Localizing the history lessons

[Appalacious]

I realize we have non-negotiables when it comes to history at appleseeds.
April 19 comes to mind.
I wonder, though, if it would be advantageous to also incorporate local histories where applicable.

I suppose this would mostly apply to the eastern states.

Do you think appleseeds would have time for this?  Like 2nd day talks maybe.

I'm thinking Kings Mtn, Francis Marion, some guy named Washington?  etc.

Has this been discussed?

J

[Cowdog]

Great idea, if the instructors could fit it all in. The history is everywhere in the east and some of the midwest. Sadly some of it is virtually forgotten.

For example, Ohio has Fort Laurens (Near Canton) , where part of the Eighth Pennsylvania Continental Regiment was stationed. The site today has the Tomb of the Unknown Patriot of the Revolution. I think the site is  very close to the Minerva area where there are sometimes AS shoots. My wife and I visited Fort Laurens about 8 years ago, and were moved by the story, not great battles, just isolation, disease and skirmishes. 

Maybe just little snippets like that could be weaved in for each area? Inspire people to learn more on their own.
Dont know what to do about the further reaches of the country.

[kDan]

Last October, in Kentucky, Funfaler brought a bunch of us to this grave-site where another gentleman gave a most respectful and somber telling of the life of Patriot John Austin, a Rifleman with Captain Daniel Morgan's Riflemen.  Indeed, history is where you find it.

http://www.southerncampaign.org/pen/r318.pdf

http://www.nmlra.org/pdfs/web_Article-Jan09.pdf

[slim]

This would be covered under the realm of "shoot boss discretion" as they're the ones who set the course of instruction for the day(s) and decide what to include. The history that has to be included at every event is a minimum standard with more encouraged as time allows. We want folks to show up and hear the story of 04/19 but we'd love for them to hear the entire Revolution!

One thing's for sure though, the more Appleseed events you go to, in more locations with different folks, the more history you'll hear!



.... and maybe since you brought this up, you'll be the first official "entire Revolution in 30 minutes" presenter. Great job! Way to step up!

[B9]

I don't think there is any question local history should be used.
I checked around me and found a lot of interesting stuff.
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=3403.0

[Nickle]

Of course you should add it, and there's no problem in adding it.

I live very close to Saratoga (75 miles), even closer to Ticonderoga (35 miles), and Solomon Brown settled in the town next to me after the war ended.

The area is rich with History, and it is definitely worth adding.

I usually add a snipet about the capture of Ft Ticonderoga (not a shot was fired) as well as a snippet about Saratoga and Timothy Murphy (one well placed "shot" can make the difference, and one man can make a difference).

I also take time to mention that I had 2 relatives (father and son) stand on Lexington Green that fateful morning, and I found that out by researching the event. I add that they should do the research as well, maybe they had a relative there.

Keep it to object lessons and to generate interest in the History.

All this makes the shooters do some research AFTER they get back home, and that alone is priceless.

[Matt]

I've noticed that it is difficult to get through the entire April 18-19th story in the course of a two day Appleseed. I've also noticed at the RBC I went to last August, the story was so familiar by Wednesday that it was difficult to keep people's attention. So, now that I'm an instructor, I try to cover as much detail in the time allotted at AS events and will branch out into the other Rifleman stories of the Revolution at Boot Camps, at the discretion of the Shoot Boss.

[Nickle]

Apply good time management, and you'll find you can do it during the breaks on Sunday.

Saturday can get tight as it is, so I don't do much of the local stuff then, except maybe to point out that Ticonderoga was taken without firing a single shot (soft war example), or that Timothy Murphy made the shot that turned the war in Saratoga (one man CAN make a difference).

Short and sweet is the trick to the local stuff.

[LKB3rd]

I work for the phone company in the "shoreline" area near New Haven,CT and I have a local story that I learned while I was working.
There is a grave marker near one of our work sites for "Simeon Leete."  Killed during the Revolutionary war in Guilford, CT.  The grave is just off of Leete's Island Road.  I had noticed it many times, and one day I got a repair right across the street, and the name was Leete.  As I worked on the repair, I got to talking with Mr. Leete, and asked him what he knew about his relative Simeon.
He told me that the Leete's used to have a large farm on Leete's Island.  The original farm house is no longer there, but the house I was in was around 100 yards from that spot.  He said that the British had come over from Long Island, coming through the "Thimble Islands" nearby, to mask their ship's masts.  They anchored just off of Leete's Island, and came ashore and started burning the Leete's farm houses.  They sent word to the Guilford town center( a mile away or so) that they needed the local militia, and the family went down to defend their property. It took around an hour for the backup to arrive from the center of town, with the Leete family fighting the British in the meantime . Simeon was hiding behind a rock shooting at the British soldiers as he was shot, and Mr. Leete told me that the rock now has a plaque on it.  The area is now filled with summer cottages.  It was wintertime, so the cottages were all empty.  I went down to look for the plaque.  It was sort of eerie and I really was amazed at the feeling I got when I realized I was standing on a spot where a small part of the history of our great country happened.  I got emotional when I thought of Simeon Leete, who died defending his family's property, and also helping to give us what we have today.  I really felt sad when I thought of what has happened to our great country, in light of what people like the Leete family sacrificed in order to establish it.

[SamD]

Appleseed is an "American Heritage Organization that happens to have a d@mned good Marksmanship component"
So long as we can do justice to what we a required to do, we need to expend any extra time available on the "local component".  There is no way better to drive the hook home than to personally involve the student.
So long as we do not detract from the basics.

One of the reasons I wish I could get back East to do a couple of 'Seeds.   I have strong family connections to the upstate New York, Pennsylvania/Maryland and Virginia campaigns. Get on those places again, you can feel "it". 

Sam

[Rhodes]

Once you have someones interest just mentioning the local history is enough to spark their interest in going further on their own. Always leave them wanting more is just sound policy and allowing them to do it on their own initiative is golden. Shouldn't take more than a minute to do.

[rhart]

Here in SC there are many examples that could be used.There were more battles Rev War battles fought in SC than in any other state. Kings Mountain and Cowpens are two battles that riflemen played crucial roles.