Books to Celebrate Freedom!
“The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People, in a great Measure, than they have it now. They may change their Rulers, and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty.”
Samuel Adams
It’s the season for celebrating freedom, and a time to acknowledge the sacrifices that have been made to ensure it. America has long been the refuge for the oppressed, our constitution securing a modicum of security and opportunity that few countries in the world have experienced. We’ve hosted refugees from civil wars in Africa, from genocide in Cambodia and Armenia, from the potato famine in Ireland, from religious persecution in England, from communist oppression in Stalin’s Eastern Europe, and from hunger in South America. We’ve been the last frontier of freedom and security for many.
America has made mistakes in the years since Independence from England was won, but we still experience freedom and opportunity on a level not seen in many countries (we can homeschool our children, start a business, practice our faith, hold a protest) and it’s worth studying the words and documents of our founding so we understand what we are preserving. It’s worth teaching virtue to our children so they will have the ability to sustain our republican form of government.
Here are a few books to read with your children this summer:
One of the dark sides of our history as Americans is slavery, starting with the Native Americans by Spanish settlers, and continuing with black slaves until emancipation in 1865. June 19th is a day to celebrate that emancipation and to pray for the many people who are still being trafficked as slaves worldwide.
Here are a few beautiful books to enhance your understanding of the holiday:
If you want to learn more about American history, check out The Playful Pioneers. Over thirty weeks we study Vikings, Native Americans, Colonial Times, Pioneers, Slavery, Immigration, and Industrialization with heartwarming stories and picture books. Learn more by clicking here.
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