The Presidential Election and a School Field Trip

The presidential election and a school field trip. What does one have to do with another? Nothing, is what you would probably think. But for me, the answer is a whole lot. In what way?
 
My grade just got back from an overnight field trip to Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown. Meaning, of course, that we were learning about colonial life. Meaning, of course, the American Revolution. Meaning, of course, we were immersed in the time of birth of our country. Do you get it now? We were traveling back in time to the founding of the country during the very same week our nation just elected a president. The election last week originated from the time and the place and the people we were studying. Just as we stepped forward as a nation, we learned about how it all started.
 
Coincidence? Yes – this field trip happens around the same time every year for the school’s fifth-graders. But still really cool? Completely.
 
I was very interested in the election before the field trip, but to be given a good representation of what life was like before people had the right to elect a leader really drew me in more. As we were walking around the mockup of the Virginia colony, we were told the story of some different reasons people didn’t like the governor at the time (this was still while British government was in control, but not for a whole lot longer).
 
Back then, you could love or hate the governor, but your views would not make a difference and you certainly couldn’t vote about it!  Now, of course, the majority of the nation’s voters have chosen our next president and we know that because Obama won the popular vote as well as the electoral college.
 
Having seen both times, my interest in the election and the way our country works has skyrocketed. I now realize how lucky I am to live in the U.S. in the 21st century, where our democracy allows people to choose who they want to lead the nation they live in.
 

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