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GEORGE WASHINGTON BIRTHPLACE NATIONAL MONUMENT

PRESENTS

^When\ George\ Washington\ Was\ A\ Child^

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**CURRICULUM MATERIALS**

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> ![](media/image4.jpeg){width="1.75in"
> height="1.3131944444444446in"}**Before Your National Park Visit**
> [page]{.underline}
>
> **Park Background**
>
> **Happy Birthday George Washington** 5

Read a story about the Father of Our Country and learn vocabulary words.

> **Colonial Matching** 9

Discover colonial animals and animals today through a matching activity.

> **Past and Present** 10
>
> ![](media/image5.jpeg){width="1.375in"
> height="1.1680555555555556in"}Use photos to find differences between
> life in George Washington's time and your life today.

**After Your National Park Visit**

> **Wants and Needs Chart** 12
>
> Chart how peoples' wants and needs in George Washington's time were
> the same or different from our wants and needs today.

**Natural Resources Activity** 13

Use drawing and other skills to learn more about the natural resources
you saw

> at the park.

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**Happy Birthday, George Washington!**

Imagine a cold day **in the past** in late February. It was more than
275 years ago. It was lambing season at the Popes Creek Plantation on
the Northern Neck of Virginia. That's when the baby lambs were being
born. It was 1732 and Mary and Augustine Washington were looking forward
to the birth of their own baby. In a little house overlooking the water,
Mary had a little boy on February 22. She named him George: George
Washington.

![](media/image10.jpeg){width="1.83125in" height="2.75in"}

George Washington grew up to do many great things to help our country
get started. He led the army in the Revolutionary War. This war caused
our country to be separate from England. George Washington became a
national hero, somebody that people looked up to. He also became the
first president of our country. He helped our country get started, just
like fathers help children get a good start in life. That's why he's
called the **Father of Our Country**.

![](media/image11.png){width="2.3375in" height="1.75in"}Before George
Washington did all these great things, he was a child just like most
other children of his time. We call the time in the past when George was
a child the **colonial times**. The Popes Creek plantation where George
was born later became a national park that we can all visit. When you
come to the park, look for ways that life was different in the **past**.
What do you think has **changed**?

Popes Creek Plantation was like a small town, or a **community**. George
Washington's ***family***, servants and slaves raised everything for
their **basic needs** on the plantation. These were the things they
needed to live, like food, clothing, and shelter. Gardens were important
on the plantation because there were no grocery stores. Peas, carrots,
beets, cabbages and squash were part of the garden when George
Washington was a child. The people living on the plantation wanted to
avoid **scarcity**![](media/image12.png){width="2.35in"
height="1.761111111111111in"}, or not having enough.

The Washingtons and their slaves grew tobacco on the Popes Creek
Plantation. Most of their neighbors grew tobacco too. Virginia was a
good place for colonists like the Washingtons to settle. There were lots
of **natural resources** here, like good soil that would grow tobacco,
waterways that could be used for **transportation**, and plants that
could be used for food, medicine and even clothing.

![](media/image13.jpeg){width="1.5208333333333333in"
height="2.0208333333333335in"}

Tobacco could be used instead of **money**. Colonists could trade
tobacco for things they wanted to buy. This is called **bartering**. The
Washingtons **bartered** their tobacco for fine clothes, spices, glass,
medicines and tools from England. Some of these were things they
**needed** and some were things they **wanted**. What's the difference?

![](media/image14.jpeg){width="2.5in" height="1.65625in"}Are you looking
forward to seeing animals when you visit the park? The colonial farm
you'll see when you visit the park is almost like it was when George
Washington was a child there in the **past**. Animals had a lot of space
and a lot of people to take care of them, mostly slaves. In the
**present**, there are only a few workers on factory farms and the
animals are crowded.

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height="1.2069444444444444in"}

Just like when George Washington was a child, there are wild animals at
the park today. You might see deer, squirrels, snakes, swans, rabbits,
foxes, woodchucks, turtles, lizards, eagles, or raccoons.

![](media/image16.jpeg){width="1.9458333333333333in"
height="1.3027777777777778in"}

![](media/image18.jpeg){width="1.6388888888888888in"
height="1.2277777777777779in"}You'll also see domestic, or farmed,
animals. They are different from wild animals. Farmed animals depend on
us to take care of them. They are much like your pet cats or dogs at
home. They are smart, they recognize each other, and they can be happy
or sad, contented or scared. They can't live in the wild. Instead they
count on us to feed them and treat them well.

![](media/image19.jpeg){width="1.8333333333333333in"
height="1.375in"}There were many more farmed animals on the plantation
in the **past** when George Washington was a child. Pigs are very smart
and curious. When George was a child, they roamed free. They found
roots, nuts and other food to eat under the trees and around the
plantation grounds. Sheep recognize their own babies, even in a large
flock. They have feelings just like your dog or cat. Sheep are afraid of
predators, happy to get attention, and get upset if they're separated
from ones they know.

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height="1.382638888888889in"}

![](media/image23.jpeg){width="2.375in" height="1.78125in"}Horses were
George's favorite. His father had over 40 horses on this plantation.
George was an excellent rider. Horses and boats were the best ways to
travel when George was little. They were used for transportation. The
Washingtons kept chickens too. Chickens are very gentle animals. They
need to scratch in the grass outside to find food. In the **past**,
colonists needed to eat animals and their milk and eggs for food. In the
**present**, we have many other choices for our **basic needs**. Cows
give milk that their babies need to survive. When George was a child,
all cows had horns. Now people cut cows' horns off, even though it
hurts. The older boy cattle are oxen: they're very strong. When George
was a child, farmers used oxen to pull carts.

![](media/image24.jpeg){width="1.8611111111111112in"
height="2.7916666666666665in"}The colonists made many of the things they
needed, such as tools. A blacksmith made iron tools such as hooks,
nails, spoons, and screwdrivers on a forge, which is like a giant
fireplace. The Washingtons' slaves cooked the **family's** food over a
wood fire. The kitchen was in a separate building from the house, in
case it caught on fire.

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height="3.6597222222222223in"}

There are many stories about George Washington as a child. The story of
George Washington chopping down the cherry tree probably did not happen.
It probably is ***make believe***. However, other stories are . What is
the difference between ***make*** ***believe*** and ***real*** stories?

Do you like it when people remember your birthday? We remember the
birthdays of people that are important to us: our friends, our families,
and our heroes. In the **present**, we remember George Washington's
birthday each year because he was so important to our country.

![](media/image26.jpeg){width="2.225in" height="1.66875in"}George
Washington Birthplace National Memorial is a national park. It protects
the place where George Washington was born and spent his younger years.
The park protects plants and animals like the ones George knew when he
was here. The park helps us think of George Washington. His story is
part of our country's **history**, or **past**. You can celebrate the
birthday of **The Father of Our Country** any day just by visiting the
park.

![](media/image27.jpeg){width="1.9166666666666667in"
height="1.4381944444444446in"}**Colonial Matching\
**Match what the animal does to what it means (see example):

Wiggling tail Tired

Running away Curious

Sleeping Cold

Eating Happy

Shivering Hurt

Limping Hungry

Coming over to gate Afraid

![](media/image28.jpeg){width="1.2083333333333333in" height="0.90625in"}

[Match the names for boy and girl animals to the type of animal (see
example):]{.underline}

![](media/image29.jpeg){width="1.25in" height="0.9375in"}Girl: hen

Boy: rooster

Girl: cow

![](media/image30.jpeg){width="0.8652777777777778in" height="1.0in"}Boy:
ox or bull

Girl: filly or mare

Boy: colt or stallion

![](media/image31.jpeg){width="1.25in" height="0.9375in"}Girl: ewe

Boy: ram

Girl: sow

![](media/image32.jpeg){width="1.25in" height="0.9375in"}Boy: boar

Girl: goose

Boy: gander

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**Past and Present**

Some pictures here show life in the past when George Washington was a
child. Others show life now in the present.

Write **Past** or **Present** under each picture. (Hint: A few could be
**Both**.)

**[Transportation]{.underline}**

Car Boat Horse Plane

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\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**[Where to get things you Want or Need]{.underline}**

Store Make it yourself Internet Shipped from England

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**[Clothing]{.underline}**

Wool -- the only warm choice Synthetic fleece -- one of many warm
choices

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> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**[Cooking]{.underline}**

Hauling water Stove Fire Microwave

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\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**[Farming]{.underline}**

Free roaming animals Factory farms Tractors Oxen

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\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**[Getting Food]{.underline}**

Grow your own Store Refrigerator

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> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_

![](media/image57.jpeg){width="0.9666666666666667in"
height="1.45in"}**After Your Visit to the National Park**

**Wants and Needs Chart**

Think about how your wants and needs are different from people in George
Washington's time.

**[Wants]{.underline}**

List people's [wants]{.underline} in George Washington's time that were
[the same]{.underline} as your wants today. Then list their
[wants]{.underline} that were [different]{.underline} than yours today.

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
  **[The Same]{.underline}**          **[Different]{.underline}**

                                      

                                      

                                      

                                      

                                      
  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------

**[Needs]{.underline}**

List people's [needs]{.underline} in George Washington's time that were
[the same]{.underline} as your needs today. Then list their
[needs]{.underline} that were [different]{.underline} than yours today.

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
  **[The Same]{.underline}**          **[Different]{.underline}**

                                      

                                      

                                      

                                      

                                      
  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------

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**Natural Resources Activity**

Draw the faces of animals you saw at the park. Which one is your
favorite?

When George Washington was a child, the farmed animals were named. In
the national park, the farmed animals have names today.

List the names you would give the farmed animals that live in the park
today.

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  **Horses**     **Cattle**     **Hogs**       **Sheep**      **Chickens**

                                                              

                                                              

                                                              

                                                              

                                                              
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height="0.9694444444444444in"}

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height="0.8076388888888889in"}

People used plants for many needs and wants when George Washington was a
child.

Match the plant with what it was used for. See example.

Indigo Money

Flax Cloth (linen)

Vegetables and fruit trees Dye for cloth

Herbs from the garden Food

![](media/image66.jpeg){width="1.5in" height="1.125in"}

Tobacco Spices

Could we still use plant for any of these uses? Which ones?