Michigan History Week: 13-14

So what was next for Michigan after they were finally free of the British, well statehood was the goal they wanted next. As we looked at how Michigan became a state we started with the Northwest Ordinance which our founding fathers wrote to set-up a system of government and a process for becoming a state, for the territory that would become Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. We looked at the initial Territory and how is was restructured with each state that was formed from it.

We colored a map of the territory showing the states that were formed.

We also added a book on the Northwest Ordinance made from our Homeschool in the Woods, timeline figures.

We Studied the Toledo war, a disagreement between Ohio and Michigan regarding who owned Toledo.  This keep Michigan from gaining statehood until it was resolved.  In the end Toledo was given to Ohio and Michigan revived the Upper Peninsula. While at the time this seemed a huge loss we will learn later it was a great benefit.

The Michigan History museum offers a great map, which we colored showing the Toledo strip and the land we received in exchange for it.

We looked at the Erie Canal,  as it was one of the main ways people traveled to the state.  As part of this we read the book The Amazing, Impossible Erie Canal.  We then completed  a book on the canal listing facts, such as length, how it was made, cost to travel, etc. inside.  The book came from Homeschool Share.

We then looked at home life, women and children in the wilderness.  For this we did several then and now comparison activities.  I found a great one entitled Pioneer Life, on Homeschool Share.  Under the flaps we wrote where each item came/comes from. The left flap folds in and says Pioneer life.

Finally we added Michigan becomes a state, by repeating the Northwest Ordinance activity with the state timeline figure.

Our next stop in our history journey is Michigan's History with the Underground Railroad.  Hope you check back to see how it turns out.

Cassie

Michigan History Week: 8-12

The British are coming!! Or at least we finally made it through a study of the conflicts between the French and the British.  It seems like the time it took to get through our history lessons grew exponentially during the months of November and December.  So far too January has proven little better.  So once again I apologize for the long delay between posts.

Anyway we had a chance to look at what happened when the British arrived in our beautiful state and took over from the French.    We had a chance to study the French and Indian War and Pontiac's Uprising. We learned what forts were surrenders and where they were located in the various conflicts.

This all lead into the battle for American Freedom and was a great way to introduce the topic of why the French helped the colonists.  We learned that while Michigan was not a key battle ground area during the revolution it did send soldiers to fight and Detroit natives ransomed prisoner that were being shipped to Canada, including Daniel Boone.

After the Revolution we learned that the British did not leave the Michigan territory.  We looked at the War of 1812 and its effects on Michigan. We looked at battles like the Battle of Fallen Timbers and its General, Anthony Wayne, who helped free Michigan from British rule.

Unfortunately we did not do any exciting projects like we did for the French explorers the best I managed was to add figures to our Timeline books.  Our Michigan books have a blank page where I hope to maybe add the people and events in later. (Sorry Christmas and Thanksgiving was just to much for us this year)

Once again I needed to make a few timeline figures of my own.  You can find them here. You will also note some cute fort icons at the end I had wanted to add a list for forts to our book as we studied them, so please imagine a cute fort pasted on a small book and inside the name, location, and date founded and by what country inside.

So until next time, when Michigan become a state, happy homeshooling,

Cassie