Along with Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman is a bigger-than-life figure identified with the Underground Railroad and known by school children across the United States. Tubman’s House in Auburn 1 Despite the fact that the Harriet Tubman acreage is within Blackwater National Special Resource Study has not yet been Wildlife Refuge or is private property presented by NPS to Congress, a bill to adjoining the refuge. The Harriet Tubman establish two NPS units has been National Historical Park in upper New introduced to Congress. On August 1, York State would include Tubman’s 2008, US Senators Benjamin L. Cardin home, the Home for the Aged she and Barbara A. Mikulski from Maryland founded, the local AME Zion Church, and joined Senators Hilary Rodham Clinton the cemetery where she is buried. -
Biographical Sketches of the Slaves Portrayed In
Biographical Sketches of the Slaves Portrayed in I Ain’t No Three Fifths of a Person: Slavery and the Constitution & Hear My Story: The Enslaved Community at Mount Vernon William “Billy” Lee Caroline Banham Christopher Sheels Slammin’ Joe Oney Judge Robert “Bob” Hemings With the generous support of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, Museum & Gardens and the Fairfax Network partnered to provide schools with engaging programs. Watch I Ain't No Three Fifths of a Person: Slavery and the Constitution on our YouTube channel at http://bit.ly/2mzjQ9w. Watch Hear My Story: The Enslaved Community at Mount Vernon on our YouTube channel at http://bit.ly/2mzjQ9w. Fairfax Network https://www.fcps.edu/news-and-calendars/fairfax-network [email protected] Biographical Sketches of the Slaves Portrayed in I Ain’t No Three Fifths of a Person: Slavery and the Constitution & Hear My Story: The Enslaved Community at Mount Vernon William "Billy" Lee George Washington purchased William Lee (also known as Billy or Will) in 1768. Through primary source research, we believe Billy was at least 16 years old at the time. Early records refer to him as Washington's "huntsman", which means that he would have accompanied Washington on foxhunts and most likely helped manage his hounds. Washington was considered the best horseman in Virginia and several accounts reflect on Billy's skill as well. Billy eventually became Washington's body servant or valet d'chambre. This position kept him by Washington's side throughout the day and responsible for a number of duties including laying out clothes, helping Washington dress, serving meals as needed, delivering personal correspondence as well as a variety of other tasks. -
The Legend of Betsy Ross 5
TThehe LLegendegend ooff BBetsyetsy RRossoss 5 Lesson Objectives Core Content Objectives Students will: Describe how the thirteen colonies in America evolved from dependence on Great Britain to independence as a nation Retell the legend of Betsy Ross and the f ag Language Arts Objectives The following language arts objectives are addressed in this lesson. Objectives aligning with the Common Core State Standards are noted with the corresponding standard in parentheses. Refer to the Alignment Chart for additional standards addressed in all lessons in this domain. Students will: Describe the connection between the f rst off cial f ag of the United States and the thirteen colonies (RI.1.3) Plan and draft an informative/explanatory text that presents information from “The Legend of Betsy Ross” about the f rst U.S. f ag (W.1.2) With guidance and support from adults, focus on the topic of the U.S. f ag, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details, as needed, to strengthen student writing about the f ag (W.1.5) Make personal connections to the informative text “The Legend of Betsy Ross” by describing a f ag that would be representative of their class (W.1.8) Describe the f rst U.S. f ag with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly (SL.1.4) A New Nation: American Independence 5 | The Legend of Betsy Ross 63 © 2013 Core Knowledge Foundation With assistance, create and interpret a timeline of the settlement of North America and the creation of the United States of America Prior to listening to “The Legend of Betsy Ross,” orally identify what they know and have learned about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Revere Share writing with others Core Vocabulary alternating, adj. -
PHILADELPHIA WOMEN and the PUBLIC SPHERE, 1760S-1840S
“THE YOUNG WOMEN HERE ENJOY A LIBERTY”: PHILADELPHIA WOMEN AND THE PUBLIC SPHERE, 1760s-1840s By KATHARINE DIANE LEE A dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-New Brunswick Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in History Written under the direction of Nancy Hewitt and Paul G. E. Clemens And approved by _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ New Brunswick, New Jersey May 2016 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION “The Young women here enjoy a liberty”: Philadelphia Women and the Public Sphere, 1760s-1840s by KATHARINE DIANE LEE Dissertation Director: Nancy Hewitt This dissertation examines women’s access to and participation in the community life of Philadelphia in the decades surrounding the American Revolution. It argues against the application of separate spheres to late-colonial and early national Philadelphia and proposes that women were heavily integrated into nearly all aspects of the city’s public life. Women from diverse backgrounds were actively involved in commerce, politics, protest, intellectual and legal debates, social institutions, wartime developments, educational advancements, and benevolent causes. They saw themselves and were viewed by their peers as valuable members of a vibrant and complex city life. If we put aside assumptions about women’s limited relationship to the public sphere, we find a society in which women took advantage of a multitude of opportunities for participation and self-expression. This project also examines the disparity between the image of the ideal housewife and the lived experience of the majority of female Philadelphians. Idealized descriptions of Revolutionary women present a far more sheltered range of options than those taken advantage of by most actual women. -
Make a Five-Pointed “Betsy Ross” Star
Make a Five-Pointed “Betsy Ross” Star While historians have not been able to gather any evidence that Betsy Ross was involved in sewing the first American flag; there is proof in the form of receipts that she did make flags for the Pennsylvania State Navy. The story of her involvement with George Washington and the first flag comes from the story she told her grandson, William J. Canby, at the time of her death. Part of this story was presented to the Pennsylvania Histori- cal Society in 1870. In the words of Mr. Canby, “In the drawing (of the flag) they (the stars) were made with six points. Mrs. Ross at once said that this was wrong; the stars should be five pointed; they were aware of that, but thought there would be some difficulty in making a five pointed star. “Nothing easier” was her prompt reply and folding a piece of paper in the proper manner, with one clip of her ready scissors she quickly displayed to their astonished vision the five pointed star; which accord- ingly took its place in the national standard.” How did Betsy Ross make a five-pointed star in one snip of her scissors? This is one of several ways she may have done it. (Instructions courtesy of The Figure A Betsy Ross House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). Make a Five-Pointed “Betsy Ross” Star 10" Materials: Paper (8½x11 inches), Scissors Figure A. Cut 1 inch off one of the end of the paper to make an 8½x10 inch sheet 8½" of paper. -
Martha Washington Goes Shopping
MARTHA WASHINGTON GOES SHOPPING: MASS CULTURE’S GENDERING OF HISTORY, 1910-1950 by EMILY M. WESTKAEMPER A Dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-New Brunswick Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in History written under the direction of Nancy Hewitt and T. J. Jackson Lears and approved by Dr. T. J. Jackson Lears Dr. Nancy Hewitt Dr. Bonnie G. Smith Dr. Jennifer Scanlon New Brunswick, New Jersey October 2009 2009 Emily Westkaemper ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Martha Washington Goes Shopping: Mass Culture’s Gendering of History, 1910-1950 By EMILY M. WESTKAEMPER Dissertation Directors: Nancy Hewitt and T. J. Jackson Lears This dissertation expands the definition of women’s social activism to include the innovative work of activists, intellectuals, and corporations creating popular historical narratives. As twentieth century American women assumed new social, political, and economic roles, popular media sentimentalized historical figures like Martha Washington as models for present-day domesticity, constructing colonial and antebellum womanhood as historical precedents for contemporary gendered and racialized divisions of labor. Magazines, advertisements, radio programs, films, and product packaging idealized the middle-class female consumer’s domestic role as a timeless contribution to American democracy, encouraging contemporary women to continue privileging familial over political roles. At the same time, women advertisers, magazine editors, department store executives, radio writers, and popular historians responded, constructing more dynamic narratives of progress in women’s status, both in their own work and in their collective efforts on behalf of women’s professional rights.