Hello!
Yesterday we went to a field trip with our homeschool co-op. It was done by Morning Star Productions, a group that puts on different performances. We did a field trip of their’s last year too, and it was an interactive, historical performance-meets-mystery experience, which was very similar to this year.
This time we were trying to determine whether Thomas Jefferson really wrote the Declaration of Independence, and it brought us through some of the conversation and information about the Declaration and also the topic of slavery. The field trip is set up so that you go around to different settings or buildings, and actors are at each place, portraying famous people such as Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Paul Revere, and some fictional characters meant to represent different kinds of people in that time period. You interact with them and they bring you along on this whole journey. Sometimes you have to do things, like when we had to find a bunch of bags that were hidden, and sometimes you have to listen to what they’re telling you or listen to their conversations with each other to keep up with the story and figure out what you think about it all.
This year felt a little shorter than the last one, it just had three “scenes” and then the final talk from Benjamin Franklin who tied it all together. Last time there were a few more places to go to and more things to help with, but that’s okay.
One of the interesting parts of this one was that they had a pirate come out and almost “attack” our group, and some young homesteaders fought them off right in front of us, there was a whole sword fight and everything. That was pretty cool and exciting!
What’s something you liked about it (and why)? Even though it can be awkward at times, I do like the creativity and how they tell the story through actors, because it adds entertainment and makes it more interesting. The actors are very good and it’s so impressive how they remember everything they need to say!
What’s something you disliked about it (and why)? I wish I would have paid more attention to everything they were saying. I think I struggled with this last time too. I guess all the complex topics and language is just not super interesting to me and so I kind of zone out at times. But that’s not great, because sometimes the actors ask you questions, and also just because knowing what’s going on throughout the experience would’ve been a lot more helpful and enjoyable, plus I would’ve learned more. So I wish I would’ve tried harder to pay attention and understand it all.
What was your biggest takeaway or lesson? One of the volunteers/staff members gave a briefing at the beginning of the field trip, explaining a bit about the Declaration of Independence and telling us about the story we would be entering into. She did a nice job, and I think my biggest takeaway from the whole field trip came from something she said. She was talking about how in the Declaration of Independence it says how everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I believe she said that it was originally, “the right to life, liberty and property,” and that they realized, despite the large emphasis that was placed on property and fortune at the time, that you don’t need property to be an American. Instead they chose, “the pursuit of happiness.” I really like that line.
She talked about how some people think that property brings happiness, like if you just get that house, that car, that swimming pool, then you’ll be happy. But it won’t. She asked us, the audience, what really makes us happy. I don’t think anyone answered, so what she said, which was my biggest takeaway, was virtue. Virtue will make you happy, pursuing goodness, being a good person. I think it could be argued that only God will make you truly happy, but they go hand in hand. Besides God, the only thing that’ll make you happy is virtue. This really stood out to me because it was so simple but powerful, and it’s true that I am very happy when I make virtuous choices. It also stood out because I’ve been working on growing in different virtues and as Catholics, we talk about them a lot. It was like God telling me to keep working on this.
Another thing which my mom said stood out to her, and I realized it does for me too, was in the scene when a young boy and his sister were fighting off a pirate who wanted to capture them. The boy was saying how the pirate couldn’t do that anymore because of the Declaration of Independence, that they were free. Mom remarked how the Declaration gave the average Joe more confidence, which I’m sure was true, and that was interesting to think about.
What is something you’re curious to learn more about as a result of this experience? I’m curious to learn more about this time in history, the issue of slavery and about the founding fathers and influential people of that time. It’d be interesting to find some good books and/or watch a show about this.
Thanks for reading!
God bless!
Lucy
