Milwaukee

I spent two great days with history teachers and history students from the Milwaukee Public School District. Thanks to the indomitable Anthony Napoli for once again inviting me to do a session on women and children in colonial America for the Gilder-Lehrman Institute. I also want to thank Tina and Jennie, the coordinators for the district’s Teaching American History grant, for being great hosts.

Yesterday we had a morning session with about 30 or so teachers and this morning I spoke to about 500 kids, grades 5-12, on the what it was like to be a kid in colonial America. The session was held in the Weasler Auditorium at Marquette University.

During the talk I offered five possible options for what life would have been like for my audience if they lived in British North America prior to the American Revolution. Here were their options: Child of the Covenant, Tobacco Kid, Tender Plant, Native Son or Daughter, and Children of Slaves. I even managed to get some Philip Vickers Fithian into the lecture!

I was very impressed with the attention span of the students. Kudos to the 5th grade classes sitting in the front 6 or 7 rows who really asked some thoughtful questions.