Artifact Display
Valerie Jack, a teacher for the 8th grade class in Kittanning requested I do a talk on the French & Indian War to her students. Five classes totaling over 100 students spent their history class at the Armstrong County Historical and Genealogy Society Museum. I commend Mrs. Jack for her dedication to teach her students about local history.
I dressed up with my 18th century “gear”, carried along my French Fusil smoothbore flintlock, a tomahawk and other things of interest. The discussion covered the events leading up to the first shots under George Washington and his native allies in southwestern Pennsylvania. We continued on through Braddock’s 1755 defeat near Fort Duquesne. (present-day Pittsburgh) The discussion went on with information concerning why the Delaware (Lenni-Lenape) of Kit-Han-Ne (Present-day Kittanning) allied with the French, their raids, the attack on Fort Granville and Lt. Colonel John Armstrong’s attack on the native village in 1756.
Map of events of that era.
This brief “Reader’s Digest” version ended with talks on the smoothbore musket, tomahawk; knives and other native garb of that era.
The classes were very attentive and a number of questions were asked. My compliments to the 8th graders and Mrs. Valerie Jack for their interest.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 
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