In the Spirit of 1776, 1783, and 2002

September 3 was the day the Treaty of Paris 1783 was finalized, and the USA was officially independent.

It was fitting that on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2002, the TV show Liberty's Kids debuted on PBS, with 40 episodes focusing on various events in the founding era of the USA.

I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have been in the room where famous events in history happened.  Liberty's Kids offered such a window into events of that era.

Here are some scenes from Liberty's Kids that stand out to me:

When a British officer accuses James and Henri of spreading sedition, Phyllis Wheatley recites some of her poetry.

Relevant to this week was an inside look at the sessions of the First Continental Congress, which began 250 years ago, on September 5, 1774.  Other episodes had scenes at the Second Continental Congress.

Patrick Henry's speech before a session of a provisional Virginia legislature in Richmond on March 23, 1775, ending with the famed words "Give me liberty or give me death!"

Sarah and James participated with Paul Revere and William Dawes as they set out on their famous rides to alert the countryside that the British army regulars were on the move.

General Washington spoke humbly when he accepted command of the Continental Army, much as he would do several episodes later when he resigned his commission.  His registration happened after he gave a speech to convince officers to not mutiny against Congress, and moved the officers emotionally when he put on his glasses.

Richard Henry Lee offered the independence resolution in Congress on June 7, 1776.

There was something so stirring about seeing Caesar Rodney's courageous spirit when he mounted a horse for a night ride to Philadelphia to be present for the vote on independence in Congress on July 2, 1776.

Shortly after the vote was pronounced unanimous, John Adams spoke rousing words about celebrating July 2, which were based on words he wrote in a letter to his wife Abigail.

It was fascinating to learn about the Turtle submarine that was used for warfare.

After Nathan Hale's unfortunate death, Benjamin Franklin offered encouraging words to rouse the spirits of Sarah, James, and Henri about Mr. Hale's courageous spirit.  This happened after negotiations with Admiral Howe were unsuccessful.

It was an incredible scene to see General Washington launch a successful surprise attack against the Hessians at Trenton.

The Marquis de Lafayette left quite an impression on his arrival, and I was intrigued by his lengthy French name.

One episode took us to the scene when Captain John Paul Jones battled a British ship.

It was interesting to learn about how Governor Galvez did to support the American cause along the Gulf Coast.

There was an episode that gave a great window into the family life of the Adams family.  At one point, when John had writer's block while drafting the Massachusetts State Constitution, Abigail gave him some inspiration.  Later in that episode, we hear her quote from a letter she wrote to John Quincy.

The final episode gave a good sense of the discussions in the Constitutional Convention.  And it was so inspiring to watch George Washington take the oath of office as the first President under the US Constitution.

Indeed, I felt like I experienced so much of that era from watching that show, and helped me picture important foundational moments in USA history.

Huzzah for Liberty's Kids!