sign in sign up
<<
Home , Battles of Saratoga, Minutemen

We the People

Kids come onto stage in criss-cross fashion while There She Stands plays, or something instrumental and patriotic. All are wearing blue jeans and solid red, white, or blue shirts OR our team shirts if we can get some!!

Kids sign the Pledge of Allegiance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXyUnqOEFJI

Yankee Doodle * = clap/stomp ​ It all began, it seems to me With taxes set from London The worst was when they taxed the tea That’s when things came undone!

We used to like the British tea, But then I never drank it And some folks said the best thing yet Was when the “Mohawks” * sank it. ​ ​

[Student] At the , a mob disguised as Mohawk Indians dumped British tea into the harbor so it couldn’t be taxed.

Things got worse as time went by The British they insisted That we were subjects of the King And that’s why we resisted.

Knowing that we’d have to fight We made our preparations The were ready to Be called out to their * stations. ​ ​ [Student] The militiamen, or part time soldiers, were called “minutemen” because they had to be armed and ready in a minute. They had no uniforms, but wore their everyday clothes instead.

[Student] The American colonists wanted to prevent the British from seizing their arms and gunpowder in Concord. and two other spies discovered the British plans and made the famous midnight ride to warn the , “The Regulars are coming! The Regulars are coming!” He didn’t say, “The British are coming,” because at that time in America, everyone still considered themselves to be British!

Redcoats were surprised to find Us Yankees set on winning At Lexington a shot rang out It was the war’s beginning!

[Student] Early one April morning in 1775, seventy-seven American militia faced off against hundreds of British soldiers on Lexington Green just outside of Boston. The Patriots under Captain lost eight men in that brief battle, and the British lost none before marching off to Concord.

[Student] The first bullet fired that day became known as “the shot heard ‘round the world,” because other countries could not believe the American colonists were taking on the greatest empire in the world!

At Bunker Hill we really showed The stuff that we were made of We dug a fort and fought as if There’s nothing we were ‘fraid of.

[Student] The Americans dug earthworks on Bunker Hill. They were able to dig them all overnight because they were used to hard work and were willing to work throughout the night, unlike the British.

Another year went by before We had our Declaration Of Independence which became The creed of our whole nation.

[Student] On the Fourth of July, 1776, the Americans declared independence. They now regarded their nation as a totally separate country from Great Britain.

[Student] “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.”

[Student] The war had now officially begun. After months of dramatic losses in , George and his troops crossed the icy Delaware River to Trenton, New Jersey in the depths of winter. They surprised Britain’s allies asleep on Christmas night and won the battle!

Times were hard, the winter cold, We really took a bruising. But General Was not too keen on losing.

[Student] According to legend, around this time, Betsy Ross was asked to make the first American flag, using six pointed stars, but she said five-pointed stars would look better.

Every needs a flag To pledge unto forever, And now we had our stars and stripes, Red, white, and blue together.

[Student] States had their own flags and individual regiments all had at least one flag of their own. But the new country needed a special banner. The first “stars and stripes” American flag had 13 stars to represent the 13 states. They were arranged in a circle to represent “a new constellation” in a blue sky.

Their uniforms in tatters now They didn’t look so splendid. Saratoga turned the tide, The British there surrendered.

[Student] At the , the Americans began using new techniques and a new kind of , and they forced over 6,000 British soldiers to surrender to the tune of “.”

[Student] The Marquis de Lafayette, a passionate and dedicated young Frenchman volunteering his service for free in Washington’s army, sailed back to and convinced the king to become our ally in the war against England.

[Student] France’s King Louis the 16th sent an abundance of guns, soldiers, and ships to the colonies, which would eventually give us an advantage we didn’t have before. We owe Lafayette a debt of gratitude for this and for so much more!

Winter camp at , The cold was really killing, But we became an army when Von Steuben did the drilling.

[Student] Washington’s troops went into winter camp at Valley Forge in . They were ragged and starving at first, but conditions gradually improved. A Prussian officer named Baron von Steuben drilled the troops and turned them into a disciplined army. Our Army today still uses the techniques in the book Von Steuben wrote for the troops in the Revolutionary War!

Yorktown was the last big battle British there surrendered. The French had helped us Yankees out And soon the war was ended.

[Student] The French had entered the war on the side of the Americans. Together, American and French soldiers trapped the British and their Hessian allies at Yorktown, and forced them to surrender, which effectively ended the Revolutionary War.

Yankee Doodle won his war He seemed to be in clover. But revolutions carried on Some things are never over!

Yankee doodle keep it up Yankee doodle dandy. Mind the music and the step And with the girls be dandy!

[Student] Yankee Doodle had become a dandy and his song was a victory celebration! We had won the war and were a free country. Now it was time to develop our own rules and laws, so delegates from 12 of the 13 states gathered in Philadelphia to write our Constitution. On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was signed, and in March of 1789, it went into effect! {CHEERS}

Yankee Doodle won his war He seemed to be in clover. But revolutions carried on Some things are never over!

Yankee doodle keep it up Yankee doodle dandy. Mind the music and the step And with the girls be dandy! with the girls be * dandy! ​ ​ with the girls be * dandy! ​ ​ with the girls be * dandy! ​ ​ with the girls be * dandy! ​ ​

Sing “The Preamble” ​ ​ (all) Hey, do you know about the USA? Do you know about the government? Can you tell me ‘bout the Constitution? Hey, learn about the USA.

(boys) In 1787, I’m told, our Founding Fathers did agree to write a list of principles for keepin’ people free. (girls) The USA was just starting out a whole brand new country And so our people spelled it out; the things that we should be!

(1 kid) And they put those principles down on paper and called it the Constitution and it’s been helping us run our country ever since then. (1 kid) The first part of the Constitution is called the preamble, and tells what those Founding Fathers set out to do.

(all) We the people, in order to form a more perfect union establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense support the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity (girls) do ordain, and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

(boys) In 1787, I’m told our Founding Fathers all sat down and wrote a list of principles that’s known the world around (girls) The USA was just starting out a whole brand new country and so our people spelled it out: they wanted a land of liberty!

(1 kid) And the Preamble goes like this:

(all) We the people, in order to form a more perfect union establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense suppose the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity (girls) do ordain, and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

[Student] Our Founding Fathers and those who fought in the Revolutionary War sacrificed so much so that we could be a free country---the first one like it in the history of the world! We hope everyone remembers what they did for us, and that we all appreciate our freedoms now.

{Hum God Bless America while we get the states cards passed out}

Sing “50 Nifty” ​ ​ ​ Fifty nifty United States from thirteen original colonies; Fifty nifty stars on the flag that billows so beautifully in the breeze.

Each individual state Contributes a quality that is great. Each individual state Deserves a bow, we salute them now.

Fifty nifty United States from thirteen original colonies, Shout 'em, scout 'em, tell all about 'em, One by one till we've given a day to every state in the U.S.A.

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut; Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana; Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, , , Michigan; Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada; , New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio; Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas; Utah, , Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming!

(FASTER) Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut; ​ Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana; Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan; Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada; New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio; Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas; Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming!

North, south, east, west In our calm, objective opinion, [BIG PAUSE] INDIANA [BIG PAUSE] is the best of the... ​ Fifty nifty United States from thirteen original colonies, ​ Shout 'em, scout 'em, tell all about 'em, One by one till we've given a day to every state in the good old U.S.A.

Sing “This Land is Your Land” ​ This land is your land, this land is my land From the California to the New York island From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking that ribbon of highway I saw above me that endless skyway And saw below me that golden valley This land was made for you and me.

I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts And all around me, a voice was sounding This land was made for you and me.

When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling In the wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting This land was made for you and me.

This land is your land and this land is my land From the California to the New York island From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters This land was made for you and me.

When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling In wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling The voice come chanting as the fog was lifting This land was made for you and me. God Bless the USA I am Your Flag {in the background of the spoken poem} {a poem spoken in front of the song}

If tomorrow all the things were gone (1 kid) I am the symbol of the living America, the I'd worked for all my life badge of its greatness, the emblem of its destiny. And I had to start again With just my children and my wife (1 kid) I am faith. It is I who keep men mindful of their priceless heritage, life, liberty, and the right to pursue I'd thank my lucky stars happiness. To be living here today Cause the flag still stands for freedom (1 kid) I am hope. I represent the land of promise And they can't take that away wherein, already, man's loftiest dreams have approached closer to realization than ever before on And I'm proud to be an American this earth. Where at least I know I'm free And I won't forget the men who died (1 kid) I am life. Each strand and fiber of my being Who gave that right to me is a memorial, dedicated to the sacrifices of all those strong men and steadfast women who have lived and And I gladly stand up died in the nation's service, that it might live forever. Next to you and defend her still today Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land (1 kid) I am tolerance. So long as I shall wave, God bless the USA all people under my protection may freely worship, think, write, and speak, undaunted by the shadow of From the lakes of Minnesota fear. To the hills of Tennessee Across the plains of Texas (1 kid) I am justice, tempered with mercy, From sea to shining sea for I am a friend to the oppressed and downtrodden of every land. From Detroit down to Houston, And New York to L.A (1 kid) I am a sign of the future. I wave over schools Well there's pride in every American heart throughout the nation and in them, the nation's future is And it’s time we stand and say molded.

That I'm proud to be an American (1 kid) I am the flag of the United States. The last, Where at least I know I'm free the best hope for peace on Earth. And I won't forget the men who died Who gave that right to me THEN ALL KIDS JOIN IN SINGING WHAT’S LEFT OF THE SONG. And I gladly stand up Next to you and defend her still today Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land ON CUE, KIDS BEGIN LEAVING THE God bless the USA STAGE TO GET A FLAG AND STAND IN A CIRCLE AROUND THE AUDIENCE. And I'm proud to be and American Where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died Who gave that right to me

And I gladly stand up Next to you and defend her still today Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God bless the USA. By the end of the song/program, the kids are standing all around the perimeter of the room holding up flags.