Knox, Knox

Henry Knox is a hero of the American Revolution.

Knox went to Ticonderoga in November 1775, and, over the course of three winter months, moved 60 tons of cannons and other armaments by boat, horse and ox-drawn sledges, and manpower, along poor-quality roads, across two semi-frozen rivers, and through the forests and swamps of the lightly inhabited Berkshires to the Boston area.  Historian Victor Brooks has called Knox's exploit "one of the most stupendous feats of logistics" of the entire American Revolutionary War.

​The route by which Knox moved the weaponry is now known as the Henry Knox Trail, and the states of New York and Massachusetts have erected markers along the route.

(Liberty) Bell Work

How many candles would be
on Henry's cake, ​this year?

Birthday:  June 6, 1755

How many words can you make
from the letters in his name?
​
H  E  N  R  Y     K  N  O  X

Art Appreciation

Analyze the famous painting shown here (right).  Check out the details.

• What do you notice?
• What do you think is happening?
• What caused the scene in the painting?
• What might happen after the scene shown?
• What does this piece make you wonder?

Interactive Timeline

For an interactive timeline, take your browser to the Henry Knox Museum.

Liberty's Kids

Your Turn

Get ready for a strenuous (and fun) team race outside the walls of "Fort Cecil Floyd".

The Guns of Ticonderoga

The video below was lifted from the John Adams miniseries.  In this scene John Adams' wife, Abigail Adams, and their children encounter Henry Knox as he transports captured British Cannon to new strategic positions.  Of course, the cannon were never brought through this area in real life, but it was a way to get the scene into the series.

Diligence

After reading The Guns of Ticonderoga, answer the following questions:

• What is diligence?
• ​Is diligence essential in achieving worthy goals?

I, Cannon

In 1976, my family started a tradition.  My grandpa made from scratch an operable, scale model of a revolutionary cannon.  He cut the wood and lathed and bored the barrel.  He fashioned the pins and chains. Once I saw his creation, my 11-year-old self wondered if we could fire the cannon, every year, on Independence Day.  We have done so every year except one, beginning on that bicentennial occasion.  You can see it very well in this video, but here goes:

What Is an Explosion?

No, we will not make an explosion, but we can explore the science of explosions using some common household items, including some old film canisters, Alka Seltzer tablets, Mentos, and diet cola (These experiments require adult supervision.).

Music Appreciation

Macaroni?

Since the words to Yankee Doodle are meant to be insulting, I wonder if they could be rewritten with a more positive message.

​Decide what life skill you would like to emphasize and go for it.  Here is a verse for you to work with:

Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on a pony
He stuck a feather in his hat
And called it macaroni

Yankee Doodle, keep it up
Yankee Doodle dandy
Mind the music and the step
and with the girls be handy!