Learn how by mid-December, 1776, the American Revolution was in desperate straits.

Explore that after a series of defeats, the American Army had retreated through New Jersey and was stationed in Pennsylvania — with the British Army across the Delaware River. The Continental Army was on the verge of utter collapse.

Overconfident, the British went into Winter Quarters.

Congress gave George Washington enormous authority, and Washington used the lull in fighting and his new power to reorganize and strengthen his troops.

Washington and his officers designed a daring attack on Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey. Before the battle, Washington inspired the troops through the reading of Thomas Paine’s American Crisis. Follow Washington's troops through the winter storm, the crossing of the nearly frozen Delaware River, an arduous march, and the pitched battle. The fate of the new nation depends on it.

Through divine intervention, Washington was able to mount a surprise attack on the hated Hessian troops in Trenton, winning an improbable victory, which became a critical turning point in the war.

Merry Christmas

Highlights include David Hackett Fisher, Washington’s Crossing, James McPherson, Christmas 1776, Delaware River, Hessian soldiers, Trenton New Jersey, Your Excellency, Battle of Bunker Hill, Battle of Long Island a/k/a the Battle of Brooklyn a/k/a/ the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, Continental Army, Brooklyn Heights, Battle of Harlem Heights, New York City, Thomas Paine, Common Sense, General Charles Lee, General William Howe, The American Crisis, Federalist Papers, Pennsylvania Journal, Second Continental Congress, Henry Steel Commager, Richard B. Morris, James Gant, Colonel Johann Rall, Colonel Joseph Reed, militia, Hessians, Hanoverians, Mechlenburghers, Christmas Day, Fifer John Greenwood, General James Ewing, Colonel John Cadwalader, Highlanders, General Israel Putnam, Christmas Eve, American Crisis No. 1, “These are the times that try men’s souls,” Lieutenant Andreas Von Wiederholdt, Major Friedrich von Dechow, Captain Thomas Rodney, Daniel Hitchcock, Lieutenant Widerholdt, Victory or Death!, Sergeant Madden, General Nathanael Greene, Captain William Hull, the first use of synchronized watches to time a military battle, Captain George Wallis, Adam Stephens, Virginia’s Fourth Regiment, Major John Sullivan, artillery barrage, future President James Monroe, General Henry Knox, Battle of Trenton, and many others.

To learn more about George Washington the American Revolution & Patriot Week, visit www.PatriotWeek.org. Our resources include videos, a TV series, blogs, lesson plans, and more.

Check out Judge Michael Warren’s book America's Survival Guide, How to Stop America's Impending Suicide by Reclaiming Our First Principles and History at www.AmericasSurvivalGuide.com, amazon, or other major on-line retailers.

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Learn that the idea of gratitude and giving thanks is an ancient concept for mankind and expressly elevated in the Bible.

Review how days of thanksgiving were originally commemorated in the English colonies in Virginia and Massachusetts, with the English dissenters, the Pilgrims, having the most influential celebrations.

In the colonial era, Thanksgiving celebrations were centered on particular events and circumstances, and, accordingly, happened at different times.

As Americans united against British tyranny, they made continental wide proclamations through the Continental Congress, but again tied to specific events and times.
President George Washington issued the first two Thanksgiving Proclamations under the Constitution, and John Adams and James Madison did the same. Thomas Jefferson refused, and after James Madison, Thanksgiving was proclaimed by the States, but not by the President, until Abraham Lincoln.

Sarah Josepha Hale’s drive to create a uniform, nation wide celebration was embraced by Lincoln and his successors, and it became firmly fixed to the Fourth Thursday of November under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Feasts, running, football, parades, Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday all flow from this powerful day of gratitude.

Highlights include the Bible, Thessalonians 5:16-18, Colossians 2:7, Psalm 100:4, Colossians 4:2, Psalm 92, Philippians 4:6, King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth Anne Boleyn, Church of England, John Calvin, Puritans, Common Book of Prayers, King James I, Pilgrims, Mayflower, Plymouth England, Plymouth Harbor Massachusetts, Mayflower Compact, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Samoset, Squanto, Wampanoag, William Bedford, Thanksgiving commemoration, Melanie Kirkpatrick, Thanksgiving The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience, William Bradford, Berkeley Plantation a/k/a Berkeley Hundred, The Margaret, John Woodlief, Jamestown, the Starving Time, Chief Opechancanough, Massacre of 1622, Massachusetts Bay Colony, New Amsterdam, First Continental Congress, Second Continental Congress, Day of Humiliation Fasting and Prayer (1776), Henry Laurens, Thanksgiving Day Proclamation (1777), Battle of Saratoga, Thomas McKean, Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer, George Washington, James Madison, Elias Boudinot, Aedanus Burke, Thomas Tudor Tucker, Federalist Party, Anti-Federalists, Peter Silvester, Roger Sherman, Articles of Confederation, Continental Association, Constitution, William Samuel Johnson, Ralph Izard, Washington Thanksgiving Day Proclamation , Whiskey Rebellion, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Letter, James Madison, First Amendment, War of 1812, Abraham Lincoln, Sarah Josepha Hale, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Northwood: A Tale of New England, Vassar College, domestic science, Ladies’ Magazine, Godey’s Lady’s Book, Civil War, William Seward, Andrew Johnson, Lincoln Thanksgiving Proclamation, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt a/k/a FDR, National Retail Dry Goods Association, Franksgiving, Allen Treadway, Earl Michener, FDR Thanksgiving Speech, President Lyndon Baines Johnson, Johnson Thanksgiving Speech (1963), President John F. Kennedy, President Ronald Reagan, Reagan Thanksgiving Speech, President Barak Obama Thanksgiving Speech, President George W. Bush, President Bush Thanksgiving Day visit to the troops in Iraq, President Donald Trump, Trump Thanksgiving Day visit to troops in Afghanistan, Trump Speech to troops on Thanksgiving, President Bill Clinton Pardoning of Turkey, Presidential Pardons of Turkey, Thanksgiving Dinner & Feast, Thanksgiving parades, Grumbles, Macy’s, Hudson’s, Turkey Trot, National Football League (NFL) Thanksgiving Games, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Walter Camp, Collegiate Football Thanksgiving Games, George A. Richards, The Chicago Bears, Black Friday, Giving Tuesday, Henry Timms, Cyber Monday, and many others.

To learn more about America & Patriot Week, visit www.PatriotWeek.org. Our resources include videos, a TV series, blogs, lesson plans, and more.

Learn how the mode of selecting the President was the result of a hard fought and contentious Constitutional Convention debate, resulting in the adoption of Article II, Section 1 of the United States Constitution.

Review that the idea of a popular, nationwide election was rejected because, among other things, there were serious concerns that the public would not have sufficient information, and the public would be swayed by bias to local candidates, passion, and celebrity.

Understand that the idea of a Congressional election of the President was rejected because, among other things, of grave concerns about the independence of the President, as well as formation of cabals and corruption.

The electoral college was intended to mediate the passions of the people as well as the dangers of elections by Congress by creating an independent body, whose sole function was to select the best candidate.

Review how electors are chosen is determined by the Legislature of each state.

Each State has the number of electors equal to the number of representatives in the House of Representatives and Senators. Learn the mistakes the Founding Fathers made in connection with the Presidential Election (for example, having the runner-up become Vice President) - and how paralyzed the nation during the election of 1800.

The President and Vice President now run as a slate, and electors cast one vote for each. A person receiving an outright majority of electors becomes President and Vice President respectively. Otherwise, the House of Representatives chooses the President, selecting from the top three vote getters. Each State has one vote, chosen by a majority of its representatives. A similar process works for the Vice President, but he or she is chosen by the Senate out of the top two vote getters.

Originally, most electors were chosen directly by the legislatures of the States. Over time, States determined to select their electors by popular election, with 48 of the 50 States choosing a winner takes all system.

Highlights include James Madison, Constitutional Convention, George Washington, Articles of Confederation, Founding Fathers, Congress, Edmund Randolph, the Virginia Plan a/k/a Randolph Resolutions a/k/a Randolph Plan, the President, Abraham Baldwin, William Paterson, New Jersey Plan a/k/a Paterson Resolves a/k/a Paterson Plan, American Revolution, James Wilson, George Mason, Gouverneur Morris, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman, Charles Pinckney, Elbridge Gerry, Alexander Hamilton, Hugh Williamson, John Dickinson, Luther Martin, Oliver Ellsworth, Caleb Strong, Jonathan Blearly, Blearly Committee, Max Farrand, Abraham Baldwin, John Jay, Federalist Papers (Federalist Paper No. 39, Federalist Paper No. 48), Anti-Federalist Papers, presidential electors, United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, North Carolina Ratifying Convention, James Iredell, United States Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, A Familiar Exposition of The Constitution of the United States, Aaron Burr, Vice President, Presidential Election of 1800, James A. Bayard, the Revolution of 1800, United States Constitution Article II, Section 1, 12th Amendment, Presidential Election of 1788, Presidential Election of 1792, electoral votes, Presidential Election of 1824, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Presidential Election of 1876, President Rutherford B. Hayes, Samuel Tilden, Presidential Election of 2000, President George W. Bush, Vice President Al Gore, Election of 2016, President Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, 23rd Amendment, National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, Chiafalot v Washington (2020), 10th Amendment, Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Neil Gorsuch, and many others.

To learn more about the President and elections & Patriot Week, visit www.PatriotWeek.org. Our resources include videos, a TV series, blogs, lesson plans, and more.