Everything I remember from fourth-grade Ohio history.

MrsDarwin mentions having to get the Ohio state history requirements in:

The oldest two are heading into 3rd and 4th this year, and since it works well to have them do things in unison we're leaning towards putting them through two years of US history and kids literature (with enough Ohio specific side-lights to say that we met the state education requirements)...

Although the whole Darwin family is recently transplanted from Texas, MrsD also grew up in Ohio, I think, but just in case I thought I'd help her out.

Everything I Remember From Fourth-Grade Ohio History

1. The glaciers stopped partway across. That is why southern Ohio is so hilly and interesting, while northern Ohio is so flat and boring.

2. The boundary of the glacier-scoured area is called a "moraine." 

3. Many trilobite fossils can be found in Ohio, possibly more than in any other part of the world.

(Fun fact: once while hiking in Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas I met an upper-level college geology class from the University of Dayton, who were presumably having a field trip to somewhere less flat, even though comparatively lacking in trilobites. By casually dropping the above information in conversation, I managed to be mistaken for a geologist.)

4. First there were the Mound Builders. They built mounds. The most famous mound is the Serpent Mound. They were a peaceful people, i.e.., they were already gone by the time white settlers got to Ohio.

5. Then there were the Miami people. They were very interesting. They were not already gone when white settlers came to Ohio. They gave Ohio its name.

6. The first capital of Ohio wasn't Columbus, but Chillicothe.   There's some story about how it got changed but I forget it.

7. Ohio was an important destination along the Underground Railroad. Some houses had secret rooms for hiding fugitives. Maybe even YOUR house!!!!!  That would be SO COOL.  Or at least that's how I remember it from being nine years old.  

8.  Ahem.

 A comparison of the contributions of North Carolina ("First in Flight") and Ohio ("The Buckeye State") to powered flight:

 Ohio:

• Orville
• Wilbur

North Carolina:

• Wind
• Sand

9. Ohio is nicknamed "Birthplace of Presidents" because a bunch of U. S. presidents were born in Ohio, including William Henry Harrison (He died in thirty days).

10. Also the electric automobile starter. You know that crank sticking out of the front of your car that sometimes kicks back and breaks your arm? No? WELL, then. Did North Carolina have anything to do with that? I think not. 

Comments

[MelanieB]

I spent 6 weeks one summer scoring standardized tests. They were Ohio social studies exams, I think 3rd or 4th grade. I learned about glaciers and corn.

[Karen]

I'm glad I'm not the only Ohioan who gets irked at North Carolina's license plate.

Also, I grew up in northern Ohio (aka "Land of the Flat"), and when I moved to southern Ohio I was amazed at how hilly everything was. And how tired I got from walking up those darn hills.

[MrsDarwin]

Alright, I knew 4, 7, 8, and 9. Even been to Serpent Mount, with the kids, no less.

Rutherford B. Hayes was born right here in Delaware, OH, which I know because of the sign marking the spot downtown. There's a BP gas station on the spot -- I wonder why the birthplace wasn't preserved?

Delaware was in the running to be state capital, but the powers that be chose a swampy spot right in the middle of the state as the site of the future city. Delaware, an established town, was probably miffed.

I can tell you plenty about Cincinnati, but I don't know how much that counts for general Ohio history.

[Patty]

I had fourth grade state history in Connecticut and moved to Ohio as a teenager. I still don't understand the need for an entire grade level to be spent on state-specific history, and didn't pay a whole lot of attention to it when I was homeschooling my kids. But I'm rebellious that way.

[Barbara C.]

I think I vaguely remember covering the word "community" in 4th grade "Social Studies". I remember a little bit more from 7th and 8th grade just because our social studies those years made us do extensive copy work. Otherwise, I don't really remember learning much history in school before high school. I learned more stuff from my dad (who has reputation for torturing people with his history lectures when they mistakenly engage him in conversation).