We left our hotel early to arrive at Seneca Falls by nine o’clock, but we ran a little late. The plus side is traveling by bus allows us to see the beautiful landscapes in upstate New York. There is so much green everywhere.It is beautiful!
The first stop was at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Seneca Falls. This is where the Declaration of Sentiments was declared. The first part of the document reads the same of the Declaration of Independence except they included” that all men and women were created equal”. There were 300 people in attendance that day with only 100 people signing the Declaration of Sentiments. Among those in attendance were Frederick Douglas, Lucretia Mott, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. From there we moved on to see where some of the women lived.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton's home
Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s house was a gift from her father. In those days a woman could own property if it was gifted to her. The house was run down and needed to be fixed up. Her father gave her money and said since you think women are capable of doing many things, work on getting your house fixed up. Elizabeth was successful in fixing up the house. In the house they raised their children which included home schooling them. The family moved out in 1862.
M'Clintock's house
The M’Clintock house was next on our women’s rights trip. The M’Clintock family were Quackers from Philadelphia, and they were abolitionists. The women meet at the M’Clintock house and wrote the Declaration of Sentiments. This was a result of hearing Elizabeth Cady Stanton express strong feelings about what women were allowed or not allowed to do. Although these women had strong opinions about women’s rights, they did not neglect their family. They took care of the children and their home.
The next stop was the Seward Home. After being at three different places and eating lunch on the bus, I was feeling information over load. But that disappeared quickly when entering the house. This family saved everything from receipts to expensive gifts. The Diplomatic Gallery was my favorite. The catalogue has 132 pictures listed. I am not sure if all 132 pictures were on the wall, but there were many. One reason we know so much about the Sewards is from diaries. The family stories were written by Anna, William Seward’s daughter. She kept diaries, and wrote poems and stories. I did not know that the night that Lincoln was shot that another person tried to kill William Seward. Anna witnessed it all and wrote about it.
Seward Home
William was a very busy man. He was Secretary of State during the Lincoln administration, harbored fugitive slaves on the Underground Railroad, and successfully acquired Alaska from Russia in 1867. Those are just a few of his many hats. He also helped write and sign the Emancipation Proclamation. Harriet Tubman was a friend of Frances Seward. The Seward family gave Harriet 7 acres of land on which she build a house and continue to expand to help people.
Harriet Tubman was one eleven children. In 1849 she escaped slavery by fleeing to Philadelphia then through New York, until she reached Canada. After making the trip she began to take trips back to the south and brought people back with her. She helped them by using the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a path with different hiding places. The secret hiding places were so well kept, we still don’t know as much as we would like. All our stops today were focused around civil rights. I am going to use Harriet Tubman’s quote in my classroom. It reads, “If you are tired, keep going; if you are scared, keep going: if you are hungry, keep going; if you want to taste freedom, keep going” In other words do not give up, press toward your dreams even if it gets tough. This is the new 4th grade motto.
On the Erie Canal waiting for it to fill
Finally we had a scenic and pleasant ride on the Erie Canal. Building of the Erie Canal began in 1817 and finished in 1825. It was the connection between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes area. The canal is important because it linked different communities together and trade became easier. The engineering is what is impressive. The canal is a series of locks and lifts. When we reached lock 32 the gate closed behind and in front. The water began to come in and the boat began to rise. Once it is full, the gate opens and you move forward. In my mind it was like a water elevator.
The day was filled with many sites today and the most relaxing was the ride on the Erie Canal.
