We The People….

We headed up the road to Philadelphia this morning in light rain showers.  The clouds hung low in the sky.  Students slept or worked on their journals.  When we reached Independence Hall we had light showers.  The first thing we saw was the original ink well they signed the Constitution with.  In addition, they have some early copies of documents.

Then we toured the Independence Hall (the original building) that they held court in and debated the form of government.  All thirteen colonies were represented and John Hancock was the President of the Assembly.  They still have the original chair in the room.  Then we stopped next door to see the Liberty Bell, what a wonderful piece of history.

For lunch, many of ordered Philadelphia Cheese Steak sandwich then toured the Constitution Museum.  We swore in a new President of the United States!  The most interesting thing we saw was a room full of life-size bronze statues of the original signers of the Constitution.  The room also had a large book with the constitution on one side and a place for you to sign on the right.

We then attended the production “We The People” with one narrator and video telling the story of how the Constitution was created including the “great compromise”.  The presentation was powerful and compelling as it portrayed the history of the first government ever created, that gave the power to the people and succeeded.

On the way to the Big Apple, we drove on the Jersey Turnpike and went through the Lincoln Tunnel.  We went to dinner out of this world – really!!  We ate at Mars 2112 which included a spaceship ride to another planet and the restaurant looked like a set out of the Stars Wars Movie with a couple of alien creatures wondering around.

Then we walked a block to the Gershwin Theatre which holds about 2,000 people.  The set design was fascinating (much of it resembled the internal workings of a clock).  The costumes were incredible.  The dancing was fabulous and the vocals were “wickedly” good!  The play was spell-binding with monkeys flying out of the ceiling, revolving set designs and comedy and irony woven throughout the script.  I give it a 10!