As citizens of the U.S., we enjoy many personal freedoms. Each citizen must also take responsibility to follow laws, participate in civic responsibilities, and to be an active participant in their community. As we have learned, earning the right to be free of British rule came at a high price, involving war, loss of personal property and lives, and required the new leaders to take a dangerous stand to enact independence. Under the newly formed government, we have learned as one people to uphold the personal rights of each citizens.
As a class we have been reading about the experiences and lives of those involved in the early days of our country. Not everyone, at first, thought the American Colonies should be breaking free from Britain. Many were still loyal to the crown of England. As we read in the story, Katie’s Trunk, many families and individuals lived among and around those who had a different opinion of English rule than that of their own. Members of Katie’s family were considered to be Tories. They lived in growing fear as the number of rebels grew. For many, just like Katie, loss of friendships and other relationships, growing tension, home raids, and growing conflict were a result of the growing division.
As we move into next week, we will begin to study about the early constitutional government, the US Constitution, and the structure and operation of both the US Government and our own State Government. Our goal is to learn what is involved to be citizen of the United States.
As a class we have been reading about the experiences and lives of those involved in the early days of our country. Not everyone, at first, thought the American Colonies should be breaking free from Britain. Many were still loyal to the crown of England. As we read in the story, Katie’s Trunk, many families and individuals lived among and around those who had a different opinion of English rule than that of their own. Members of Katie’s family were considered to be Tories. They lived in growing fear as the number of rebels grew. For many, just like Katie, loss of friendships and other relationships, growing tension, home raids, and growing conflict were a result of the growing division.
As we move into next week, we will begin to study about the early constitutional government, the US Constitution, and the structure and operation of both the US Government and our own State Government. Our goal is to learn what is involved to be citizen of the United States.
