Foothills Kids Magazine Fall 2022

The

AMerican
Revolution

Foothills Kids Magazine is proudly
made in western North Carolina and
aligns with the state curriculum

1070 26th Ave NE
Hickory NC 28601

Phone: 828.475.1323
E-mail: [email protected]

Carmen Eckard-Creative Editor and Chief
Aaron Kohrs-Executive Director
Chief Photographer-Jon Eckard

Creative Partnership with Foothi lls DIgest.
Stock photography by Adobe Stock.

BOARD MEMBERS

President – Mrs. Sarah Greer Koenig
Vice-President — Mrs. Roseann Flowers

Secretary — Mrs. Christiana Lovelace
Treasurer – Mrs. Monica Parache-Douthit

Mrs. Tracy Hall
Mr. Ron Downs
Mr. Patrick Broos
Mr. Wayne Powell

A note about our font: OpenDyslexic is a typeface (font) that
helps people with dyslexia read printed words more easily.
Dyslexia is the most common learning disability, and we think
using this font is a helpful and easy step for educators and
parents to take. It is available for download at opendyslexic.org.

Teachers, you can access our

curriculum guide using this QR code.

letter from the editor:

Dear Reader,

We are so very excited to print this issue
of Foothills Kids Magazine. This issue is
about the American Revolution and the
part the people in our region played in it.

We hope you’ll learn things you didn’t know,
and you’ll have a fun time trying the projects
we’ve included. If you have any questions or
want to tell me something, you can always
email me at [email protected].

Thanks for reading!


Mrs. Carmen Eckard

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

4 Diary of Mary Propst
10 Make Butter
12 Messy Money
14 North Carolina in the Revolution
24 Overmountain Victory Trail
26 Sign the Declaration of Independence
28 Betsy Ross
29 Design a Flag
30 Learn Checkers
34 Glossary
34 Spies
38 Around the World
40 Make Quill and Ink
43 Puzzle

4

Excerpts from the

Journal of Mary Propst

The following is the fictional journal of Mary
Propst. Historical Fiction is a genre of writing that
places fictional characters inside of real historical
settings.

Dear Diary,

I scarce have any time to write at all because
we are so busy! It’s just turned Spring, and
that means we have planting to do. We’ll plant
potatoes, wheat, corn, barley and oats, plus other
vegetables, like squash and beans. We grow, hunt,
or make everything we eat.

It’s been a long winter, and I haven’t seen a single
soul that doesn’t live in my house! That’s plenty
enough of a crowd, though.

I live with my Ma and Pa, one sister and three
brothers. All of the children sleep upstairs in one
big bed in our loft, and Ma and Pa sleep downstairs.

Pa has been out hunting, and we expect him
home today. I hope he had good luck and lots of
patience and is bringing home lots of meat. We’re
all out of the ham Ma salted and hung to dry,
because we ate it all winter long. I’m tired of it.

Love, Mary

5

Dear Diary,

Today my brother Toby
was chasing a chicken, and
that chicken was bound
and determined not to get
caught. He chased her past
when the sun went down
after she should have
been sleeping. I finally
told him to leave her be.
She went right to bed, and
I picked her up like it was
nothing. He felt silly, I bet.

Last week, a gentleman
came by and told Pa and
Ma about how a bunch of
men had signed a paper
saying that the colonies
should be America and
not colonies that belong
to England. I think that’s
a smart idea. Why should
England rule us when it’s
so far away? It’s so far I’ll
probably never even visit.

Pa says it will lead to war
but that some things are
worth fighting for.

That’s scary but exciting,
too. It sure would be nice

Maryto be free.
Love,

6

Dear Diary,

War has come, but mostly,
my life has stayed the
same. I spend my days
helping my Ma make meals
and tend the garden. We
have to keep everyone’s
clothes clean and in good
repair. It’s my job to make
butter. I milk the cow in
the mornings, and then I
put some milk in our butter
churn and move the stick
up and down until I think
my arms will fall off. Then,
we have butter!

My brothers are learning
how to hunt and how to
build things, and my oldest
brother is learning to be a
blacksmith. He puts iron in
a fire and then hammers
it into shape for things
like horsehoes, tools and
even forks to eat with.

We hear about battles
up North, but none
have happened near
us. Sometimes I have
nightmares about soldiers
in Red Coats.

Love, Mary

7

Dear Diary, was helping gather
men to come to fight
Late last night, we got Ferguson, and wild
a knock at the door. We horses couldn’t have
don’t get visitors very stopped my Pa from
often, and it made us going with him. Ma
right jumpy. It turns out helped him gather up
it was our neighbor. He a knapsack, and she
wanted to tell us about packed him some food
this man called Colonel for his trip. If he was
Ferguson, and some scared, I couldn’t tell.
things he had said. He was I don’t want to seem
a British Colonel who was too sentimental, but I’m
in charge of many men. very proud of my Pa.
He sent a message to all And I’m scared too.
the people living in the
mountains, like we do, Love, Mary
that if we didn’t listen to
his commands, he’d come Dear Diary,
over the mountain and
“Lay waste to our lands It’s been weeks since Pa
with fire and sword.” left. We haven’t heard
any word from him.
You should have see
my Pa’s face when Love, Mary
he heard that. I’ve
never seen it Dear Diary,
get so red. He
was so angry.

The Just as Ma was about to
neighbor give up hope, a neighbor
said came to give us word
that that there had been a
he battle at a place called
Kings Mountain, and

8

that our side had won! We
still haven’t heard about my
father, but I have faith.

Love, Mary

Dear Diary,

Today is a day of celebration!
I was sitting out front working
on my sewing, and my Pa
walked around the corner. I’m
so happy to have him home
that my heart might explode.

He told us how thousands of
men from the west side of
the mountains met up with
men from the foothills. They
marched for hundreds of miles,
ready to fight Ferguson. It was
rainy and muddy. They found
Ferguson at Kings Mountain,
and they were able to sneak
up on him. They hid in the
woods and shot from there.

He also said he knew some
of the men he was fighting
against. I don’t know why folks
would side with the British, but
I’m sure it was hard to fight
against people you know.

Love, Mary

9

Make Butter
From Cream

When you want some milk, you
probably pour some out of a bottle
in the fridge. Your butter probably
comes wrapped in foil or paper in a
paper box from the store. But in the
1700s, it was a bit more complicated.
If you were lucky, your family had a
cow, and you might have to milk the
cow each morning. That milk would be
good for drinking, but you could also
turn it into butter, cheese, or yogurt.

Colonists used a butter churn, like the
one shown on the left. They would
pour the fresh milk into the container,

then use the handle to agitate
the milk. After some time, the
milk would turn into butter, with a
liquid called buttermilk left over.

You probably don’t have a butter
churn at your house, but you can still
make butter! You’ll need a few things:

1: A Jar with a Lid
2: Heavy Cream
3: A strainer
4: Some water
5: A little salt, if you’d like

10

Fill the jar halfway with the cream. Add a
little salt if you’d like. Make sure you tighten
the lid, so it doesn’t leak. Shake. You’ll shake
for about 7 minutes. After 2 or 3 minutes,
you will have whipped cream. Keep shaking
until a solid lump forms, which you’ll hear
hitting the lid of the jar. Shake for about a
minute after that, and you’ll see that you
have a solid lump of butter and a liquid.
Use a colander to pour off the liquid. You
can save it and use it in any recipe for
buttermilk. Pour cool water over your
butter, then shape it into a ball or logs.
Homemade butter is excellent on bread or
crackers!

11

Messy Money

During the late 1700s, money was a mess. Today we
have reasonable denominations like $1, $5, $10, and
$100 bills. But the money of this era had some very
unusual denominations. Can you figure out which four
bills add up to the amounts below?

+ + + =$7732_
+ + + =$35
+ + + =$1172_1
+ + + =$156_1
+ + + =$1322_1

12

13

North Carolina in the Revolution

In the eighteenth century, North Carolina’s
population was growing quickly. In 1730, there
were 65,000 people in the colony, mostly in the
east of the state, far from our region. By 1775,
there were 265,000 people, and they covered the
whole state, reaching the Appalachian Mountains.
That’s 200,000 extra people in only 45 years!

The people came from many places, but many
were Scot-Irish, German or British. About 10,000
originally came from Africa. There were eight Native
American Tribes, with Cherokee numbering 12,000.
North Carolina was one of thirteen colonies, and
leaders appointed by the British Crown ruled it. The
Governor was named William Tryon, and he was not
very popular with people in North Carolina. He spent
a large amount of the money the people paid in
taxes to build a fancy mansion in New Bern, and the
people thought it was wasteful, so they were angry.
The Governor appointed other community leaders,
and they did not treat the colonists fairly.

14

Regulators

A group of angry The Regulators engaged
in several battles, but
Colonists formed their last fight occurred
on May 16, 1771.
called the Regulators.

They numbered in the

thousands. This group

said they wouldn’t Some consider the Battle

pay taxes for three of Alamance the first

years because they battle in the Revolutionary

didn’t want to pay for War. Others disagree

the governor’s new since the Regulators

house, and they had were trying to fix the

many complaints about government instead

how the colony was of starting a new one.

governed.

The Regulators were The Battle of Alamance
began when Governor
willing to fight Tryon marched 1,000
men westward to stop
corruption, and from the growing rebellion.
When he heard that the
1767-1770, government determined Regulators

officials rightfully

feared for their lives.

15

were camped nearby, he divided his forces and
formed two lines, ready to attack. He gave a
warning to the Regulators, which they ignored.

Although they weren’t trained, the Regulators
fought well, at first. At one point, a bullet even hit
the governor’s hat. But their lack of training caught
up with them. They fought fiercely, but they lost,
and the governor ordered the woods to be burned.

Buildup To War

The King of England was
George III. He is shown on the
left. Thomas Jefferson called
him a “Plundering Tyrant.”

By 1771, he appointed
another colonial governor.
Colonists found Josiah Martin
to be even more arrogant and
unpleasant than Tryon. By
then, Revolution was brewing
all over the Colonies because
England increased taxes but
did not allow the Colonists
a voice in government.

On April 19, 1775, the “shot heard round the
world” rang out when the Battles of Lexington
and Concord began. Four thousand militiamen
fought 1,700 British Soldiers. The Patriot
casualties were 96, while the British had 273.

Governor Martin knew his time as Colonial Governor
was coming to an end. He fled from New Bern, where
the governor’s mansion sat, under cover of darkness.

16

The Battle of Moore’s Creek was the first battle
in North Carolina. It occurred just after Governor
Martin fled. Highland Scots loyalists were defeated
by a Patriot militia led by future governor Richard
Caswell.

This Loyalist defeat was a good omen. Patriots
took over the governor’s mansion, making it their
capital. The first sessions of the General Assembly
met there and did the work of building a new state.

The Continental Congress was a new group
formed to lead a new nation not tied to
England. Each colony sent representatives to
the Continental Congress. On April 12, 1776,
the North Carolina Provincial Congress voted to
authorize their delegates to vote for independence.

This authorization became known as the Halifax
Resolves, the first official action by a colony calling
for independence. That is why you’ll see “First
In Freedom” on license plates in North Carolina.

The Continental Congress is responsible for the
Declaration of Independence, signed between July
4, 1776, and August 2. It was signed by 56 of the
group’s members, including three men from North
Carolina. Thomas Jefferson was the primary author.

17

Along with the Declaration came the unavoidable
war.
The document begins, “We hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among these
are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
These are the principles on which we built our nation.

18

We tend to assume

that most people

would have

supported

the Patriot

cause, but it

was pretty

evenly split.

About one-

third of

people living

in our state

wanted to be

independent.

Another third

were loyal to the

Crown, and the last third

weren’t on either side. This

was our first civil war, and sons fought against fathers.

Back in 1763, King George III had prohibited
colonists from settling west of the Appalachian
Mountains. However, some Pioneers, like Daniel
Boone, ignored this. The Cherokee resented this
encroachment and sided with the British in the war.

In the summer of 1776, the Cherokee planned
attacks all along the southern frontier. Nancy Ward,
an English-speaking Cherokee, warned settlers of
the plan, and many found safety at Fort Dobbs,
Davidson’s Fort (in modern-day Old Fort), Fort
Defiance, and many unknown areas. When they
returned home, however, they found their houses
burned. Later that year militian men launched a
“retaliatory expedition” in the western part of
North Carolina against the Cherokee. It was was

19

led by Brigadier General Griffith Rutherford and
was ordered by the Continental Congress. North
Carolina brought 2,000 troops, and South Carolina
brought an additional 2,000. When they arrived at the
Cherokee settlements, they were deserted. The men
burned the villages and destroyed Cherokee crops.

By 1777, the Cherokee returned to their destroyed
homes and saw that a treaty was needed. They
sought an agreement, and in the Autumn of
1777, a treaty was signed. That should have
calmed tensions, but it didn’t. Many settlers
ignored it, and a group of warrior Cherokees, led
by Dragging Canoe, continued to be loyal British
allies. Skirmishes between Cherokee and settlers
continued, and in 1780, an expedition led by John

20

Sevier and Arthur Campbell all but decimated
the Cherokee villages. This conflict ultimately
resulted in the terrible tragedy of the removal
of the Cherokee and the Trail of Tears in 1830.

In the Piedmont of North Carolina, the Catawbans
lived along the Catawba River. They were enemies
of the Cherokee and were important trade partners
to the settlers.

The Catawbans sided with the Patriots against
the British and the Cherokee during the war. The
Catawbans helped the Patriots in different ways. As
a result, their villages were burned by the British.
The Catawbans fought in many battles throughout
the war, including the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

The War Comes to North Carolina

In the earlier years of the war, much of the fighting
was done in the north. North Carolina sent soldiers,
but it was relatively quiet here. But in 1780, the war
came to the South.

The North Carolina Continental Line was called to
fight in the Battle of Charleston in 1780. The city
fell on May 12. This battle was a devastating loss.
However, returning home, the North Carolinians
won a battle at a place called Ramseur’s Mill.

North Carolina Patriots were integral to the victory
at Kings Mountain. This battle was fought almost
entirely by Americas, both Patriot, and Loyalist. A
large group of men called “The Over Mountain Men”
came from Tennessee and Virginia to help defeat

21

Colonel Ferguson, who had threatened to “Lay
waste to their land with fire and sword.” Above,
you can see the end of the battle. The American
victory was secured when Colonel Ferguson
was killed. He is buried where he died, and Kings
Mountain is now a national park that you can visit.

The Over Mountain Men walked a very long way to
arrive at the battle. Today, the paths they walked are
marked and celebrated by the Over Mountain Victory
Trail. The trail is 330 miles long and goes through
Virginia,Tennessee,NorthCarolina,andSouthCarolina.

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse happened on March
15, 1781, and it was very important. This battle lasted
hours. Technically, the British won that battle, but
they lost 27% of their soldiers. A British politician said,
“Another such victory would ruin the British army.”

22

The British forces in the South had been weakened
to the point that they had just left. Just five months
later, General Cornwallis, the leader of the British
forces, surrendered to General George Washington
at Yorktown after a long siege, and America
won the war. The art below shows that moment.
The North Carolinians that fought in the Revolutionary
War helped turn the tide. The list of battles in North
Carolina includes the Battles of Charlotte, Colson’s
Mill, Cowan’s Ford, Guilford Court House, House in
the Horseshoe, Lindley’s Mill, Moore’s Creek Bridge,
Ramsour’s Mill, Shallow Ford, Torrence’s Tavern,
Wahab’s Plantation, Wetzell’s Mill, and Pyle’s
Massacre as well as Rutherford Light Horse expedition.
In the beginning, not many people thought that the
Patriots would be successful, but as time went on,
the American spirit took hold, and victory became
the only possible conclusion.

23

Overmountain

Victory Trail

The Overmountain Victory Trail follows the paths of the
Overmountain Men as they gathered and marched towards
the Battle of Kings Mountain. The trail is 330 miles long and
crosses four states: Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and
South Carolina. The course is a mix of Commemorative Motor
Route along existing highways and 87 miles of walkable trails.
The trail is a joint effort between the National Park Service
and The Overmountain Victory Trail Association. Each year,
in late September and into October, the association hosts
a commemorative march. This year, the march begins on
September 25th at Fort Watauga, and it ends on October 7th
at Kings Mountain.

HIKE THESE TRAILS!

Trail #308 & Road #5545 – Black Bear Tract Trail – North
Yellow Mtn. Gap, Avery Co. – Shore of Lake James – 2.1 Miles
1.5 Miles
Trail #308G & Road #1238 –
Overmountain Victory NHT – Pisgah National Forest – 4.1 Miles
Elkin, NC – 3.75 Miles
1780 Community – North Shore
of Lake James - 1 Mile
Yadkin River Greenway
– Wilkesboro,
NC – 7 Miles Paddy's Creek Trail – New Part
of Lake James State Park – 2.3
Overmountain Victory NHT – Miles
W. Kerr Scott Dam & Reservoir
– 11 Miles Overmountain Victory NHT –
Lake James State Park – 1.5
Miles
Yadkin River Greenway –
Caldwell County, NC – 1 Mile
Catawba River Greenway –
Morganton, NC – 5 Miles
Patterson School
Overmountain Trail – Caldwell
County – 1 Mile Overmountain Victory NHT –
Rutherfordton, NC – 3 Miles

Glllespie Gap – Blue Ridge Alexander's Ford Trail – Polk Co.,
Parkway, NC – 5.75 Miles NC – 2 Miles

Rose Creek Trail – West Side
of Blue Ridge Parkway, MP 326 Overmountain Vineyards – Polk
– 1.4 Miles Co., NC – 1 Mile

24

25

Sign the Pretend you are one of our
nation’s founders! Practice
Declaration of your signature on the
Independence next page, then put your
signature in the empty
spot on the Declaration of
Independence.

26

ABCDEF GH
I JKLMNOP
QRST UVWXYZ
a bcd e fg h i j k lmn
opq rstuvwxyz

A

27

Betsy Ross designed the American Flag.
Initially, there were thirteen stars arranged in
a circle. The stars each represented one of the
colonies. Red symbolizes hardiness and valor,
white symbolizes purity and innocence, and blue
represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

28

If you were in charge of creating America’s flag, what
would it look like? What does America mean to you?
Draw the flag, and in the space below, explain what your
symbols and colors represent.

29

Learn to play
checkers

Did you know that people have been playing Checkers
since the 12th century? That’s the 1100s. It used to be
called “Draughts,” and it’s still called that in England.

You can use this board to play and use pennies
and dimes as your playing pieces. Each person
will need 12 playing pieces, and they will be
lined up on the black squares, filling the first
three rows on both sides of the board. That will
leave two empty rows in the center. The right
square closest to each person should be white.

The goal is to capture your opponent’s pieces.
On each turn, you can move one piece forward
diagonally. You must move it from a black square
to a black square. You capture your opponent’s
piece by jumping over it. If they have a piece in
a spot you can move into, and the space that
follows it in the diagonal line is empty, you “jump”
their piece, landing on the other side, and you
collect their piece and put it next to you. If you
land on a spot that would allow you to make
another jump, you can do that in the same turn.

Once you or your opponent get a piece to the last
row across the board from you, it gets “Kinged.”
That means that the person gets one piece back
from the opponent, and it stacks on top of the
one that reached the back row. That piece is now
allowed to move diagonally forwards OR backward.

The game ends when all of one player’s pieces
have been taken.

30

31

GLOSSARY

Colony: one of the thirteen original settlements
in the land that became the USA. Nearly all were
settled by the English, and they were all on the
Eastern coast of the continent. The original 13
colonies won independence from England. North
Carolina is one of the original 13 colonies.
Continental Congress: the original government
of the United States. The group governed the
original colonies during and after the American
Revolution.
Declaration of Independence: this document
declared America’s independence and started the
war. It has three main ideas. 1: God made all men
equal and gave them the rights of life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness. 2: The main business
of government is to protect these rights. 3: If a
government tries to withhold these rights, the
people are free to revolt and set up a new government.

32

Loyalist: a person who remains loyal to the
established ruler or government, especially in the
face of a revolt. Loyalists were loyal to England
and fought against the Patriots.
Militiaman: a person who fights in a militia. A
militia is a group of people raised from the civil
population to fight in a battle. These men were not
part of the regular army and were not as well-trained.
Over Mountain Man: frontiersmen from west of
the Appalachian Mountains who took part in the
American Revolutionary War, specifically in the
Battle of Kings Mountain.
Patriot: a person who believed the colonies should
be free from England.
Quill: a writing device made from a feather.
Revolution: a forcible overthrow of the government
or established social order in favor of new systems
and leadership. America’s Revolution began in 1776.

33

Spies

Did you know that America wouldn’t have won the war
without spies? When there were no emails, phones, or
even radios, it was tough to know where the enemy was
and where they might be heading. Spies were integral
to the war and gave us much-needed information.

There were many spies, and they came from all walks of
life. Spies of the American Revolution included Benjamin
Hale, who disguised himself to go behind enemy lines and
was captured and executed. He famously said, “I only regret
that I have but one life to give for my country.” Other spies
included Benjamin Tallmadge, Abraham Woodhull, and Robert
Townsend. Only men fought in the Revolutionary War, but
there were women spies, like Anna Strong. She used laundry
hanging on her line as a code to share the important things
she learned while spying. James Armistead Lafayette
was an enslaved man who pretended to be on the side
of the British but spied for the Patriots. The information
he provided was very important to the war efforts.

One thing spies often did was share written messages.
They couldn’t just write the messages out in regular
English, though, because the enemy could intercept
them and read them. So, they made up codes.

You can create your own “Spy
Cipher.” You’ll want to make

two copies of your cipher;
then you’ll share
one with your
friend for safe-
keeping. Use
the templates
on page 41.
Cut out the
circles. Use
a metal brad
to attach them
at the center.

34

On the outside circle,
write the alphabet
in order. On the
inside circle, you can
write the alphabet in
the correct or random
order or use other shapes
altogether, like in our picture.

To write a message, you’ll first need to
choose a letter or shape that you will rotate until it lines up
with the “A” on the larger circle. The last step is to write
your message. First, write the letter or symbol you chose
to match to the “A.” That’s so that the person reading your
message can line their cipher up correctly. Then, find the
letter that you mean to say on the larger circle and write
down the corresponding letter or shape that is on the middle
circle. Send your coded message to your friend to decipher!

35

Have you ever heard of ? Why does that
disappearing ink? You happen? Lemon
can write messages using juice and milk
lemon juice or milk as both contain carbon
ink. compounds that are
not visible at room
It’s easiest to use a Q-tip temperature. But once
to apply the liquid. Once you heat up the paper,
it dries, you can’t see it. the heat breaks down
Send it to your friend, and the carbon compounds
they can heat the paper and releases the
up by holding it near a carbon. The carbon
lightbulb or candle, and oxidizes when it
the words you wrote contacts oxygen in the
will turn brown, and air, and it turns brown.
your friend will see your Then, you can read it
message. without any trouble!
Pencil tips are made of
carbon, and everything
on Earth that is alive
has carbon in it.

36

37

Around the World

Welcome to Around the World, a special section hosted by the
Greater Hickory International Council. In each upcoming issue,
we will focus on a different country. Hopefully, one day you
will be able to travel to these countries or learn a foreign
language in your school. You can also home host an exchange
student that is visiting your school from another country and
learn about their life back home and how it compares to yours.

This Issue’s Country Spotlight: Germany



There is a long history of German culture and heritage in our
region. There are many German people and German businesses
in the area where we live. Did you know that we even have
a region-to-region Sister Cities partnership with Germany?
The Altenburger Land region in Germany has a Sister Cities
partnership with the Greater Hickory region, which includes
Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties. Students
in these four counties can participate in fun programs and
exchanges between the schools here and in Germany.

Capital of Germany: Berlin

National Flower: Cornflower

Official Language: German.

Flag Colors: Black, Red, & Gold


Currency Used: The Euro



Popular German Food:

Wursts, Sauerkraut,

Schnitzel, Sauerbraten,

Rouladen, Fresh Baked

Pretzels

Did You Know? Upcoming

The Neuschwanstein International Regional
Castle is the most
visited castle in Events:
Germany.
Youth International Film
What makes it so Festival, on Wednesday,
popular for Americans September 21 from 6pm-8pm
is that it was also used at the Hickory Community
for Disney’s Sleeping Theatre for families with
Beauty castle, the big students in grades 4th-8th.
castle you may have Filmmakers from around
seen if you have ever the world have created
international short films
been to Disneyworld to share with students and
in Florida with your expose them to different
family on vacation. cultures. You can vote for

your favorite film.

https://hickoryinternational-
council.com/YIFF2022
This event is FREE.

Oktoberfest, a celebration of
learning German heritage, cul-
tures and customs with your
family and friends on October

7-9 in downtown Hickory.

https://downtownhickory.com/
oktoberfest/

This event is FREE.

For more information on
international programs and
events in our area, visit the
Greater Hickory Internation-
al Council’s website @ hick-
oryinternationalcouncil.com.

Make ink & A Quill Pen

When you want to write, you probably
use a pencil, a pen, or even a computer.
In Revolutionary times, people wrote
with quill pens. These were created
from feathers and dipped in ink. The
Declaration of Independence was written
with a quill pen. You can make your own!

You’ll want to select a nice, strong
feather. Flight feathers work best,
and feathers from geese and chickens
were most commonly used. We used a
parrot feather. After you select your
feather, you’ll want to trim the bottom
section of feathers so that you’ll
have more room to hold your quill.

Once you’ve trimmed the feather, you’ll
need to make a series of three or four cuts. We used a small
pair of fairly sharp school scissors, but you can also use a
blade if you have an adult helping you. The first trim (A) is
a 45-degree cut that takes off the tip of the feather. The
second cut (B) removes the sharp point and leaves a straight
edge in its place. The third cut (C) is a small slit that allows
the ink to flow. Alternately, you can add a fourth cup to
trim the sides of your straight end, making a finer point.

Cut your feather along the dotted lines._______________ C

AB ___________

_______________

40

1: Collect POKEBERRIES
Berries
We used In Revolutionary
times, pokeberries
pokeberries, but
you can also use were used to
make ink. The
blueberries or bright purple
blackberries. berries were
often collected
2: Crush and processed so
Berries that people could
Place berries in write letters.
a freezer bag, The purple ink
then mash them eventually turned
with your hands.
Optionally, you can brown.
place in a cup, add a
teaspoon of baker’s The pokeberry
yeast, cover with a plant is poisonous,
cloth and wait for
24 hours. This will so you must be
make your ink last very careful with
it if you are using
longer.
pokeberries to
3: Strain make ink. The
Berries berries were also
used to make dye
You can poke for cloth and stain
about 15 holes in a
bottom corner of for wood.
your freezer bag.
Squeeze the juice
through these holes

into a small jar.

4: Add two
teaspoons of
vinegar and a
dash of salt.

Add these
ingredients to make

your ink more
stable. If you added
yeast, you can skip
this step. Seal your

jar and shake.

5: Use the
ink!

Once you’ve made your quill and your ink, you’ll need to
practice writing. It’s a little bit tricky. You can experiment
with how to hold the quill, how often to dip it in the ink, and
how much pressure to use. We found that it works easier
with cursive letters. Can you practice your signature from
page 28? Could you use invisible ink with a quill pen? Could
you write a coded letter using your cipher?

42

Clues:

1. A person who wanted to be 9. The King of England during the
free from England. war.

2. The name of the Tribe of Native 10. The American was
Americans who helped local an important war.
Patriots.
12. Overmountain Trail.
3. The country where Berlin is the
capital. 11. Woman who created the flag.

4. A group of men who thought 13. Begins "We hold these truths
that the goverment was corrupt to be self-evident."
and wanted changes.
14. The Country American won
5. A device used to help code independence from.
written notes.
15. A person who was loyal to
6. A feather turned into a writing England, also called a Tory.
tool.

7. The last name of the Governor
of North Carolina who had a
mansion/palace built in New Bern.

8. Location of an important battle
in which the Overmountain Men
fought.

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