Vive Revolution!

We're on, oh ... about week fifteen of studying the American Revolution. This wasn't my plan, nor was it Sonlight's. We're still stuck firmly on week 20 of our IG--right where the Revolution gives way to the Constitution. After chafing for nearly two weeks under what has become an absolute obsession with all thing Revolutionary, I finally decreed on Wednesday that it was time for the war to end.

The kids weren't thrilled at this prospect. While my idea had been to give them a nice overview of the war--it's causes, its reality, the key thinkers, pivotal points and outcomes-- they, clearly, have an appetite far beyond the scope of a mere overview. All three of them have been breathing redcoats and congress and Bunker Hill. They can't get enough of Phyllis Wheatley, Ceasar Rodney and Thomas Paine. Their playtimes have included impressive stagings of crossing the Delaware, as well creating some very nice examples of broadsheets. And their movie requests have been almost exclusively for a PBS show called "Liberty's Kids."

You'd think that this total saturation would have worn thin on them as well as me. But, oh, no. They are still going strong. I think they could do an entire year on nothing but the American Revolution.

The stuff they are learning ... wow! Jo explained to me in great detail last night several complex links between the American and French Revolutions. These are things that I didn't tie together until college, when I took a course contrasting the post-Civil War Reconstruction of the South with the steps taken to ensure unity through the signing of the Constitution. Atticus is of course enchanted with the personalities of the key historical figures. And Logan has memorized various weapons, major battles and quite a few tart cultural tidbits.

Despite these lovely rabbit trails, I am ready to move on. I have gathered all of the library books, movies and games into one spot to be returned. I'm not pointer my browser toward any more sites with photos of reenactments. And no, I'm not making another batch of those disgusting hardtack biscuits, thank you very much.

Time to move onward! Let's get going! What's up next? Oh, no. Westward Expansion. Lewis and Clark. Sacajawea. Jim Bridger.

I'd better get my library card ready.