As promised, I am working on updating many of the American Heritage Girls badge helps that I previously posted. I thought I would start with Dawn of Our Country. My goal in updating them is to reflect the current badge number and requirement. And because the first badge help was written more than 10 years ago, some of the links may have changed.
Today we are looking at Tenderheart requirement #4. We all know the legend that Betsy Ross designed and sewed the first American Stars and Stripes flag. In May of 1776 three members of the Continental Congress came to her is secret and asked her to make a flag. The sketch they provided her included six-pointed stars. She was able to convince them to use a five-pointed star instead because it is easier to create and can me made with only one cut. (More details about can be found here). While there is little historical evidence to support this legend, it has been repeated so many times that it is accepted by many as fact. (more information available at the Colonial Williamsburg.org site).
To assist you in learning how to cut a five-pointed star, I am sharing the link to US History.org webpage (here)l that I shared the first time I posted this badge help, but I am updating the YouTube video. The Crafty Mom does an excellent job of demonstrating cutting a star. Unlike many other videos, she talks you through each step making it super easy to follow. Check out her video here.
NOTE: The requirements have been simplified here. Please be sure to read the full text in the American Heritage Girl Handbook to make sure you fully understand the requirements.
Homeschooling and American Heritage Girls has sparked an interest in history. Our Patriots recently completed the Our Heritage merit badge. Requirement #19 has them create a timeline of events between the founding of our country and the start of the Civil War. Each girl selected one event to research and share with the unit. We then compiled the pictures they brought to create a timeline. 
