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Is
your family traveling to Philadelphia this summer to learn more about
the American Revolution and the birth of the United States? A
client recently asked us to put together a crash course on early American
history for their elementary and middle school kids to help prepare them for the
upcoming school year. So, we huddled with our local experts on 18th century
American history and art, and crafted a fun, immersive experience that explores
such iconic and authentic sites as Independence Hall, the home of the first
mayor of Philadelphia, and the oldest Quaker Meeting House still in use, has us
meet a cast of characters including William Penn, Ben Franklin, John Adams, and
a crazy privateer (legal pirate!) named Captain John Macpherson, and delves
into such primary sources as the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution.
Day 1
Start your day examining Philadelphia’s
colonial history, from its founding in the 17th century by William
Penn through the first rumblings of the American Revolution. In the
company of a Philadelphia historian, delve into the social customs and
politics that defined the city and set the stage for the Declaration of
Independence and the Continental Congress. Your tour will take us through
the streets and alleyways of Society Hill and Old City, exploring the city’s
grid and discovering some of the most authentic remaining colonial and
pre-colonial sites and structures in Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell
and Independence Hall.
Day 2
Next, turn your attention to Benjamin
Franklin as the key and consistent character who witnessed and
participated in many of the great political and social changes that took place
in Philadelphia during the decades preceding and following the American
Revolution. You'll explore the life of Ben Franklin and his many roles as
inventor, scientist, businessman, manager, politician, philosopher, and patron.
Along the way, we will visit sites, streets and buildings in Old City
Philadelphia, such as the American Philosophical Society that relate to this
influential figure to gain a deeper understanding of Benjamin Franklin’s impact
on American history.
Day 3
Spend the first part of our final day together visiting one of the finest
standing examples of 18th century country architecture in the United States, Mount
Pleasant mansion. In 1775, John Adams visited Mount
Pleasant (1762-65) and declared it “the most elegant seat in Pennsylvania.” On
our private visit, we’ll learn about the story of
Captain John Macpherson and his first wife Margaret, how they
commissioned the house from master builder Thomas Nevell in the early 1760s,
and how their circumstances – both personal and economic – take dramatic turns
for the worse by the end of the decade. We will also explore and bring to life
such relevant and re-occurring themes of the colonial period as slavery, labor,
health and the yellow fever epidemic, and food production.
With a
quick ride back into the city, you’ll head for the National Constitution Center
where you will tie together the themes touched on during your immersion, and
see your founding fathers’ visions and goals manifested in the Constituting
Liberty exhibition.
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