Issue 25 Summer Teaching Institutes End in August 2005 Shadow of Supreme Court Announcement

The second week of the Sum- preme Court, retired leaving broad categories, including mer Teaching Institutes occurred President Bush to make an cases impacting civil rights, with coincidental timing, as the appointment that would likely economic regulation, federal- discussion of the Supreme Court’s change the ideological bal- ism, (the role of that national influence on American history coin- ance of the Court. Through a vs. state and local govern- cided with President George W. discussion of the Roberts ments), and war powers. Bush’s nomination of Washington, appointment, we returned to Like the previous week’s D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals some of the perennial themes Teaching Institute, the teach- Judge John Roberts as the next As- ers took the issues brought sociate Justice of the United States about the place of the Court up through the discussions Supreme Court. in our system of government, including a discussion of and applied them to the crea- Judge Roberts, if confirmed, will precedent, methods of consti- tion of curriculum plans. replace retiring Justice Sandra Day tutional interpretation, and These will eventually be O’Connor. It is the first Supreme the role of the Court in bring- placed online at Court vacancy since 1993. ing about social change, ” www.hudsonrivervalley.net/ learning under the title The announcement, broadcast on said political science Professor “Freedom and Dignity Pro- primetime television, came on Lynn Eckert. ject”. The Summer Teaching Tuesday night, July 19th, and was Though the Roberts confir- Institutes are funded by discussed by the teachers during the mation dominated Wednesday Dutchess and Ulster County early morning session on Wednes- morning’s discussion, the BOCES and the Hudson day. teachers soon moved on to the River Valley Institutes “The program took place at an rest of their agenda for the through the Department of opportune time. Weeks before the week, involving analysis of Education’s Teaching Ameri- program, Justice O'Connor, the landmark Supreme Court deci- can History grant. moderate swing vote on the Su- sions in American history. The teachers looked at several ~Neil Bhatiya

Preview of Patriots’ Weekend Events

The biggest event of the Hudson The Weekend will com- dict Arnold, formerly the River Valley Institute’s year, the memorate the 225th Anniver- hero of the American victory Patriots’ Weekend will be held Sep- sary of Arnold and André’s at the Battle of Saratoga, was tember 29 – October 2. The topic of plot to surrender West Point, forced to flee in disgrace to this year’s Patriots’ Weekend is the the linchpin of the colonial Britain. Activities during the “Treason! The Arnold-André Af- defense of the strategic Hudson weekend will include lec- fair” perhaps the most notorious act River, to the British. The plot tures at Marist College and of betrayal in American history. was foiled, however, when the U.S. Military Academy at André was captured and Bene- (Continued on page 5)

Inside this issue: Special points of interest: Featured Historic Site 2 • Please be sure to consult the HRVI website, as we are constantly updating our content, Featured Website 2 a brief summary of which is on page 5 Featured Historic Town 3 Contact Us 6 • On page 4 is a summary of the “Teaching the Hudson Valley” lectures. . Staff Listing 6 Valley Institute YOUR GATEWAY TO THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY TO THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY GATEWAY YOUR Featured Historic Site—DeWint House

As one of General George Washing- ing his time of service in the ton’s headquarters during the American Continental Army. The first Revolution, the De Wint House, located was from August 8 to 24, in Tappan, , witnessed the 1780; the second during the many life-and-death decisions that domi- Andre trial; the third from nated Washington’s generalship. It also May 4-8, 1783 when he was played a part in the most famous treason negotiating the final British case in America’s history. withdrawal from ; and the fourth from No- From September 28 to October 2, vember 11-14, 1783, on his 1780, the De Wint House was the venue way to New York City, where for Washington’s supervision of the trial he would tender his resigna- of British Major John Andre, who was tion to the Congress. ’s co-conspirator in the plot to betray West Point to the British The house itself, con- (see Patriots’ Weekend Events article on De Wint House structed in the Dutch style, page 1). At the De Wint house, Washing- http://revolutionaryday.com/usroute9w/tappan/ dates back to 1700. Admis- ton heard the pleas from representatives sion to the site is free and of British general Sir Henry Clinton to open to the public from 10-4, thanks to bound, however, by the rules of war spare Andre’s life. Clinton argued that as the generosity of the Freemasons who which dictated that spies captured by the an officer in the British armed forces, he have maintained the site. enemy were to be hung. should be executed by a firing squad, ~ Neil Bhatiya which was considered a more honorable Washington headquartered in the De method of execution. Washingont was Wint house on three other occasions dur-

Featured Historic Website– Historical Society of Rockland County

The Historical Society of Rockland history of the county. Those interested County states its mission is to “acquire, can read listings of events, past, present preserve, document, and exhibit an his- or future, on the website. toric object and archival collection that reflects the diverse societal fabric of Other facilities include the Blauvelt Rockland.” The Society, though, has House, through which guided tours are extended this mission to the Internet, provided, and the Historic Barn, where enticing history buffs with their detailed the Historical Society of Rockland pages to visit and learn. County houses their special collections and events/lectures are held. Here, collec- The Historical Society of Rockland tions reaching back to approximately County actually possesses several build- 8000 B.C. are carefully preserved. For ings for public education and scholarly the less scholarly-inclined, topics of ex- research. The History Center Museum is hibits for the public range from Haitian the central hub for the Society’s interac- immigrants to the area to war letters from tion with the community, which the His- local veterans. To see what exhibit is torical Society considers to also be a cru- currently in display, a quick viewing of cial part of its mission. As its website the website is recommended. For infor- (http://www.rocklandhistory.org) ex- mation on tours and other inquiries, the plains, the Historical Society of Rockland Historical Society can be reached at (845) County has several educational programs 634-9269. The Historical Society is lo- for students that run throughout the year, cated at 20 Zukor Road, New City, New such as “Life on the Family Farm;” in York, 10956. Jacob Blauvelt House—http:// addition, it also holds many annual and www.rocklandhistory.org/ special programs for the general public to ~ Adrienne Harris house_overview.htm become better educated on the diverse

Page 2 HUDSON RIVER VALLEY INSTITUTE Featured Historic Town—Fishkill

The history of Fishkill, New York is a sides witnessing a military encampment, Geering Park. microcosm of the history of New York in the town also temporarily housed promi- general. From its Dutch roots to its role in nent officials, including Baron von Steu- Fishkill also played an important role Hudson River commerce, Fishkill’s his- ben, a Prussian officer largely credited in industrialization, specifically with the torical evolution parallels that of the with instilling discipline in the American Glenham Woolen Mill. The mill provided state’s. Even the town’s name illustrates Army, , and John Jay, employment for many families in the 19th its ancestry; Fishkill means “fish creek” the first Supreme Court Justice. Parallel- century, producing blue serge, a type of in Dutch and thus recognizes the contri- ing Boston, albeit on a much smaller twilled cloth, for Union soldiers. How- butions of its’ first European settlers. scale, Fishkill also hosted a Tea Party. ever, like other industries, the business However, in Fishkill’s case, it was a collapsed during the depression of the Fishkill was originally part of the group of women who were protesting the 1870s. In 1931, Texaco breathed new life Rombout Patent. In 1685, this patent was price of tea. into the area with the establishment of a purchased and divided into three smaller research center. land grants. Roger Brett owned the sec- Many of the buildings still in use in tion that includes contemporary Fishkill. Fishkill lay claim to a role in the Ameri- Today, the town is attempting to bal- Roger Brett died soon after, leaving Ca- can Revolution. Trinity Church was a ance the desire to grow with the need to tharyna Brett to be the sole provider for hospital for soldiers, while the Dutch preserve its history. Many of the farms their children. Thereafter, Catharyna Reformed Church was the home of a have now given way to residential Brett sold tracts of her land as a source of prison for Tories and the New York Pro- neighborhoods and commercial develop- income leading to the creations of home- vincial Congress, making Fishkill the ment. Similar to New York, the struggle steads in the burgeoning town. temporary capital of New York. Further- between past and future will continue in more, George Washington’s sword, de- Fishkill. Fishkill’s strongest historical attach- picted in Washington Crossing the Dela- ment is to the . Be- ware, was made near present-day Maurer ~ Lauren Santangelo

Van Wyck/Wharton House, center of major Continental Army supply depot. photo credit: Lauren Santangelo

ISSUE 25 Page 3 Consortium Hosts Teaching Symposium While the Hudson River Valley Institute was hosting its own Summer Teaching Institutes at Marist College, a partnership of local educa- tional organizations was also holding programs on teaching issues related to the area, entitled “From Erie Canal to the New Deal: The Hud- son Valley and the Rise of the Empire State.” Over 100 educators attended over the course of the three-day program. The Teaching the Hudson Valley Institute represented the combined efforts of the , the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, the Hudson River Valley Greenway, the Hudson River Valley Institute, the Hudson River Estuary Program, and the New York State De- partment of Environmental Conservation. Additional support was provided by the MidHudson Teachers Center and the Franklin D. Roose- velt Presidential Library, which acted as the host site for the event. Additional funding was provided by the Malcolm Gordon Charitable Trust. More information can be found at the website, www.teachingthehudsonvalley.org.

The lecturers included professors, educators, and specialists from numerous fields across New York State. The subject areas covered were a refreshing blend of standard historical issues, including the impact of the Roosevelts, the Vanderbilts and the Civil War, and unique areas of inquiry, such as the use of photography to enhance student literacy, landscaping at the Vanderbilt Mansion, archaeology at the West Point Foundry, and the ecology of the Hudson River Valley. Among those presenting were representatives of Marist College faculty. Eng- lish Professor Mark Morreale discussed “Civil War and the Valley”, which is also the topic of his forthcoming article in the Fall issue of the Hudson River Valley Review. Professor Robyn Rosen, chair of the History Department at Marist, gave a lecture entitled “From the Progres- sive Era to the New Deal: An Overview” which centered on the impulse for government activism in social reform and was an important aspect of the early twentieth century. Professor Thomas Wermuth, Dean of the Marist College School of Liberal Arts and Director of the Hudson River Valley Institute, focused his talk, “The Economic Transformation of the Valley,” on the various factors which led to the in- dustrialization and expansion of the Hudson River Valley region during the early 19th century.

In addition to the lectures and workshops, grants were given to several area schools to work with historic sites to create curriculums em- bracing the diverse array of cultural, environmental, and historical resources in the Hudson River Valley. The grant recipients were: the Brendon Montessori School, in Lagrangeville; Chancellor Livingston School, Rhinebeck; Foxfire School, Yonkers; Haldane Elementary School, Cold Spring; Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer; New Paltz Middle School, New Paltz; Philip Livingston Academy, Albany; Sargent Ele- mentary School, Beacon; and Taconic Hills, Craryville. Greenberg-Graham, Hyde Park Central Schools, and Saint Dominic’s received scholarship funds to attend the institute.

~Neil Bhatiya

Marist College Professor Robyn Rosen lecturing. Photo Credit: Bill Urbin, NPS

Page 4 HUDSON RIVER VALLEY INSTITUTE New Web Content on HRVI Website

In addition to the many other activities ments to aid them in teaching the history Two student articles from the previ- which consume the Hudson River Valley of the Hudson River Valley ous semester have also been made Institute during the summer, we have (www.hudsonrivervalley.net/ available online. Dan Calandro’s his- been constantly updating our web content learninghome.php). tory of the ice industry and Neil Among the new items are electronic cop- Bhatiya’s survey of the West Point ies of our monthly newsletters for the The Digital Library menu includes a Foundry are both accessible under the past few months, available for download link to “Student Works.” Upon opening “Articles/Essays” link under Digital as a PDF (link: the page, over twenty PowerPoint presen- www.hudsonrivervalley.net/presscenter/ Library (www.hudsonrivervalley.net/ tations on a variety of subjects are avail- newsletters/newsletters/php.). We have books/articles/php). able for downloading or opening for also begun a new index page for the Hud- classroom use. Although some may son-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial. We have also added numerous already be aware that HRVI had these As the anniversary in 2009 approaches, events to our Events Calendar, cover- presentations open for use, they were we will be adding new content to that ing the remainder of the year 2005. We recently edited to ensure a quicker page, including links and primary sources are proud to offer this clearing house download time and more classroom- (www.hudsonrivervalley.net/ for community activities throughout the friendly look. Student-made lesson themes.HFCQ.php) . Hudson River Valley plans that can be used without or in (www.hudsonrivervalley.net/ conjunction with these presentations Teachers looking for additional re- calendar.php). sources can find them under “Learning,” are also in development and will soon be posted (www.hudsonrivervalley.net/ which provides teachers with lesson ~ Adrienne Harris plans, guidebooks, and primary docu- students).

Patriot’s Weekend

(Continued from page 1) Major André. On Friday, the lectures will Trust, the M&T Bank Charitable Founda- West Point, as well as re-enactments of continue at the U.S. Military Academy at tion, the Brigade of the American Revo- Major André’s capture and execution in West Point with another lecture by Dr. lution, Croton Friends of History, the Tappan. Martin and at the Tarrytown Music Hall George Washington Masonic Historic by Professor Randall. Site at Tappan, Historical Society, Inc, The four-day weekend will begin Lower Hudson Conference of Historical Thursday, September 29, with a confer- The re-enactments take place Saturday Agencies & Museums, the Croton Point ence at Marist College. Professor Thomas and Sunday, beginning with wreath- Park Material Archives and Laboratory Wermuth, Dean of the School of Liberal laying ceremonies at the Elmsford Re- for Archaeology, the Mount Pleasant Arts at Marist College and Director of the formed Church Cemetery and Croton Historical Society, the Orangetown His- Hudson River Valley Institute, and Pro- Point Park. There will be a re-enactment torical Museum and Archives, Samuel fessor Colonel James Johnson (U.S. of the capture of Major André at Patriots’ Adams, the Tappantown Historical Soci- Army, retired), Executive Director of the Park in Sleepy Hollow. These will be ety, Department of History, United States Hudson River Valley Institute will con- followed by recreations of colonial life, Military Academy at West Point, and the duct a lecture entitled “The American and encampments by Revolutionary War Van Cortlandtville Historical Society. Revolution in the Hudson Valley.” re-enactors. On Sunday, Patriots’ Week- This schedule is tentative and subject to end participants will recreate the trial and change. Further information can be found These will be followed by talks on execution of Major André for his role in at the HRVI website, Benedict Arnold by Dr. James Kirby the attempt to betray West Point to the www.hudsonrivervalley.net, and the web- Martin, Distinguished University Profes- British. site for the Hudson River Valley National sor of History at the University of Hous- Heritage Area, ton and author of Benedict Arnold: Revo- Funding for this year’s Patriots’ www.hudsonrivervalley.com lutionary Hero; Clare Brandt, author of Weekend is provided by the Hudson The Man in the Mirror: A Life of Bene- River Valley National Heritage Area, the dict Arnold; Professor Willard Randall of Hudson River Valley Institute, Marist ~Neil Bhatiya Champlain College and author of Bene- College, and the Kenyon and Novenstern dict Arnold, Patriot and Traitor; and families. Other sponsors include: the John Walsh, author of The Execution of Charlotte Cunneen-Hackett Charitable

ISSUE 25 Page 5 Contact Us

The Hudson River Valley is one of only 23 Congressionally designated Na- tional Heritage Areas in the United States. As one of the most important re- Hudson River Valley Institute gions in the United States, it is the fountainhead of a truly American identity. Marist College Recognizing the area's national value, Congress formed the Hudson River 3399 North Road Valley National Heritage Area in 1996 to recognize, to preserve, to protect, Poughkeepise, NY 12601-1387 and to interpret the nationally-significant history and resources of the Valley Phone: 845-575-3052 for the benefit of the nation. Fax: 845-575-3176 E-mail: [email protected] The Hudson River Valley Institute at Marist College is the academic arm of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. Its mission is to study and The Hudson River Valley—”The to promote the Hudson River Valley and to provide educational resources for Landscape that Defined America” heritage tourists, scholars, elementary and secondary school educators, envi- ronmental organizations, the business community, and the general public. Its many projects include the publication of the Hudson River Valley Review www.hudsonrivervalley.net and the management of a dynamic digital library and leading regional portal site.

Staff Dean of the Marist College School of Liberal Arts Thomas Wermuth, PhD, Director Hud- Contributors to this issue: son River Valley Institute Neil Bhatiya, Internship Coordinator Lauren Santangelo, Assistant Intern- Professor Colonel James Johnson (U.S. Army, ret.), Executive Director Hudson River ship Coordinator Valley Institute Adrienne Harris, Intern

Christopher Pryslopski, Program Director

Jean Defino, Office Manager

Neil Bhatiya, Internship Coordinator Lauren Santangelo, Assistant Internship Coordinator Webmaster: Biswajit Roy

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