| Stenton
by Ilya Timofeyer
The Stenton House by Joseph Lima
James Logan started building the Stenton House in 1723 and finished in 1730. The house was surrounded by 500 acres of farming land. He lived in the house with his family, slaves and workers. He was a teacher before he became William Penn’s agent.
James was also responsible for collecting taxes and making sure people who came to Pennsylvania settle in the right places. James traded with the Indians. He traded shirts, tools, and other things for animal skins, that he would sell to the Europeans.
After the death of James Logan, his grandson George and his wife Deborah, lived at Stenton. George rebuilt the barn that burned down earlier. He and his wife, also kept detailed diaries, about their lives, and about the history of the house.
Another important person in the history of this house was a slave named Dinah. Dinah saved the house from being burned down by British soldiers. She was alone in the house when a group of soldiers told her they were going to burn the house down, and so they went to the barn to get hay. While they were in the barn, four British officers came knocking on the door, and asked Dinah if she had seen any deserters. Thinking quickly, she told the officers that there were men sleeping in the barn. The officers went and arrested their own men. Soon after that the Logan family gave Dinah her freedom. She continued living with the Logan’s until she died.
If it wasn’t for Dinah, we wouldn’t be able to tour the house today.
by Yesenia Salinas
Stenton by Merlyn Varughese
On January 11, 2006 Ms. Martin’s 5th Grade class visited the Stenton House. Our guide was a friendly lady named Heather. Our class was going because we wanted to learn about the Stenton House. The bus ride to Stenton felt long, but fun.
The Stenton House is famous because it belonged to James Logan, one of the most important people in early colonial Pennsylvania. It is important to know about this house because many historical events have occurred there and important people lived there. The Stenton house is located near Germantown, Pennsylvania. The Stenton House was built around the 1720’s so it is about 286 years old! It took about 7 years to build Stenton! James Logan lived in the Stenton House along with his wife, Hannah and his many children.
I really enjoyed my trip to the Stenton House and I would love to visit again. I highly recommend others to visit the Stenton House because it was a fun way to learn, and do your social studies! It is much more interesting to visit Stenton rather than sit in class with your nose in a book reading about Stenton. You might go into Stenton thinking that it’s going to be boring, but I bet you’ll come out wanting to learn more about the Stenton House!
by Anna Zia
Tour of Stenton by Zoya Kakar
On January 11, 2006 Ms. Martin’s fifth grade class went to Stenton House, which is located in Germantown. Our tour guide was a man named Anthony. He had black hair and two earrings on each ear. We went to Stenton House not only to see the house, but to study about the people who lived there.
Stenton House was built as a farm and country house in the 1730’s for James Logan (who was a teacher, scientist, and good friend and secretary of William Penn). It took 7 years to build the house. The people who lived in that house were James Logan, Sarah Logan (James’ wife), their four children and their descendents, slaves and indentured servants.
My class visited the office, parlor, bedrooms, yard and barn of Stenton. It was very exciting and fun. I would recommend it to others because you can learn, yet also have fun. It’s also interesting to see and hear about the lifestyle of James Logan and his descendents.
The Unfair Walk
I would just like to say a few things about James Logan and the Penn’s.
I don’t think it was fair to the Lenape the way Logan and the Penn’s took advantage of the Walking Purchase. Logan and the Penn’s cheated the Lenape out of much land, and hiring fast runners.
Logan and the Penn’s didn’t think about the safety of the colonists. Their sneaky business decision could have caused a major war, and caused many deaths among the colonists and the Lenape as well. When business is done, it’s on trust and word. Gentlemen should act like gentlemen. I hope in the future wiser decisions are made by Logan and the Penn’s, not to be greedy and think of their own needs, but on the safety of others.
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Cliveden
Our Visit to Cliveden by Joseph Lima
Ms. Martin’s fifth grade class went on a trip to the Cliveden House located on Germantown Avenue. We went there because in social studies we are learning about American history, and this house has a lot of history about the Revolutionary War.
The French fought beside the Americans during the battle over Germantown. There is a story we think is true but we aren’t sure. During this battle the British were inside the house defending themselves from the American army when a French soldier climbed in through a window where a British soldier was standing. The British soldier saw him, turned around and shot at him, but missed and hit one of the British officers instead, killing him.
Benjamin Chew started building the house in 1763 and finished it in 1767. After the Germantown Battle, the house was badly damaged. Benjamin Chews descendents lived there until 1972.
I think you should visit the house because it has such fascinating history. The guides make it feel like you took a trip back in time and are right in the middle of the Revolutionary War. The next time you’re in Philadelphia check out the Cliveden House.
Cliveden by Jessica Coughlin
On January 26, 2006 Mrs. Martin’s fifth grade class went on a trip to visit Cliveden. To get there we rode a bus. The Cliveden House is located in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. The Cliveden House is almost completely made of stone. Carpenters and masons started construction on the house in 1773, but it wasn’t until 1777 when they finished. The Cliveden House is over 200 years old. The house was designed and built by Benjamin Chew.
When we arrived we saw how the Americans dressed during the Revolutionary War. There, we also met our tour guide, Jim. First, he took us to tour the house, then we saw where one of the great battles between the British and the Americans occurred.
I enjoyed our trip to the Cliveden House because it taught us about what happened a long time ago, and about the Revolutionary War. I would recommend that anyone take the tour because you learn about United States history.
Cliveden by Karin Abrahamson
Mrs. Martin’s 5th Grade class visited Cliveden on January 26, 2006. Our bus drive felt short. We had three nice guides, Sandie, Jim and Heather. My class was going for a Social Studies lesson, but it was much more interesting then reading from a Social Studies book.
Cliveden House is located in Germantown. It was built in 1773, but only finished in 1777. Benjamin Chew the owner of the house hired local German stone masons and carpenters to build the house. Benjamin Chew needed a big house too, because he had a big family. He had a total of 13 children. There were also slaves and servants living in the house. One of the battle of the Revolution was in that house too. So on the sides of the house you can see marks from the battle.
My visit to Cliveden was not only educational it was very fun. I definitely recommend you to visit Cliveden.
My Interview with the British Soldier October 4, 1777 by Robert Szychulski
It’s a cold, rainy day at Cliveden. It’s the Battle of Germantown between the British and the Americans. I’m interviewing a British soldier who is battling against the Americans. His name is William Curls. He is 28 years old.
Interviewer: How do you feel?
Soldier: I feel horrible. I just want to go home to my house in Great Britian.
Interviewer: How noisy has the war been?
Soldier: The war has been very, very noisy because of all the muskets and cannons firing all over the place. You can hear cannons firing from 50 miles away!
Before the young soldier returned to his post he said he felt bad for taking over the Chew’s family summer house, but it had to be done.
Cliveden was a peaceful place,
In the town of Germantown,
But the British came at a fast pace,
And destroyed everything like spinning mace.
The British won,
But that wasn’t it,
Americans came back and give a big hit,
Americans from the left,
Americans from the right,
Standing tall with all there might.
British run shooting there gun,
They shout “Into the house,”
As British our into Cliveden,
Americans attack with all their men.
Soon British reinforcements came,
Claiming the city while in flame,
Although the American lost this fight,
They didn’t give up at first sight.
Taxation Without Representation by Merlyn Varughese
I am a patriot and I support the Revolution because of taxation without representation. I think we should have independence from Great Britain because I believe that we should have had a say when they decided to tax us. Taxation without representation is one of the main reasons why we want to start war. I think it is really unfair that they used money they collected from the taxes we paid for their own needs! They should have at least used half of the money for our needs. If they had done this before we probably wouldn’t have this much anger towards Great Britain.
Great Britain has caused a lot of unnecessary commotion. If they had trust treated everyone equally we would be at peace. But Great Britain took advantage of their power and used it the wrong way. Another reason why I support the Revolution is because I believe that all human beings should have equal rights. I believe that every person was made equally so they should be treated equally.
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