Article by Phoenix writer Jazmeen Osae-Kwapong ’26:
Over forty members of the Junior class embarked on a trip sponsored by the American Battlefield Trust to Pennsylvania to visit classic sites of the American Revolution. The juniors were able to experience this trip only a few months prior to the monumental 250th anniversary of the formation of the United States of America.
The trip began in the historic city of Philadelphia with a visit to The Museum of the American Revolution. The museum possesses an extensive collection of thousands of objects from the 18th and 19th centuries which are contained within several exhibits.
In the museum, the students took part in a two hour long tour which immersed them in the events that transpired before, during, and after the American Revolution. The museum exhibits included key information about the struggle for independence spanning from the conception of Revolutionaries to the post war responsibilities of establishing a new country. This educational tour allowed the students to observe in detail a comprehensive timeline of the war that resulted in American independence.
The group also had the exciting opportunity to view the tent that belonged to General George Washington, a relic which has been preserved for nearly two and a half centuries. Junior Kelley White recalls, “A memorable part of the trip was when I saw George Washington’s actual tent from the revolution in the museum.” This highlights the uniqueness of the experience.
Additionally, the students witnessed realistic imitations of life during the war. The dedicated staff replicated the routine of colonial families, the skilled labor of colonial workers, and the lives of soldiers while accurately portraying the daily struggles they endured and the ways they adapted. Particular details like the colonists carefully rationing food, wearing the same clothes for months, and consuming resource efficient chip biscuits rather than bread were meticulously incorporated into the re-enactments.
Following the museum visit, the students proceeded to Washington’s Crossing State Park, a national historic landmark that preserves the site where Washington crossed the Delaware River. The crossing of the Delaware began the “ten crucial days of the American Revolution” in which Washington led attacks on the Hessian and British forces, safeguarding the American revolutionary force and maintaining the cause for independence.
The various sites the juniors toured were both significant in history and relevant to their future studies. Mr. Bursig, a history teacher and chaperone for the trip, remarked, “This was a day filled with activity that was great for the kids to celebrate the 250th anniversary, and it was also a great segue to major events of the revolution the juniors will learn later in the year.”
