key of liberty

Age Recommendation: 12-13 

Prerequisites: None

Concurrent Project Recommendation: Shakespeare Conquest

What is Key of Liberty about?  

-purpose of government and forms of government

-world crisis and personal and family choices  

-leadership  

-war, pestilence, betrayal, statesmanship 

-hardship 

-how to survive during difficult times  

-public virtue  

-traits of a  hero  

-scholar skills: memorization, discussion, forming an opinion, writing, and debate.

This is a two-semester program in the study of the American Revolutionary War period, the United States Constitution, and other founding documents. Scholars study the Founding of America and gain an in-depth experience with the Constitution. They are inspired to memorize the Declaration of Independence, and surprisingly, they usually do! 

The first semester covers the reasons the founding fathers even considered breaking away from King George and how they navigated what that should look like.  As they work to memorize the Declaration of Independence, they come to get to know George Washington, John Adams, Paul Revere, and many of the key leaders of that era and how they felt God guiding them to their purpose.  The semester ends with learning about the Battle of Yorktown, the surrender of Cornwallis, and where the colonists found themselves in the aftermath.  Throughout all of this, they get to decide what they think about such questions as, "What is my duty to America and freedom?" and "Which is more important, family or country?"  

The second semester begins with looking at the reasons for and the need for a written constitution.  They have the opportunity to read and rewrite the US Constitution in their own words.  As they read the Articles and memorize the Preamble and the Bill of Rights, they grapple with questions such as, "What would I rather have, a leader with great knowledge but little faith, or a man of great faith with limited knowledge?"  They also have opportunities to debate about current events and they go watch a session of our Utah congress at the Capitol.  

Key of Liberty does have an external reward system.  Each scholar is given a key and for every thing they engage in and complete, they get a ribbon to tie onto their keys.  Some kids just dip their toe in and earn a few ribbons, and others to it all and have over 30 ribbons.  We celebrate them all!

*Please note that age recommendations and prerequisites are not hard and fast. There is room to individualize as a scholar's needs dictate.