American Village: Stepping into History

Saint James fifth graders visited The American Village to experience their program, “Independence!” American Village, located in Montevallo, is a 188-acre campus with more than 20 historically-inspired structures. This civic educational institution includes Washington Hall, inspired by George Washington's Mount Vernon home; a Colonial Courthouse reminiscent of Williamsburg's Courthouse of 1770; the President's House, modeled after the Nation's Philadelphia “White House;” a full-sized Oval Office, and many other structures.

Students learned about taxation without representation, visited a tavern to participate in the eve of Paul Revere’s ride, argued for independence at the 5th Virginia Conference, and headed to encampment to prepare for battle. Students ended with a film that recounted the journey from Paul Revere’s ride to the battles at Lexington and Concord, to the Continental Congress, and ultimately the signing of the Declaration of Independence. What a fun hands-on way to learn about our country’s history.