History Lessons They Don't Forget

When our youngest was in high school (homeschool) we decided to combine a couple of her classes like American History and Home Economics.  If you're wondering what those two have in common I have to tell you not much, that is until we got involved at an area historical museum site, The John Sevier Farm Home.  (farm home of Tennessee's first governor)  At the time the site had monthly guild meetings where we learned of its history, and among other things, how to make our own clothing (including shoes), what food was appropriate to the 18th century, and accessories we would need to be involved in presenting history correctly at events held there.

Our Guild leader preparing to teach soapmaking.

A couple of our friends ready to teach history lessons to public school children.

Our daughter learned to sew (home economics) by making her own 18th century era clothing.  Here she is wearing a shortgown, chemise and two petticoats (that's 18th century lingo for jacket, blouse/slip and skirts.)

Our youngest with a musket - yes, she learned to shoot a musket, too.

 After she had learned "the ropes" our daughter was asked to string up a literal rope and demonstrate how women and girls did their laundry during this time period. Here she is talking to a group of public school children who had no idea clothes could be washed without a washing machine.

Demonstrating how laundry was washed in the 18th century.  

Here's a picture of  my "frontier family" and myself.   We were in Oliver Springs for their Memorial Day festivities in the picture below. The photo was taken while we visited with friends in their Cherokee lean-to. That day my husband fired his musket, I cooked beans and rice, hoe cakes and mint tea for lunch over an open fire.  Our daughter paraded around in her 18th century finery fanning herself with the turkey feather fan you can see in her hand.  Some folks get the easy jobs....I just wasn't one of them that day.

All the clothing in the photos, including my husband's were made by our daughter or myself.  So, that's how we combined early American History and the sewing lessons for her Home Economics class.  If you're interested in history and would like to be part of it's retelling at a local historic site just call them up and find out how you and your children can become involved.  It's great fun, and you might even get paid for doing demonstrations during school tours, as we did. ;)
Edited to add:  This was not all of the history learned that year or all of the sewing, cooking, etc. learned by our daughter, but it sure was a lot of fun for her, and fun in learning goes miles and miles toward attitude and retention of details such as dates, who did what, etc.