Category: Uncategorized

Explore Washington DC’s Lincoln Memorial in-person or through the Google Expeditions virtual reality app! Learn about Abraham Lincoln’s legacy, the architecture of this many-columned monument, and more.

Google Expeditions/Which Destinations to view:

• American Landmarks > The Lincoln Memorial

Instructions for downloading/using the Google Expeditions App:

1. Open the app store
2. Search for “Google Expeditions”
3. Select the app titled “Expeditions” with the orange icon
4. After the app finishes downloading, open the app and log into a google account
5. Go to the “Library” section at the bottom of the app
6. Search the name of the tour you want to download in the search bar
7. Tap the tour you want to see, then tap “Download to view or guide”
8. Press “View” to open the menu for the virtual tour
9. Scroll to the tour location you want to start at.
10.  Press the binoculars icon in the top right to start viewing in VR mode
11. To search for another tour, exit the tour and go back to the “Discover’’ tab at the bottom.

Explore George Mason’s home, Gunston Hall, in-person or through the Google Expeditions virtual reality app! Learn facts about the historic home and about the people who lived there.

Google Expeditions/Which Destinations to view:

• Alexander Hamilton and the Ratification of the Constitution > George Mason’s Gunston Hall in Virginia

Instructions for downloading/using the Google Expeditions App

1. Open the app store
2. Search for “Google Expeditions”
3. Select the app titled “Expeditions” with the orange icon
4. After the app finishes downloading, open the app and log into a google account
5. Go to the “Library” section at the bottom of the app
6. Search the name of the tour you want to download in the search bar
7. Tap the tour you want to see, then tap “Download to view or guide”
8. Press “View” to open the menu for the virtual tour
9. Scroll to the tour location you want to start at.
10.  Press the binoculars icon in the top right to start viewing in VR mode
11. To search for another tour, exit the tour and go back to the “Discover’’ tab at the bottom.

Explore DC’s Washington Monument in-person or through the Google Expeditions virtual reality app! Learn about the monument’s history through interactive questions.

Google Expeditions/Which Destinations to view:

• American Landmarks > Washington Monument

Instructions for downloading/using the Google Expeditions App

1. Open the app store
2. Search for “Google Expeditions”
3. Select the app titled “Expeditions” with the orange icon
4. After the app finishes downloading, open the app and log into a google account
5. Go to the “Library” section at the bottom of the app
6. Search the name of the tour you want to download in the search bar
7. Tap the tour you want to see, then tap “Download to view or guide”
8. Press “View” to open the menu for the virtual tour
9. Scroll to the tour location you want to start at.
10.  Press the binoculars icon in the top right to start viewing in VR mode
11. To search for another tour, exit the tour and go back to the “Discover’’ tab at the bottom. 

American Battlefield Trust has a great description of what happened at the Battle of Bunker Hill. You may be most interested to learn that the battle occurred mostly on Breed’s Hill. Bunker Hill was nearby but did not see nearly as much action.

In fact, you may have heard “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!” This phrase comes from the colonists on Breed’s Hill that did not have much gunpowder and bullets. They had to use everything wisely.

Today, you will see that Boston is a huge city and much of the battlefield is covered with roads and buildings and houses.

Bunker Hill was an important battle because it showed that the colonists could fight with the British even when thousands landed in Boston. Although the Americans lost, many more British died. In fact, so many British died that British generals decided to avoid using this strategy again.

This video describes the activities before, during, and right after the Battle of Bunker Hill. If you want a cartoon instead, keep scrolling!

This Liberty Kids episode shows why people fought and how they fought in this battle.

Explore the site of the Revolutionary War battles of Lexington and Concord at Minute Man National Historical Park! Go in-person or through the Google Expeditions virtual reality app! Explore how, where, and why the Revolutionary War started back in 1775.

Click here to go to Minute Man National Historical Park’s website

You can download the free Google Expeditions app for Android or Apple devices ! Google Expeditions/Which Destinations to view:

• The American Revolution Begins > All Destinations

Instructions for downloading/using the Google Expeditions App

1. Open the app store
2. Search for “Google Expeditions”
3. Select the app titled “Expeditions” with the orange icon
4. After the app finishes downloading, open the app and log into a google account
5. Go to the “Library” section at the bottom of the app
6. Search the name of the tour you want to download in the search bar
7. Tap the tour you want to see, then tap “Download to view or guide”
8. Press “View” to open the menu for the virtual tour
9. Scroll to the tour location you want to start at.
10.  Press the binoculars icon in the top right to start viewing in VR mode
11. To search for another tour, exit the tour and go back to the “Discover’’ tab at the bottom. 

The British were walking from Boston to Lexington and then Concord. They moved a lot faster as they returned! As you can see on this map, that is a lot of ground to cover in one day.

Now you have seen the park, videos about these battles, the current map, and the historical map. Here are some things you to discuss?

1. Why was “Minute Man” a good description of these soldiers?
2. When these colonists were not shooting at the British, what jobs do you think they had?

This clip from the excellent John Adams miniseries shows the aftermath of these battles. We highly recommend the John Adams book and the HBO(TM) Miniseries. You can stream it on Amazon Prime, use HBO Go, or rent it on YouTube for $3.99.

This Liberty Kid’s video is a great explanation for younger viewers, and the next video is from the History Channel and appropriate for older students. This Liberty Kids episode is all about the beginning of the War. Watch to learn more about Lexington and Concord.

The History Channel produces great documentaries. This one is meant for an hour long viewing and details these important events in American history.

Explore Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge National Historical Park in-person or through 360 online images! Learn about the harsh winter that the American soldiers spent camping at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War, and the hardships they had. Click Here to go to Valley Forge National Park’s website!

Online images available:

• Muhlenberg Brigade
• Washington’s Headquarters

This Liberty Kids episode shows the American soldiers spending the 1777 winter at Valley Forge.

Explore Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello! Go in-person or through the Google Expeditions virtual reality app!  See how a house from hundreds of years ago works differently from houses today and learn about Thomas Jefferson’s farming life away from the bustle of Washington DC.

Click here to see more of Monticello on the official website

Google Expeditions/Which Destinations to view:

Instructions for downloading/using the Google Expeditions App

1. Open the app store
2. Search for “Google Expeditions”
3. Select the app titled “Expeditions” with the orange icon
4. After the app finishes downloading, open the app and log into a google account
5. Go to the “Library” section at the bottom of the app
6. Search the name of the tour you want to download in the search bar
7. Tap the tour you want to see, then tap “Download to view or guide”
8. Press “View” to open the menu for the virtual tour
9. Scroll to the tour location you want to start at.
10.  Press the binoculars icon in the top right to start viewing in VR mode
11. To search for another tour, exit the tour and go back to the “Discover’’ tab at the bottom. 

Want to better understand the influences and thinking behind Thomas Jefferson? This great video by the Crash Course team thoroughly explains the historical influences and impact of Jefferson’s important work.

Explore the modern-day replica of Colonial Williamsburg! Learn about the culture of the 1700’s , see how colonists lived under British rule, and more.

Explore the National Park at Yorktown, Virginia in-person or through the Google Expeditions virtual reality app! Study facts about the American Revolutionary War and discover the place where it came to an end. Click here to go to Yorktown Battlefield National Park’s website!

If you haven’t already, download Google Expeditions on Android or Apple devices now! Google Expeditions/Which Destinations to view:

• The American Revolution through the Eyes of Hamilton > The Battlefield at Yorktown, Virginia

Instructions for downloading/using the Google Expeditions App

1. Open the app store
2. Search for “Google Expeditions”
3. Select the app titled “Expeditions” with the orange icon
4. After the app finishes downloading, open the app and log into a google account
5. Go to the “Library” section at the bottom of the app
6. Search the name of the tour you want to download in the search bar
7. Tap the tour you want to see, then tap “Download to view or guide”
8. Press “View” to open the menu for the virtual tour
9. Scroll to the tour location you want to start at.
10.  Press the binoculars icon in the top right to start viewing in VR mode
11. To search for another tour, exit the tour and go back to the “Discover’’ tab at the bottom. 

This Liberty Kids episode shows what it might have been like in Yorktown 1781, when the Revolutionary War was finally coming to an end.

This video from the Mt. Vernon staff shows George Washington’s role and the important supporting figures that led to the British surrender at Yorktown.

And, how can we not include this song from the Hamilton musical!

Explore Philadelphia’s Independence Park in-person or through the Google Expeditions virtual reality app! Learn about the founding of the United States by seeing where the Declaration of independence was signed and find out why liberty was so important to the founding fathers.

Click here to go to Independence National Historical Park’s website.

If you haven’t already, download Google Expeditions on Android or Apple devices now! Google Expeditions/Which Destinations to view:

• Alexander Hamilton and the Ratification of the Constitution > Writing the Constitution
• American Landmarks > Independence Hall
• The Declaration of Independence > All Destinations

Instructions for downloading/using the Google Expeditions App

1. Open the app store
2. Search for “Google Expeditions”
3. Select the app titled “Expeditions” with the orange icon
4. After the app finishes downloading, open the app and log into a google account
5. Go to the “Library” section at the bottom of the app
6. Search the name of the tour you want to download in the search bar
7. Tap the tour you want to see, then tap “Download to view or guide”
8. Press “View” to open the menu for the virtual tour
9. Scroll to the tour location you want to start at.
10.  Press the binoculars icon in the top right to start viewing in VR mode
11. To search for another tour, exit the tour and go back to the “Discover’’ tab at the bottom. 

This map shows Philadelphia’s most historic blocks. So much history was made here!

This dramatic scene from the HBO miniseries John Adams captures the most important moment of 1776. If you would like to watch the whole series, you can stream it on Amazon Prime, use HBO Go, or rent it on YouTube for $3.99.

This PBS documentary is long (50 minutes), but it covers the events that led up to Philadelphia’s important founding role. And, it walks through the key people and events that transpired here.

Finally, if you need a laugh, here is the Muppets’ version of these critical events.