I was asked to give a demonstration to a group of 5th graders at a local 1787 log cabin in a historical section of my hometown. I really enjoy engaging the students in demonstrations of the harsh lifestyle in KY 240+ years ago.
I talked about the tools of the day..., axes, cooking items, and even an ( unloaded ) flintlock rifle. First thing I did was demonstrate how to tell if the rifle is loaded or not:
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Water was essential during that time...just like today. I let this young girl demonstrate how difficult it was retrieving water and carrying it some distance back to the cabin:
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Told the students they were required to know how to load a flintlock rifle...even at their age. If under attack, those skills would be handy and the girls loaded the extra guns while hunkered down in the cabin...possibly for days. This girl was getting heckled by her classmates ( in good clean fun ) as I was handing her the gun under a simulated attack and telling her reloading is required ASAP. She was slow getting the gun that is as tall as she is loaded in this mock event.
( No actual powder or round balls were used in this demonstration. )
I showed the students how they loaded it quickly without REAL supplies.
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Below is 1/2 of the group that attended this event. Those kids really enjoyed handling the ( unloaded ) guns as you can see on both sides of this group picture. Two of the teachers took the pictures.
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