Roadschool Trip to New Hampshire + French & Indian War

Driving through Charlestowne, New Hampshire, we discovered the Fort at 4.  Though we're still a bit unclear of the name's origins, we learned that it played a significant role in the French & Indian War...

Entering the gates of the fort, we first came to the guardhouse.  In the upstairs bedroom, there were cannons were placed beside the bed.  That would have been a startling way to wake up!

The next building focused on local Native American history, primarily the Abenaki tribe.  They learned about furs and the different types of homes used by the Abenaki people.

I thought this was a great visual of the 18th century Native American tribes.

Proceeding to General's Home, we played dress up and saw how a rich man would live during this time period.  Once again, it was the costumes and cannons that caught our eye...

In the southern guard tower, you can climb up very tiny, steep stairs to get a birds-eye view of the fort.  It's a pretty view, but make sure to go down backwards, and hold on to the hand rail!

At the doctor's home, we learned about his herb garden and how it was used medicinally for those in need.  They had a room set up with various antiquated medical instruments as well, but it was quite dark inside.  Both boys noticed that the doctor's home was as large, if not larger, than the general's, possibly due to his importance and possibly due to it doubling as a hospital room.  When they started to get antsy and act up, I just stuck them in the stocks!

We moved on to the laborers' homes, where we learned how to take freshly-sheared wool, card it, and spin it into yarn.  We also learned how to use animal parts to make household items (such as a fan) and how to throw pottery for kitchenware.

Back at the northern gate, we read correspondence from the fort's General to the British crown.  We also took a few moments to explore the topographical map of this region that showed how the Fort at 4 connected with Lake Champlain via a river system.  During the French & Indian War, the fort was instrumental in sending supplies upriver to regiments at both Fort Ticonderoga and Crowne Point.