Announcing the New Snapshots Across America

Announcing the New Snapshots Across America

It's finally here! The New Edition of Snapshots Across America.

Whats New?

More Cards: now with 124 cards compared to 110 in the previous edition.

New Tri-Fold game-board map of the United States, that is 13" x 22".

New compact size box, 13.5" x 7.5" by 2.25".

Newly redesigned instructions.

New larger and updated photos of favorite attractions form before, on a slightly larger card.

Many new attractions

New Color-Coded specialty cards to better identify them.

Transportation Cards have a Blue Border:

Bad Weather Cards have a Red Border

And Travel Cancel Cards have an Orange Border.

And much more.

Ask for for the New Snapshots Across America game.

Where to buy (keep checking back for new stores and online educational websites):

Official Online Store for Snapshots Across America 

http://snapshotsusagame.com

Toy House, 400 N. Mechanic St. Jackson, MI 49201

Love To Learn homeschool resources

http://www.lovetolearn.net/Snapshots-Across-America

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Honoring the Pilgrims this Thanksgiving

Snapshots Spotlight:

Honoring the Pilgrims this Thanksgiving 

The First Thanksgiving 1621
by American Painter, Jean Leon Gerome Ferris
Source: U.S. Library of Congress

As we gather together with our families this Thanksgiving we honor the Pilgrims who traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to establish a Colony in the New World and to be free from religious oppression in England.

In trying to learn more about the Pilgrims, my mother-in-law, Laura Byers, told me about how her 11th Great Grandfather who was one of the 102 passengers who arrived in America aboard the Mayflower. Her ancestor, William Brewster, along with his wife Mary and 2 of their sons, at around 9 & 6 years old, made the long voyage to America, arriving in November of 1620. Strong winds drove the ship far off course, and rather than their original target of the Virginia Colony, they landed over 400 miles to the Northeast, in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts.

That first winter was very harsh on the newly arrived Pilgrims, of which almost half died in the first year. But William, Mary, and their 2 young sons named Love and Wrestling, all survived that first harsh winter. 

That First Thanksgiving was a harvest celebration in which the surviving 53 Pilgrims along with Chief Massasoit and around 90 Native American Indians celebrated for 3 days the bounteous harvest that they had reaped during that first year in a new home. 1

Shortly after that First Thanksgiving celebration, the Brewster's oldest son, Jonathan later joined them in 1621 aboard the ship, The Fortune. Their 2 older daughters, Patience and Fear, also arrived at Plymouth in 1623. William Brewster, having served as an assistant pastor while the Pilgrims were in Holland, became Plymouth Colony's religious leader until 1629, and also an adviser to Governor William Bradford.

The Mayflower II, a replica of the original ship that brought the Pilgrims to America.
Source: Paul Keleher CC BY-2.0

The Mayflower II, which is a replica of the original ship that brought the Pilgrims to America, is docked in Plymouth. Tours are conducted by guides dressed in period clothes, which teach visitors about the historic ship and its famous voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Mayflower II is one of the  Historical Attractions featured in
the educational board-game Snapshots Across America.

Sources:
1. The Pilgrim Hall Museum. Plymouth, MA. 
http://www.pilgrimhallmuseum.org/thanksgiving.htm

2. The Plimouth Plantation. Plymouth, MA.
http://www.plimoth.org/what-see-do/mayflower-ii

Honoring Our Veterans

Snapshots Spotlight: Honoring Our Veterans

As we honor the many Veterans who have fought for our Great Nation, we owe much to those who have gone before us in making sacrifices to preserve our freedom.

The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia

U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Adrian R. Rowan

In reflecting this Veterans Day, I ponder over the fact that there have been many great soldiers who have gone before us in preserving our freedom.  In doing so, I think about my wife’s uncle who was one of the U.S. Marines that fought in the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima. He was one of the luckier ones… he only lost a leg.

Willard A. Cross: PFC. U.S. MarinesPhoto courtesy of Millie Bartlett

Willard A. Cross, “Uncle Bill” to us, was a Private First Class in the U.S. Marines when he landed on Iwo Jima. He made it through that first day, but witnessed events that haunted him his whole life, including holding an 18 year old fellow Marine that died in his arms. On Feb. 20, 1945, the second day of operations on Iwo Jima, he was hit by enemy fire and received major injuries to his leg as well as other shrapnel wounds. His injuries were so bad that he wasn’t expected to live. But he survived the trip to a medical hospital in Germany. From there he was transferred to the Philadelphia Naval Hospital, where he spent around 18 months healing from his wounds and learning to get around with an artificial leg. (Source: Millie Bartlett, Norville, Michigan).Uncle Bill passed away at the age of 90 on February 16, 2013, just 3 days shy of the 68th Anniversary of the D-Day on Iwo Jima. It was a memorable experience witnessing the military gun salute at his gravesite in Napoleon, Michigan. I recall the ceremonious folding of the Stars and Stripes that covered his casket that was then presented to his widow.

The Official Flag Raising on Iwo Jima photo taken by Joe Rosenthal on Feb 23, 1945,
from which the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial Statue was based upon.
Photo Credit: United States Marine Corps Archives and Special Collections

According to Robert S. Burrell, Author of “The Ghosts of Iwo Jima”, 6,821 American Soldiers gave their life in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Another 19,217 were wounded.1 It was a costly victory in the Pacific during World War II, but allowed the U.S. to establish a key strategic Air Base there within a week after capturing it. In seeing the U.S. Marines Corps War Memorial Statue that honors the brave men who fought and defeated the enemy at Iwo Jima makes me think of Uncle Bill. Knowing this great man that was there, helps me to appreciate even more, those Veterans who have gone before us, in protecting and preserving our freedom and liberty. 

This Veterans Day, ask your relatives if you have any ancestors that have been Veterans, and make a special effort to remember them, and if they are still alive, thank them for their sacrifices they have made to their Country.

The Snapshots Across America card for the
U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial
 (also known as the Iwo Jima Statue)

The Snapshots are Coming!

#TBT
"The Snapshots Are Coming!"

The Paul Revere Statue with the Old North Churchin the background. Photo by Alan Kotok CC-BY-2.0

Throw Back Thursday: "The Snapshots are Coming?"

Yes, for this Throw Back Thursday, we are loosely borrowing from the infamous words often attributed to Paul Revere, "The British are Coming." However,  Revere likely never actually uttered that most infamous quote during his infamous ride made popular in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1961 poem,  "Paul Revere's Ride." 

Historians at the The Paul Revere House Museum, state that he most likely warned that "The regulars are coming out!" With the tensions that were building between the British and the Colonies at that time, "regulars" was the code term for British Soldiers. 

Paul Revere did indeed make the midnight ride on April 18, 1775 from Boston to Lexington to warn Samuel Adams, John Hancock and others about the impending offensive attack by the British. The American Patriots took heed of the warning, and word spread through the area so that they were prepared for the coming British attack on the very next day. Then on April 19, 1775 the Battle of Lexington between the British Soldiers and Colonial Minutemen ensued and the "Shot Heard Round the World" marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War, and the rest is... History....

But indeed, we are happy to say that "YES. The Snapshots Are Coming!" After not being on the market for nearly 2 years, the new edition of Snapshots Across America has gone to press and should be available by the end of November.

Actual Card from the New Edition of Snapshots Across America

The Paul Revere Statue and Old North Church Tower, are 2 of the 16 featured historical sites along Boston's two and a half mile long "Freedom Trail". This is one of the many new attractions featured in the updated edition of Snapshots Across America, the educational game where families can travel across a game-board map of the United States to "visit" popular tourist attractions from all 50 States.