Podcast #110 - Breakfast with Ben and Christ Church Burial Ground

Hello. A couple of weeks ago while in Philadelphia at the Constitution Center workshop I spend my last morning in the city eating breakfast with Ben Franklin. OK, maybe it wasn't the real Ben Franklin but this was a great experience. I would encourage anyone taking a trip to Philadelphia to check out the "Breakfast With Ben" offered at the Independence Visitor Center on the mall in between the National Constitution Center and Independence Hall. You are treated to a great breakfast, eat with "Ben Franklin" while he tells stories about his life and then can take a picture with Ben in the shadows of Independence Hall. You can call 1 800 537 7676 for more information.

After eating breakfast with Ben, I walked across the street to Christ Church Burial Ground to the site of Ben Franklin's grave. It is a very interesting and historic place where 5 signers of the Declaration of Independence rest.

Direct link to Podcast #110 - Breakfast with Ben and Christ Church Burial Ground - MP3 Format - 9:42 minutes

If you have any comments please leave a comment on the blog or email me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com Also, don't forget you have until July 31, 2007 to e-mail me your name and city to be eligible to win a copy of Manhunt or Guerrilla Season - check out episode #100 for more details.

Show Notes for Podcast #110:

- Breakfast with Ben - Official site with ticket information

- Philly Fun Guide - Breakfast with Ben - Dates and Ticket Information

- Benjamin Franklin - Wikipedia

- Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia

- Christ Church Burial Ground - Wikipedia

Podcast #109 - Interview with Eli Lesser - Director of Education for the National Constitution Center

Hello. It has been an awesome week of attending the NEH Landmarks Teacher Workshop in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center. Today I interviewed Eli Lesser, Director of Education for the National Constitution Center. The NCC is a great please to visit and take your students but you can also find a wide variety of resources on their web site. I would also suggest checking out the teacher workshops available - you could be here next year enjoying the workshop I am currently attending.

Please feel free to comment on the podcast. You can leave a comment on this blog post or e-mail me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

You can subscribe directly to the Speaking of History podcast on i-Tunes here

Don’t forget to sign up for the July 2007 book giveaway. I’m giving away copies of two books – Manhunt by James Swanson and Guerrilla Season by Pat Hughes. See Speaking of History Podcast #100 for more details. Just send me your name and the city in which you live before August 1, 2007. On August 1st my three year old daughter will draw two names and I will send them each the book they won.

Direct link to Podcast #109 - An Interview with Eli Lesser - Director of Education at the National Constitution Center - MP3 Format - 16:12 Minutes

Podcast #108 - Independence Hall, Causes of the Revolution and A Great Cuban Restaurant

Hello. Today was the second full day of the NEH Landmark Workshop “A Revolution in Government” at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. It was a full day that started with a great lecture from Richard R. Beeman of the University of Pennsylvania. He discussed the start of the American Revolution through a different lens for me. The American colonists were already enjoyed many freedoms and yet they decided to fight a war with the most powerful nation in the world at the time to gain even more freedom. This is a topic that I would like to expand upon in later podcast. We also did a tour of Carpenter’s Hall, Independence Hall and the Graff House.

Standing in the room where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed was an incredible feeling. I can remember reading about the chair with either the “setting sun” or the “rising sun” since I was in grade school so seeing it in person was a thrill. One of the great surprised for me today was a stroll through Washington Square and seeing the tomb of the Unknown Soldier for the American Revolutionary War and a statue of George Washington.

In the evening some of us ventured over to Cuba Libre – an excellent restaurant that features Cuban food. It was excellent, music was festive and the ambiance was second to none. I would definitely suggest a visit to Cuba Libre on your trip to Philadelphia. I had the “Plato Cuba Libre” which is basically a sampling of featured Cuban foods. The workshop continues to be an excellent opportunity to learn more about the Revolutionary War and the Constitution.

Please feel free to comment on the podcast. You can leave a comment on this blog post or e-mail me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

Don’t forget to sign up for the July 2007 book giveaway. I’m giving away copies of two books – Manhunt by James Swanson and Guerrilla Season by Pat Hughes. Just send me your name and the city in which you live before August 1, 2007. On August 1st my three year old daughter will draw two names and I will send them each the book they won.

Direct link to Podcast #107 – Independence Hall, Causes of the American Revolution and Eating Cuban – MP3 Format - 9:43 Minutes

Podcast #107 Show Notes :

- National Constitution Center
- Richard R Beeman – University of Pennsylvania
- Independence Hall
- Cuba Libre Restuarant - Philadelphia

Podcast #107 - Constitution Workshop Day 1 - Touring the Old City, Constitution Center and City Tavern

Hello. We started our NEH Landmark Workshop today in Philadelphia - "A Revolution in Government" with the National Constitution Center. Today we met the other participants - 40 teachers from all over the United States. We did a quick tour of the Constitution Center, a mini tour of Old City in downtown Philadelphia, a lecture from John Murrin of Princeton University and a presentation on creating classroom ready lesson plans by Eli Lesser, Director of Teacher Education for the National Constitution Center. The entire staff from the Constitution Center that we will be working with this week in fantastic - Eli Lesser, Laura Keenan and Patrick Spero.

Tonight a group of us went to City Tavern - a historic eating establishment here in Philadelphia that sits on the exact location of the tavern where the Founding Fathers went to eat and drink after a hard day of debating and creating our Constitution. It was good food and even greater conversation about teaching history. It was a very full first day of the workshop and I think this group has a great energy that should make it a super week.

If you have any comments please leave a comment on the blog or email me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com Also, don't forget you have until July 31, 2007 to e-mail me your name and city to be eligible to win a copy of Manhunt or Guerrilla Season - check out episode #100 for more details.

Direct link to Podcast #107 - Constitution Workshop Day 1 - Touring Old City, Constitution Center and City Tavern - MP3 Format - 10:28 Minutes

Podcast #107 Show Notes :

- National Constitution Center

- City Tavern - Philadelphia