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what Patriotic things do you feel are important for your kid to know


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In addition to the above, the National Anthem, the Gettysburg Adress, and some, if not all, of the Decloration of Independence.

 

ETA- There are also several things I think they should at a minimum recognize when they see/hear references to, (ie Dr. King's "I have a dream" speech), but have not insisted they memorize.

Edited by BLA5
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Not necessarily patriotic so much as a civics education but here's my utltimate list (for grades through high school):

 

Documents

* Reading The Declaration of Independence and discussing each section

* Understanding the failures of the Articles of Confederation

* Reading all the Constitution and discussing each section

* Read selected Federalist papers and arguments for and against the Constitution

 

Songs

* The Star Spangled Banner

* America the Beautiful

* The Battle Hymn of the Republic (Civil War song)

 

Speeches to Read (and listen or watch when possible)

* Washington's Farewell Address

* Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

* FDR's First Inaugural

* Churchill's "We shall fight on the Beaches" speech (important to American history)

* Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech"

* Reagan's Brandenburg Gate Speech

* Reagan's Challenger Speech

 

Memory

* All the Presidents

* Declaration of Independence "When in the Course of Human Events..." paragraph

* Original 13 states

* All 50 states and capitals

* The Preamble to the Constitution

* Summary of each Amendment's Purpose

* The Gettysburg Address

* Starting with "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up..." memorize end of "I Have a Dream"

* Dates of Major US Wars (French/Indian War, War of Inpendence, War of 1812, War of Texas Independence, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Afghanistan War, Iraq War)

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Not necessarily patriotic so much as a civics education but here's my utltimate list (for grades through high school):

 

Documents

* Reading The Declaration of Independence and discussing each section

* Understanding the failures of the Articles of Confederation

* Reading all the Constitution and discussing each section

* Read selected Federalist papers and arguments for and against the Constitution

 

Songs

* The Star Spangled Banner

* America the Beautiful

* The Battle Hymn of the Republic (Civil War song)

 

Speeches to Read (and listen or watch when possible)

* Washington's Farewell Address

* Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

* FDR's First Inaugural

* Churchill's "We shall fight on the Beaches" speech (important to American history)

* Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech"

* Reagan's Brandenburg Gate Speech

* Reagan's Challenger Speech

 

Memory

* All the Presidents

* Declaration of Independence "When in the Course of Human Events..." paragraph

* Original 13 states

* All 50 states and capitals

* The Preamble to the Constitution

* Summary of each Amendment's Purpose

* The Gettysburg Address

* Starting with "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up..." memorize end of "I Have a Dream"

* Dates of Major US Wars (French/Indian War, War of Inpendence, War of 1812, War of Texas Independence, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Afghanistan War, Iraq War)

 

How to question authority. :D. But I doubt the op's kids can memorize that.

 

:iagree:

 

All of the above. I couldn't care less about memorizing a lot of the drivel that's paraded out as patriotic, but I think the above are important to create a citizen that not only understands his history, but how to participate in his future government.

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How to question authority. :D. But I doubt the op's kids can memorize that.

 

I don't need to teach my kids that. They came out questioning authority!

 

But asking the hard questions and making sure he or she is choosing the right path... Yeah, I'd agree.

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:iagree:

 

All of the above. I couldn't care less about memorizing a lot of the drivel that's paraded out as patriotic, but I think the above are important to create a citizen that not only understands his history, but how to participate in his future government.

 

I don't want the kids to memorize drivel either...that is why I was asking here for some ideas....thanks.

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Not necessarily patriotic so much as a civics education but here's my utltimate list (for grades through high school):

 

Documents

* Reading The Declaration of Independence and discussing each section

* Understanding the failures of the Articles of Confederation

* Reading all the Constitution and discussing each section

* Read selected Federalist papers and arguments for and against the Constitution

 

Songs

* The Star Spangled Banner

* America the Beautiful

* The Battle Hymn of the Republic (Civil War song)

 

Speeches to Read (and listen or watch when possible)

* Washington's Farewell Address

* Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

* FDR's First Inaugural

* Churchill's "We shall fight on the Beaches" speech (important to American history)

* Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech"

* Reagan's Brandenburg Gate Speech

* Reagan's Challenger Speech

 

Memory

* All the Presidents

* Declaration of Independence "When in the Course of Human Events..." paragraph

* Original 13 states

* All 50 states and capitals

* The Preamble to the Constitution

* Summary of each Amendment's Purpose

* The Gettysburg Address

* Starting with "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up..." memorize end of "I Have a Dream"

* Dates of Major US Wars (French/Indian War, War of Inpendence, War of 1812, War of Texas Independence, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Afghanistan War, Iraq War)

 

:iagree: This is a great list.

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Not necessarily patriotic so much as a civics education but here's my utltimate list (for grades through high school):

 

Documents

* Reading The Declaration of Independence and discussing each section

* Understanding the failures of the Articles of Confederation

* Reading all the Constitution and discussing each section

* Read selected Federalist papers and arguments for and against the Constitution

 

Songs

* The Star Spangled Banner

* America the Beautiful

* The Battle Hymn of the Republic (Civil War song)

 

Speeches to Read (and listen or watch when possible)

* Washington's Farewell Address

* Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

* FDR's First Inaugural

* Churchill's "We shall fight on the Beaches" speech (important to American history)

* Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech"

* Reagan's Brandenburg Gate Speech

* Reagan's Challenger Speech

 

Memory

* All the Presidents

* Declaration of Independence "When in the Course of Human Events..." paragraph

* Original 13 states

* All 50 states and capitals

* The Preamble to the Constitution

* Summary of each Amendment's Purpose

* The Gettysburg Address

* Starting with "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up..." memorize end of "I Have a Dream"

* Dates of Major US Wars (French/Indian War, War of Inpendence, War of 1812, War of Texas Independence, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Afghanistan War, Iraq War)

 

:iagree: That pretty much covers a lot of ground. I admit there's a few things here I'm not immediately familiar with--the Reagan speeches primarily.

 

I also like for my kids to recognize and place certain American monuments--

Statue of Liberty, Washington DC buildings and monuments, Mt Rushmore etc.

 

I also think folksongs are patriotic. Like Woodie Guthrie or Pete Seeger.

 

The various phases of our flags design is something we've touched on.

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Not necessarily patriotic so much as a civics education but here's my utltimate list (for grades through high school):

 

Documents

* Reading The Declaration of Independence and discussing each section

* Understanding the failures of the Articles of Confederation

* Reading all the Constitution and discussing each section

* Read selected Federalist papers and arguments for and against the Constitution

 

Songs

* The Star Spangled Banner

* America the Beautiful

* The Battle Hymn of the Republic (Civil War song)

 

Speeches to Read (and listen or watch when possible)

* Washington's Farewell Address

* Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

* FDR's First Inaugural

* Churchill's "We shall fight on the Beaches" speech (important to American history)

* Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech"

* Reagan's Brandenburg Gate Speech

* Reagan's Challenger Speech

 

Memory

* All the Presidents

* Declaration of Independence "When in the Course of Human Events..." paragraph

* Original 13 states

* All 50 states and capitals

* The Preamble to the Constitution

* Summary of each Amendment's Purpose

* The Gettysburg Address

* Starting with "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up..." memorize end of "I Have a Dream"

* Dates of Major US Wars (French/Indian War, War of Inpendence, War of 1812, War of Texas Independence, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Afghanistan War, Iraq War)

 

This covers my list plus a couple more items. :) With the addition of "Yankee Doddle" and "This Land is Your Land" under songs. :D

 

They will also read biographies of important American historical figures, such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Harriet Tubman, MLK Jr., Benjamin Franklin, Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, and many more--I can't remember my entire list off the top of my head.

 

Cat

Edited by myfunnybunch
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Wow, this is a great list.

In addition to these, I'd hope you might find time to also help your children to wrestle with this idea. . . (not necessarily memorize it).

 

"Every day we're told that we live in the greatest country on earth. And it's always stated as an undeniable fact: Leos were born between July 23 and August 22, fitted queen-size sheets measure 60 by 80 inches, and America is the greatest country on earth. Having grown up with this in our ears, it's startling to realize that other countries have nationalistic slogans of their own, none of which are 'We're number two!'"

 

David Sedaris, "See You Again Yesterday," p. 157 (in Me Talk Pretty One Day)

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