Unexpected Homeschoolers
Episode #13: Common Questions
For today’s program we invite you to join us for the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. Special thank you to Janet Pyatt of The Backcountry Peddler for joining us. Have a question you want answered on a future program? Let us know!
Episode #12: The Downstairs Bedroom
We invite you to join us in the downstairs bedroom of the 1774 Alexander Rock House to learn from long-time CMH volunteer Tom Phlegar about some of his favorite items housed in this room.
Episode #11: Rock House History
Step inside the Rock House Mysteries Exhibit at The Charlotte Museum of History. Join us as we explore the history of the Rock House and learn more about all the people who have called this place home over the last 246 years.
Episode #10: Making Apple Butter
On this week’s episode, we try our hand at making apple butter – a harvest staple in 18th century America. Contrary to what one might expect, apple butter does not contain any butter or milk products. Instead, this jam-like food could be spread on bread, johnny cakes, or other dishes to add some sweetness and flavoring in a world where sugar could be expensive and hard to find.
Get the Recipe: We adapted this recipe to create a 21st-century version of an 18th-century dish.
Episode #9: A Visit With The Backcountry Peddler
Join Education Specialist Lauren Wallace as she visits with Janet Pyatt, proprietor of The Backcountry Peddler, to learn more about textile production in the 18th Century.
Bonus Video: Curious to learn more from the Backcountry Peddler? Check out this amusing look at 18th-century undergarments.
Episode #8: The Spirit of Mecklenburg
Join Education Specialists Lauren and Angel as they celebrate the legendary MeckDec in the shadow of “The Spirit of Mecklenburg.”
Activity: Explore the Trail of History website charlottetrailofhistory.org to learn more about all the legendary people in Charlotte’s History who have been immortalized in bronze. Who do you think should be added to this list? Create your own “Trail of History” with important people in your life or in our Queen City History by using this template.
Episode #7: The Springhouse Part Two
For this week’s episode we open the door to a room not usually seen on our tours to learn more about William Alexander – Hezekiah’s oldest son who had a very important job in the Carolina Backcountry.
Activity: Take a look William Alexander’s shopping lists to learn more about what people were buying 245 years ago.
Episode #6: The Springhouse Part One
For this week’s episode we invite you to take a walk with us around the Springhouse to learn about one of the many buildings found at the homesite in 1774. Check back next week for part two.
Activity: Try your hand at piecing together some of the artifacts in the CMH collection with our artifact puzzles.
Episode #5: The American Freedom Bell
We know so many students are disappointed they won’t be able to hear the American Freedom Bell ring as a part of their field trip this spring. The ringing of the seven-foot-tall, seven-foot wide, and seven-and-a-half ton bell is heard by thousands of students each year, so we couldn’t do a series bring the field trip to you without it.
Activity: Something as fundamental as freedom should be celebrated. Throughout history, people have resisted, persisted, and strived to ensure that freedom and liberty truly do apply to everyone. Create your own “Timeline of Freedom” to honor their contributions.
Special Edition: Highlighting Our Friends
For this week, we decided to take a brief break from our series to highlight some of our favorite activities created by some of our friends in the #NCHistory community.
Activity: Choose-Your-Own!
From the Civil Rights movement to the science of pH testing, there’s an activity for anyone. Click/tap here to check out our list of suggestions.
Episode #4: Colonial Hygiene
For this week’s episode, education specialists Angel and Lauren share the unexpected (and often disgusting) world of colonial hygiene.
Activity: We are glad to report that public health has come along way since then, but use the watch-a-long worksheet to test your knowledge and see how far we’ve come. We do, however, hope you will practice modern hygiene and wash your hands with soap!
Episode #3: The Battle of Charlotte
For this week’s episode we are joined by longtime Museum volunteer Tom Phlegar, an expert on the Battle of Charlotte and Charlotte’s Revolutionary History. Tom shares the amazing story of one of the forgotten battles of the American Revolution that happened right here in Charlotte.
Activity: Follow along with the video and use this guided worksheet to test your knowledge of the Battle of Charlotte. Want an easy way to remember important moments in Colonial and Revolutionary history? Be sure to download and print our Colonial History and Revolutionary History bookmarks.
Episode #2: The Catawba Indian Nation
Learn about the culture and traditions of some of the Queen City’s first residents, the Catawba Indian Nation by exploring some of the Museum’s newest artifacts including the resin cast of King Hagler from the Trail of History – currently on loan from artist Chas Fagan.
Activity: You can create your own Catawba inspired pottery using salt dough. To make salt dough, simply combine 1 cup flour, ½ cup salt, and ½ cup water in a mixing bowl. Design your creation and let dry for a few days to harden. Be sure to share your creations with us on our social media channels or tag the Museum using #CLTHistory.
Episode #1: Early Charlotte
Check out the popular diorama of the ca. 1775 Queen City and learn about how Charlotte was founded and how it became a hotbed of Revolution. Click the video above to watch the first episode.
Activity: How did Charlotte get its shape?
Try your hand at reading the first page of the official act establishing the small town in Mecklenburg County that today has become a bustling metropolis. Image courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina. Cursive not your thing? Check out a transcription of the Selwyn Land Grant instead.