We took a day trip from Washington D.C. to Baltimore MD to take in Fort McHenry. This fort was constructed after the Revolutionary war and was the main defense of the busy and strategic port of Baltimore. In our rematch with the British in 1812, we were getting roughed up pretty bad. The British attached and sacked our capital and burned many buildings including the president's residence. Afterwards, the British marched the troops toward Baltimore and sailed their fleet up the coast to the port.
The commander of the fort had commissioned a huge flag to be made to fly over the fort, "that was big enough for the British to see from a long way off". Prior to this visit, we had some exposure to the war of 1812 as we toured Andrew Jackson's home in Nashville TN. We also learned a bit as we saw James Madison's home in Virginia. As we filed into the National Achieves in DC to look at the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights we learned that the first lady, Dolly Madison, saved these documents just before the British stormed in to burn the capitol.
The centerpiece of the Smithsonian American History Museum, that we just visited, was the very flag that flew over this fort during the British attack and inspired Frances Scott Key to write the poem that became our national anthem. The visitor center did a very good job of describing the battle of Baltimore. (They even had a model of the rockets with the red glare in the display above)
They also did a good job through displays and a movie of telling the story of the poem and how the country embraced it as our national anthem. It struck me how little of this whole story I knew before this trip. I thank God for blessing us on this journey and allowing me the opportunity to give this great gift to my boys.
Linda was feeling a little under the weather, (...and I think she was a little tired of the tools of war), so she stayed at the visitor center while the boys and I trekked out to explore the fort. You see them here checking out the bomb shelter. It was a good one too. There were only 4 dead from the bombardment.
The fort was well designed and used. We see a well placed and protected magazine that effectively serves guns on the star points of the fort.
The boys pose at the entry gate with the massive doors of the fort.
Will looks at the guard house and says, "this is serious time out".
The door was open, so we decided to see if we could get two boys to a cell.
Boys look pretty small at the base of the pole flying the big flag.
A good view of enlisted barracks life around 1812. Nothing fancy.
Will would not have to grow much to fit an artillery man uniform.
Cory liked the officer uniform, especially if it comes with the cool pistol.
They did a good job of telling the story of the battle through the displays.
This shows one of several punch bowls that the towns people made out of the mortar shells that the British fired at the fort. Who says learning history can't be fun.
We took a day trip from Washington D.C. to Baltimore MD to take in Fort McHenry. This fort was constructed after the Revolutionary war and was the main defense of the busy and strategic port of Baltimore. In our rematch with the British in 1812, we were getting roughed up pretty bad. The British attached and sacked our capital and burned many buildings including the president's residence. Afterwards, the British marched the troops toward Baltimore and sailed their fleet up the coast to the port.
The commander of the fort had commissioned a huge flag to be made to fly over the fort, "that was big enough for the British to see from a long way off". Prior to this visit, we had some exposure to the war of 1812 as we toured Andrew Jackson's home in Nashville TN. We also learned a bit as we saw James Madison's home in Virginia. As we filed into the National Achieves in DC to look at the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights we learned that the first lady, Dolly Madison, saved these documents just before the British stormed in to burn the capitol.
The centerpiece of the Smithsonian American History Museum, that we just visited, was the very flag that flew over this fort during the British attack and inspired Frances Scott Key to write the poem that became our national anthem. The visitor center did a very good job of describing the battle of Baltimore. (They even had a model of the rockets with the red glare in the display above)
They also did a good job through displays and a movie of telling the story of the poem and how the country embraced it as our national anthem. It struck me how little of this whole story I knew before this trip. I thank God for blessing us on this journey and allowing me the opportunity to give this great gift to my boys.
Linda was feeling a little under the weather, (...and I think she was a little tired of the tools of war), so she stayed at the visitor center while the boys and I trekked out to explore the fort. You see them here checking out the bomb shelter. It was a good one too. There were only 4 dead from the bombardment.
The fort was well designed and used. We see a well placed and protected magazine that effectively serves guns on the star points of the fort.
The boys pose at the entry gate with the massive doors of the fort.
Will looks at the guard house and says, "this is serious time out".
The door was open, so we decided to see if we could get two boys to a cell.
Boys look pretty small at the base of the pole flying the big flag.
A good view of enlisted barracks life around 1812. Nothing fancy.
Will would not have to grow much to fit an artillery man uniform.
Cory liked the officer uniform, especially if it comes with the cool pistol.
They did a good job of telling the story of the battle through the displays.
This shows one of several punch bowls that the towns people made out of the mortar shells that the British fired at the fort. Who says learning history can't be fun.
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