Cobblestone articles from November 2007

Cobblestone archives from November 2007

Editor's note.
November 1, 2007... He is such an important U.S. symbol that it is sometimes difficult to remember that he was just a person first. When his fellow citizens looked to him for leadership, he assumed the responsibilities and challenges that came with those...

Family matters: very little is known about George Washington's childhood, but we imagined this scene from a pivotal day in his life.(Biography)
November 1, 2007... Eleven-year-old George Washington was enjoying nature's reawakening in the spring of 1743 as he rode through the woods surrounding his cousins' farm. But his happiness was suddenly shattered when a messenger arrived with the news that his...

Spelling woes.
November 1, 2007... Ever wondered why laugh isn't spelled "laff" or why much isn't spelled "mutch"? Well, if spelling confuses you, you're certainly in good company --people in the 1700s had troubles with spelling, too. Historians say that George Washington...

What a sport!
November 1, 2007... In the 1740s, there were few organized sports. Boys entertained themselves outdoors by hunting, fishing, swimming, wrestling, and riding. George Washington's enjoyment of outdoor activities helped him develop strength and endurance. As a...

Manners matter.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] By the time he was 16 years old, George Washington had composed a set of 110 "Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour" to follow in the company of others. Here's a selection from his list, complete with 21st-century...

Learning the soldier's life.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For years, the French and the English had argued and fought over the Ohio Valley area, in what is now western Pennsylvania. Now, it looked as though the French were moving south and constructing forts on land that...

Gentleman farmer.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] George Washington thought that land was the best investment he could make. He bought his first piece of property with wages he made as a surveyor. Eventually, he accumulated many thousands of acres in Virginia and on...

Mount Vernon.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] George Washington was not always "cash" rich. In fact, in 1789, he had to borrow money to travel to his own presidential inauguration. By the time of his death in 1799, however, much of his wealth was measured in...

Commander in chief.
November 1, 2007... "Though I am truly sensible of the high honour done me... I feel great distress... that my abilities and military experience may not be equal to the extensive and important trust. However, as the Congress desire it, I will... exert every...

Valley forge visitor.(Martha Washington )
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lightly falling snow was only the first hint of the misery that would plague General George Washington's Continental Army as it settled into winter quarters in December 1777. Following a defeat at Brandywine and a...

A national symbol.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Although he had been elected president by a unanimous vote, George Washington set out rather reluctantly for the federal capital in New York City on April 16, 1789. As he made his way north from Mount Vernon, he saw...

Leaders with vision.(Going Global)
November 1, 2007... Wile George Washington was busy conducting the American Revolution and helping to establish the new United States, rulers in other parts of the world were also struggling to improve their countries. P'ya Taksin (1734-1782) was a provincial...

Did you know?
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] George Washington's own formal schooling probably had ended by the time he was 15 years old, but he valued a good education and left money in his will to start a national university in the capital city. Today, there...

Untrodden ground.
November 1, 2007... I walk on untrodden ground," George Washington observed about his new role as president. As the first president of the United States, he faced a huge challenge. No one had held the office before him; no one could show him what to do. Washington...

A capital idea.
November 1, 2007... It took years of debate and compromise before a decision was made about a permanent home for the nation's capital. More than 30 sites were considered in the years following the American Revolutionary War. Both northern and southern states...

George Washington, foster parent.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On the night of September 7, 1795, two urgent letters arrived for President George Washington. One was from France written months earlier by the desperate wife of his friend the Marquis de Lafayette. The French...

By George, it's a puzzle!
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you've read this issue carefully, you'll have no problem solving the crossword puzzle about the people and events associated with George Washington's life. Answers are on page 42. ACROSS 2. With the help...

A subject of regret.
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When he was 11 years old, George Washington owned 10 human beings. When he died, having freed them in his will, he owned 123. It took Washington a lifetime to make the decision to free his slaves. Washington grew...

Make time for Mount Vernon.(The Past is Present)
November 1, 2007... Did you know that before it became Mount Vernon, the place where George Washington lived was known as Little Hunting Creek? We learned that and so much more on a visit to Washington's home on the Potomac River in Virginia. The mansion is a...

Your letters.
November 1, 2007... We put winner of the Horse Sense Contest on the back cover. Congratulations to these worthy runners-up! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kevin Wilkinson Williamston, Michigan [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Heather Woodard Falkville,...

George Washington Wasn't Always Old.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... George Washington Wasn't Always Old by Alice Fleming (New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1991, www.simonsays.com) reminds readers that the "Father of Our Country" was once a young boy whose future was yet to be revealed. By...

George Washington: An Illustrated Biography.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] George Washington: An Illustrated Biography by David A. Adler (New York: Holiday House, 2004, www.holidayhouse.com) tells the comprehensive story of Washington's life, complete with black-and-white images, sidebars,...

Don't Know Much About George Washington.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Don't Know Much About George Washington by Kenneth C. Doris (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003, www.harperchildrens.com) weaves the story of Washington's life by posing and answering a series of questions....

George Washington: A Picture Book Biography.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... George Washington: A Picture Book Biography by James Cross Giblin (New York: Scholastic, 1992, www.scholastic.com/) combines original art with descriptions of the key events, both personal and public, that made up Washington's life. Grades 3 to...

George Washington & the Founding of a Nation.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... George Washington & the Founding of a Nation by Albert Morrin (New York: Dutton Children's Books, 2001, www.penguinputnam.com) tells the complete story of George Washington's life and the pivotal roles he played in the events that transformed...

The American Revolution.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... The American Revolution by Michael Weber (Austin, Texas: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 2000, www.steckvaughn.com) provides a good introduction to understanding George Washington's crucial part in the events of the American Revolution, from the end of...

www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gw1.html.(On the Web)
November 1, 2007... www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gw1.html takes you to the White House Web site and its brief discussion of key points in George Washington's life. Don't miss the fun "Kids Quiz" and "Kid Bias" options, offering more quick facts about the...

Oh Say, I Can't See.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Oh Say, I Can't See by Jon Scieszko (New York: Viking Books, 2005, www.penguinputnam.com). Everyone dreams of going back in time to investigate historical events or meet famous figures, but students Fred, Joe, and...

www.pbs.org/georgewashington/.(On the Web)
November 1, 2007... Visit www.pbs.org/georgewashington/ to view the PBS Web site supplementing the network's 2002 program Rediscovering George Washington. This 90-minute documentary uses modern demonstrations to explore Washington's greatness. For example, to test...

lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome.html.(On the Web)
November 1, 2007... Go to the Library of Congress's American Memory Web site at lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome.html to browse its collection of George Washington papers and documents, dating from 1741 to 1799. Here you can even view actual pages of text in...

George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens.(Places to Visit)
November 1, 2007... George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens, Mount Vernon, Virginia. This is the place to visit to learn more about the life and times of our first president. Mount Vernon's Web site, www.mountvernon .org/, provides great information to...

National Portrait Gallery.(Places to Visit)
November 1, 2007... National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C. This museum contains numerous portraits of Washington--including the famous Lansdowne painting--and offers extensive background information on the history and composition of these artworks. Check out...

Valley Forge National Historical Park.(Places to Visit)
November 1, 2007... Valley Forge National Historical Park, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, www.nps.gov/vafo. This site takes visitors back to the difficult winter of ]777-78, which the Continental Army endured to fight again the following spring. You can see...

Fraunces Tavern Museum.(Places to Visit)
November 1, 2007... Fraunces Tavern Museum, New York, New York, www.frauncestavernmuseum.org. This nearly 300-year-old building was a meeting place for the Sons of Liberty in the period prior to the Revolution, and it housed parts of the new American government...

Ethan rates it ...(Books to Read)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ***** A gifted general, our country's first president, and a leading Revolutionary whose determination led to the birth of a new nation, George Washington is one of the most influential Americans of all time....

The whiskey rebellion.(Flashback to ...)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In 1794, the authority of the young United States government was tested when ,whiskey distillers in western Pennsylvania protested Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton's excise tax by staging a series of...

Brain ticklers.
November 1, 2007... Give your brain little tickle to see how well you read and understood this issue on the life of George Washington. If you believe the answer to be false, give yourself the ultimate test and see whether you can explain why it is false. Answer...

A final word.
November 1, 2007... George Washington left his mark on many important events in Colonial and early American history. Which one of his numerous achievements impresses you most? Answers to Brain Ticklers From above: 1. True. 2. False. As a British subject...

Cartoon connection: with Ebenezer & the colonel.(Comic)(Cartoon)
November 1, 2007... Washington's inaugural, 1789 HURRAH for George Washington He's quite a role model! Athlete, surveyor, war hero, farmer, family man, and America's first president! It's not surprising that people want to know all about him. Gosh!...