The HistoryBears Kids Corner

Hi kids!

The HistoryBears would like to tell you some things that happened in America over 225 years ago. These three HistoryBears are from Boston Massachusetts. The year is 1776.

Here is a photo of three young HistoryBears in front of the Old State House in Boston Massachusetts.

Can you name one of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence? HistoryBears are giving you a hint below.

The HistoryBears want you to know that Samuel Adams was a leader who worked hard to help make America a better place to live. Lots of people helped him. The end result, as you know, is that America won her freedom from England and became a new Nation.

Through the years right up until today, everyday American people like you work hard to try to make America a nation to be proud of.

Did you know that people in America in 1775 liked music? There were many bands. The favorite instruments were Fifes and Drums. Its possible that every town in America had a fife and drum band back then. The people really liked fifes and drums for a very long time. Keep in mind, they were people just like us and they liked entertainment just like we do. It was not until radio and TV brought other forms of entertainment that people began to forget about fifes and drums.

The HistoryBears think it is sad that people would forget about something that they once loved. 

Do you know how the army, during America’s war for independence, communicated? Remember radio was not invented yet. So how do you think the commanders were able to give thousands of men a command?

Here’s a hint.

Right, the armies had musicians with fifes and drums and they sent musical signals. For example when the army camped outside of a town, at the end of the day, the fifes and drums would march though the town playing a beating known as TATOO. This was a signal to the men who were visiting the town that it was time to go back to camp. They would get in line behind the fifes and drums and march back to camp. Click here to listen to a TATOO beating recorded by The Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes & Drums

Here’s another example of a musician and the grenadier (you can tell by the hat) in the Regular (British) army in 1776.

This uniform is from His Majesties 10^th regiment of Foot, who took part in the fighting here in America in 1775. Notice the differences between the yellow musician’s uniform and the grenadier’s uniform coat .

Of course, during the war for independence, at first most men on the American side wore their regular clothing.

Even after 1779 when the French donated these uniforms (see below) to America, not everyone got one.

Not only that, but because the American colonies were part of England until the war, many militia units had the same Red uniforms as the British side.

The uniforms were expensive, so after America declared her independence, many malitia units did not want to buy new uniforms.

So they continued to wear their old red uniforms even though they were on the American side. Do you know what they did so people would know they were on the American side?

Here’s a hint from the song Yankee Doodle…

“ Yankee doodle went to town, riding on a pony, stuck a feather in his hat and called it Macaroni”

Yup, he stuck a feather in his hat. The British were the ones who wrote the song Yankee doodle and they were trying to make fun of the Americans. Instead, the Americans proudly took the song as their own.

One more thing. In the words from Yankee doodle, what do you think Macaroni means?

Well, this was slag in the time period of 1775, and it means very good. Like when you might call something ‘hot’ .

That’s all the history for today.