Friday, October 4, 2013

The Civil War



THE CIVIL WAR
This is a renactment of a Civil War battle. The Civil War was a war between the Northern and Southern states. In the video, you will see the Union soldiers in blue and the Confederate soldiers in gray. Many men fought and died. Over 600,000 men died on both sides. The South was fighting because they felt they were being taxed unfairly and didn't have enough power to make their own decisions. The South also wanted to keep slavery legal and the North wanted to set the slaves free. Watch these videos and see what a battle would have looked like.






Click on this link for a timeline of the Civil War.     http://www.ducksters.com/history/civilwartimeline.php

Click here to learn about Daily Life during the Civil War.   http://www.ducksters.com/history/civil_war/life_during_the_civil_war.php







Friday, August 23, 2013

THE LIFE OF 
ABRAHAM LINCOLN

 

The 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln was an amazing man.


The link below is to a timeline created and illustrated by 2nd graders.  See if you can pass the quiz at the end.


Click on this video


Click on this link to see pictures and read about the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/symbols/lincoln.html

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Harriet Tubman and Underground Railroad


 http://cdn.funcheap.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Harriet-Tubman.jpg



Harriet Tubman was an amazing and brave women. I hope that you would be that brave if you had lived during Harriet's time. Watch the videos below to learn  about the Underground Railroad,  Harriet Tubman and what a brave woman she was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hthvETfIK28

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BtoQMiayTM

The website below is pretty cool.
At the top of the page you can click on "Begin the Journey" to escape to freedom just like the slaves.
Also check out the slideshows and activities. 

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/index.htm

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Oregon Trail





Life of a Pioneer




The life of a pioneer on the Oregon Trail was exciting, adventurous and unpredictable.  

Click on the links below to learn more.

http://www.ducksters.com/history/westward_expansion/oregon_trail.php

http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/


Click on this video.











Fall 2013 Welcome

Welcome to the Fall 2013 
History Detective Blog

The topics we will cover this semester are:
1. The Oregon Trail     September 6
2. Underground Railroad/Harriet Tubman   Sept. 20
3.  Life of Abraham Lincoln    October 4
4.  The Civil War    October 18
5.  Immigration/Statue of Liberty    November 1
6.  Panama Canal     November 22
7.  Theodore Roosevelt    December 9

There is no text for this year.  I would recommend checking out books from the library to read aloud or for the child to read independently.  Given the popularity of these topics the options are extensive!  .  It's going to be a fun semester!

Saturday, April 6, 2013

The Gold Rush

Watch this movie on the Gold Rush to get the answers to your homework. Many men traveled out to California to find gold. They wanted to be rich so bad that they would take the long journey.These men were said to have "Gold Fever", they didn't have a fever, they were just crazy to find gold. Many of these men left for the Gold rush in 1849 to California. They were called the 49ers.




More information on the California Gold Rush

Searching for Gold

Searching for Gold
49'er and Mule (Source: Library of Congress)
In the early days of 1848 and 1849, it was not uncommon for a miner to dig $2000 of gold a day. But the average miner might have been lucky to find $10 per day.
As time went on the easy gold was all found. Although some made it rich, most of the others were lucky if they made enough to eat. After 1852 most of the surface gold was mined, panning for gold was no longer profitable.
This picture shows a 49er with his mule and supplies. Thousands of miners died on the journey or in the diggings. Many died from disease, or from accidents such as drowning in a river.

Camping and Housing

Camping and Housing
Miners Camping
(Source: Library of Congress)
Most miners lived in tents and cooked their food over an open fire. Meals were usually beans, bacon or local game cooked over an open fire.
Most camps and mining towns were canvas tents or wooden buildings. Fires were very common. Many camps and towns were completely destroyed by fire. Some several times.
Heavy rain and snow during the winter months made for very difficult living and mining conditions. Most miners spent the winter in San Francisco or some mining town.
Sickness and colds were common from sleeping on cold, damp ground. The food was not very nutritious resulting in generally poor health. Scurvy was common from lack of fruits and vegetables. Sanitation was poor and miners seldom bathed or washed their clothes.

Family and Friends

Family and Friends
Miners Camp in the Evening
(Source: Library of Congress)
Most miners came by themselves, leaving their families at home. Many young miners suffered from home sickness from being alone.
This picture shows a group of travelers setting up camp.Some families did make the trip to California. Many miners formed friendships and communities with other travelers. Card games, gambling and betting were common ways to pass the time.



Click on this link to play a Gold Rush game