John Paul Jones, by Grace

John Paul Jones was born 1747 In Scotland.

He got very little schooling. As soon as he learned to read he had learned to row a boat. At twelve he was very good with boats. 

Once his father and a shipowner by the name of James Younger, saw him trying to lead passengers through the stormy waves to the shore. Mr. Younger thought they'd never make it. But his father told him not to fear for it was his son that was the boat man. 

After he had made it safely to shore Mr. Younger offered him a berth in his new boat so he could become an apprentice. They accepted his offer.

He was able to visit his brother who had been adopted by the Jones family. They offered to adopt him to but he said." Thank you sir, but I am afraid I am too fond of my ship."

He was very rapid in his progress: at 17 he was second mate at 18 first mate at 19 he was part owner of a slave ship. After two years he had had enough, he knew slavery was wrong and did not want anything to do with it. He was almost mutinied when a fever broke out,so  he decided he needed to punish the man who started it. The man died and he was accused of murder. He felt bad and never treated one of his fellow men like that again.

When he heard about the freedom America was trying to get he joined the Continental Navy. He was never defeated in his fighting. One of the best quotes from him is, " I have not yet begun to fight!" He said this when asked to surrender, for his ship was sinking. He was a great man of courage!

Moral People Need Fewer Laws, by Lucy

John Adams: "Our Constitution was made only for a moral . . . people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."


Benjamin Franklin: "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt . . .  they have more need of master."
             
Moral people need fewer laws because they are made of divine attributes which keep hem godlike. God loves law. He doesn't need any laws set for Him. People who are careless need law. They do not try to understand life.

Obey and Be Blessed; Disobey and Be Punished, by Grace

Calvin Coolidge, United States president, wrote: 

"We do not need more law, we need more religion...there is no way...we can substitute the authority of law for the virtue of men...peace, justice, humanity, charity---these can not be legislated into being." 

(Promises of the Constitution)

If we want to be a free people we must govern ourselves and obey God's laws, if we do not we will have to be governed by the country's laws.

The Israelites were led out of Egypt into the wilderness by Moses, God gave Moses ten commandments for the people to keep, only ten.

But when Moses came to give these commandments to them they were worshiping a golden calf, he realized they were not ready for these higher laws, but that they must start with many small ones.

Obey and be blessed, disobey and be punished.

Benjamin Franklin said: "Only virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corupt...they have need of more masters."

He hits the point exactly, if you are virtuous then, and only then, can you have freedom.

I will end with what William Penn said, "Men will either be governed by God or ruled by tyrants."

Isaac Newton, Detective, by Caleb

Today I read about Isaac Newton. He became the detective of the mint where they printed money and he was trying to find the criminals but he could not. Finally one day he told his friend to disguise himself and then he pretended he was one of them and they told his friend where their hiding place was, so then Isaac called the police and they caught the robbers.

Checks and Balances, by Lucy

This week I learned about checks and balances. Who knew that our government survives on these? Well, I didn't! Checks and balances keep us all working together. Our government was designed to have representatives, chosen by the people to govern all of us. We, the people, have agreed with the Constitution and live by it. Checks and balances are to help us all live fairly and to help us work stuff out. Sometimes, when some power is given to somebody, they use the power given to them and then take more. Checks and balances help the duties of the representatives stay focused, governed and purposeful. Thanks to these checks and balances, our government is still a republic.

Thomas Paine, by Grace

"...Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered..." 

Thomas Paine was born in England. He was married twice but both marriages did not turn out. His first wife died. The second he had issues with.

One day, by happenstance, he met Benjamin Franklin in London. Franklin helped him emigrate to the colonies. He was very good writer; he joined the Americans in their cry for freedom, and he encouraged them with good writings like Common Sense. His pamphlet Common Sense was first published January 10 of 1776. by April there were 120,000 copies made. He argued for two points; independence form England, and the creation of a democratic republic. This pamphlet bound the fighters for freedom more tightly. It was a great defense for the Americans independence form England.

Here are some famous words from Common Sense;

"These are times that try men's souls. The summer solider and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; But he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph!'

Marco Polo, by Mariah

     

 “Nana let him go. Let him satisfy his curiosity.” Grandpa Polo touched her

gently and they watched as the little boy ran out the door to the canals. 

            “But he is only five and he could get lost, or he could drown in the sea!”

Nana fretted as she always did at this time of day.

            “You know he won’t. He is loved by all the gondola men and he is bright. I

also taught him how to swim you know. He has many friends and he will be quite

safe.”

Nana sighed and walked to the fire. “I wish his father and uncle would come

home. You are getting too old to keep him out of trouble. And with his mother

dead, who knows what he will become.”

            “Auntie! The men say a new ship has just arrived from Asia! I wonder

where they went. Maybe they saw lions and tigers! May I go see them unload?

Please!” Young Marco was a tall stocky boy of 15. 

            “Yes you may, wait a minute young man, I am coming too.” Nana’s

breath was short and Marco could tell she was excited.

            “You are coming to the harbor?” Marco’s eyes were wide with disbelief. He

knew she hated it and all the smells and men.

            “Yes I am.”

When they arrived they saw the massive ship that had pulled in that very

morning. Marco immediately ran to a group of his own young friends and they

watched excitedly as cargo was unloaded. Nana was straining her eyes for

something and she carefully watched as each passenger disembarked. Suddenly

she gasped and stared.

            “Nana! I have come home at last!” a man with a kind face ran to her and

they embraced.

            “Is it really you? You aren’t dead in some prison or desert? Or at the

bottom of the sea?” They were laughing and crying.

            “Well my little woman! How is Venice?” another man had approached. He

was a larger man with a reddish beard.

            “Oh Maffeo! It is so good to see you! Thank you for bringing my brother

home to me!” They all laughed and hugged again. “Oh I almost forgot. Marco,

please come here.” Marco looked up and hurried over to her. Nana turned

proudly to Niccolo. “This is your son Marco.”

Father and son looked at each other in surprise and then Niccolo threw his arms

around Marco. Maffeo turned to hug his nephew and they happily went home.

Two years later Niccolo with his brother Maffeo, and young Marco, began the

long trip back to Asia. Niccolo had promised the Khan that they would bring a

letter from the catholic Pope. Because the Pope had died they waited two years

for a new pope. It was 1271, and Marco was now 17 and very excited to go to

Asia. He had begged until his father said yes and now he was going to China!

            “Father, is that the palace of the Khan?” Marco asked excitedly. He already

knew it was but after three and a half years of exhausting travel it was a very

welcome sight. They had traveled by sea and on the Silk Road and finally they

were safe under the protection of the Khan.

            “Yes my son! Now you can finally see what kept me from home for 15

years.” Niccolo was just as excited as Marco and he was ready to be done with his

errand for the Khan. Niccolo and Maffeo had brought a letter from the pope and

holy oil from the Holy Land at the Khan’s request.

After many years in the service of the Khan, they were trusted and it is

possible that Marco was a government official for the Khan because he knew four

languages; and in the book of Marco Polo he told of traveling to other parts of

Asia for the Khan.

Their knowledge of the outside world convinced the Khan to keep them

with him. Niccolo and Maffeo worried that if the Khan died that they would lose

his protection and be killed by the Khan’s enemies.

“Niccolo, I am afraid he will never let us go. I have asked again today but he

said no.” Maffeo hung his head and sighed. His hair was graying rapidly. Marco

watched his uncle and father. He had noticed how slowly they moved about. He

knew that if they waited many more years that the two men he loved would

never make it. They had been in the service of the Khan for about 19 years.

“Marco, the Khan is waiting to see you.” A servant brought Marco to the

Khan. The Khan realized he was growing old and said they could go home to

Venice.

“You and your uncle and father have been of much service to my kingdom

and I am ready to let you go. Here are many jewels and gold for your service. I

know now that without my protection you will never make it home, so I have

decided to let you go.” The Khan was ill and knew he could be selfish no longer.

Marco thanked him and hurried to his father and uncle to tell them the good

news. Marco Polo, his father Niccolo, and uncle Maffeo, arrived in Venice in

1295. Twenty-four years after they had left they saw their homeland again.

They came home with many riches and treasure and they had traveled almost

15,000 miles.