13 Colonies Script Packet (new).pdf

Table of COl1tents 

13 Colonies: Script 

Teacher's Guide 

Introduction for the Teacher 

Getting Started 

Music 

Casting 

Costumes 

The Set 

Staging 

Rehearsals and Assessment 

Emphasis: Making the Words Come Alive 

Final Performance 

A Last Bit ofAdvice 

Ordering Information 

pages 4-27 

28-40 

28 

29-30 

30-31 

32 

33-34 

35 

35-36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41-42 

Song List 

1. ([The Europeans Are Moving In" 

2. "1 Drink from Every Fountain l ] 

3. "Sunrise to Sunset" 

4. "Name That Colony Theme l ] 

5. "A Million Things to Dd' 

6. "The French Have Got To Gd' 

7. "One Lump or Two?" 

8. "Sibyl Ludington!" 

9. c'Ifs Our Revolutionary War" 

1O. "Boogie with the Bill of Rights]) 

Iroquois, Chorus pp. 6-7 

Ponce de Leon, Soldiers, Chorus 8-9 

Colonial Boy and Girl, Chorus 10-11 

Chorus 

11J3 

Ben Franldin,Chorus 16 

British Soldiers, Chorus 18 

Adams Family, Chorus 20-21 

Sibyl Ludington, Chorus 24 

Colonists, Chorus 25 

Entire Class 27 

3

13 Colonies 

by Ron Fink and John Heath 

CHARACTERS: 

The duration ofthe show is about 30 minutes 

George Washington 

Martha Washington 

Leif Erickson (and Vikings) 

Iroquois 

Seminole 

Ponce de Leon (and Soldiers) 

Colonial Boy and Girl 

Game Show Host 

Contestant (Betsy Smith) 

Benjamin Franklin 

British Soldiers 

Samuel Adams, John Adams, Abigail 

Adams 

Salesman 

HenryWadsworth Longfellow 

Sibyl Ludington 

Colonists 

James Madison 

History Police (A and B) 

FLEXIBLE CASTING: 

From 11-40 students. 

Use as manyVikings, 

Soldiers, Colonists, etc. as 

desired; one student can 

also play more than one 

role. Note that roles are 

not gender-specific: 

George Washington can 

easily be played by a girl, 

for example, and we 

recommend that the part 

ofthe Game Show Host be 

played by a girl as well; see 

our comments on page 32 

ofthe Teacher's Guide. 

and a Chorus made up ofall students who are not playing 

roles at the time. 

4

... 

-- 

-~ 

r4 

- 

- 

r4 

"", 

"", 

"", 

"", 

"", 

"", 

..., 

""" 

rf4. 

""" 

willi """ 

.." 

"", 

- ,A 

.A """ 

""" 

~ 

-- 

-" 

J 

"", 

,.;I 

~ 

.J 

.J 

~ 

-' 

,,#ill 

~ 

~ 

fi!!I 

(GEORGE and MARTHA WASHINGTON enter) 

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Hello, my name is George Washington. 

MARTHA: And I'm Martha Washington. George and I are here to 

tell you the marvelous story ofhow our country began. It's a story 

filled with excitement and drama... 

GEORGE (interrupts): ...dreams ofgold, the clash ofnations... 

MARTHA: ...and best ofall, we get to play the staring roles. Oh 

George, I never get tired ofthis. The bright lights! The 

photographers! It just makes me want to salute something! 

(LEIF ERICKSON enters loudly. He's accompanied by two 

other Vikings, carrying footballs) 

LEIF: t Leif Erickson, claim this land for me and all the Vikings. 

GEORGE: Excuse me, but we're starting a show here. 

LEIF: I know. I visited America nearly 1000 years ago. I want some 

credit for being part ofthe thirteen colonies. I was here first. 

GEORGE: No you weren't. 

LEIF: I wasn't? 

MARTHA: Not at all. Native Americans were here hundreds of 

years before you arrived. Isn't that right, George? 

(GEORGE nods) 

LEIF: Oh. Sorry. Come on, men. Back to Minnesota. 

(THEY exit) 

GEORGE: In fact, let's take a visit to the eastern seaboard in the 

16th century and see what's going on with the local tribes. 

(IROQUOIS enter) 

MARTHA: Here come some Iroquois-and George, they don't 

look happy. 

5 .

If 

'fl 

,. ,. 

•'. 

IROQUOIS: 

We've lived on this land 

For hundreds ofyears ~ 

There's no place that we haven't been 

But something is new 

The neighborhood's changed 

The Europeans are moving in. 

They unload their ships 

They back in their vans 

They're putting our lives in a spin 

We give them some corn 

They give us the mumps 


The isle ofManhattan we sold to the Dutch 

And people say it was a steal 

But have you all seen what they've done to the place? 

We got us a heck ofa deal! 

They're shaking our hands 

And taking our lands 

Our patience is now wearing thin 

You never can tell 

But it doesn't bode well 


The Spanish are searching the South for some gold 

We don't think that they're gonna stop 

The French in the North want the timber and furs 

The New World's a great place to shop! 

6 

'. ••• 

.. .. 

• 

•.. 

• ~r 

,r 

~ 

r 

~ 

~ 

~ 

~ 

~ 

~ 

~ 

~ 

~ 

I!J 

I!'J 

~ 

~ 

e 

f!J 

e 

" e ,~ 

Ie 

-,./ 

f!J 

,t!j

IROQUOIS and CHORUS: 

We've lived on tills land 

For hundreds ofyears 

There's no place that we haven't been 

But something is new 

The neighborhood's changed 


The Europeans are moving in and in and in and in. 

(THEY exit) 

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Let's move south to Florida to get a 

closer look at some ofthose new European explorers. 

MARTHA: I see a Seminole coming our way. Isn't it exciting? 

SEMINOLE (enters through audience with a tray filled with maps 

slung around his neck. Shouting): Programs, get your programs 

here! Charts ofhidden treasures! Guides to the Everglades, right 

here! Directions to cities built of gold, maps to the houses ofthe 

stars! Programs, get your programs! 

(PONCE DE LEON enters with SOLDIERS. THEY ALL 

carry cups and jugs ofwater) 

PONCE DE LEON (to Chart-seller): Hey, 

you! Wait! I am Ponce de Leon, famous 

Spanish explorer. 

SEMINOLE: Welcome. Wanna buy a map to 

a city paved with diamonds and rubies? 

PONCE DE LEON: Do you think I'm some 

dumb tourist? Get reaL (pause) Though, I 

was wondering-you don't happen to have 

any maps to the fountain ofyouth, do you? 

SEMINOLE: Those are very hard to come by. 

Let me look. 

(rummages through maps) 

Ah, you're in luck! I have one left. 

7 .

PONCE DE LEON: You do?! I'll take it! 

SEMINOLE: That'll be a pound of gold. 

PONCE DE LEON (to his SOLDIERS): 

Well, don't just stand there, pay the man. 

(THEY do, as HE unfolds map) 

At last! This has been a very difficult journey. 

,r 

.... 

~.,. 

.... 

.... 

.... 

.., 

~ 

er! 

PONCE DE LEON: 

Some people want adventure 

While others look for gold 

But me-I want some water 

To make me young once more. 

(SOLDIER offers him a cup afwater) 

I drink from every fountain 

Though I don't have a thirst 

And ev'ry stream and river 

I think I'm gonna burst. 

(He grabs cup from SOLDIER) 

Is that something from a swamp? 

I'll try it! 

(lifts up cup) 

Here's to my new liquid diet! 

(takes a drink) 

Are my wrinldes disappearing? 

Is my grey beard turning black? 

Tell me boys, I must lmow the truth 

Am I younger? Am I taller? 

Has my bald spot gone away? 

Have we found the fountain ofyouth? 

(THEY examine PONCE closely) 

8 

~-. 

~ ~''''1liU. . 

... 

.,., 

, I 

.,., 

,~ 

-r .,. 

~... 

~ 

~ 

... 

~ 

~ 

",. 

~ 

,.r ." 

~ 

~.,. 

.".I 

~ 

~ 

i 

~ 

~ 

'~ 

':: 

,~ 

I~ 

,~

PONCE and SOLDIERS: 

I drink from every fountain 

Though I don't have a thirst 

And ev'ry stream and river 

I think I'm gonna burst. 

(THEY ALL grab cups) 

Is that something from a swamp? 

I'll try it! 

(lift up cups) 

Here's to our new liquid diet! 

(take a drink) 

PONCE, SOLDIERS, and CHORUS: 

Are my wrinkles disappearing? 

Is my grey beard turning black? 

Tell me boys, I must know the truth 

Am I younger? Am I taller? 

Has my bald spot gone away? 

Have we found the fountain ofyouth 

The fountain ofyouth 

The fountain ofyouth? 

(PONCE, SOLDIERS, and GEORGE WASHINGTON exit) 

MARTHA WASHINGTON: Good evening, again. My husband 

George got a splinter from his wooden dentures and he's having his 

gums massaged. Isn't that remarkable? Now, where are we? Oh 

yes...The 1600s brought the British to America. You know what 

that means: Jamestown. John Smith. Pocohantas. You Imow the 

story. You've seen the movie. You've bought the product tie-ins. 

(pause) 

Life was tough on the first pioneers as they pushed out on the 

frontiers. Let's get up-close-and-personal with a young boy and 

girl. 

(BOY and GIRL enter) 

Welcome, pioneer boy and girL Tell me, what's your life like? 

(MARTHA sits down and watches them during their song) 

9 .

Out ofbed but I'm still asleep 

Cut potatoes to feed the sheep 

Got no shoes but I'm out the door 

Bring in wood then I'm gone once more. 

Sunrise to sunset 

Gatta work all day 


Not much time for play. 

GIRL: 

Lots to do, there's no time for school 

Picking berries and spinning wooL 

Feed the hens and learn how to sew 

Weed the garden so our veggies grow. 





BOY: 

(-during musical pause, BOY and GIRL take up new tasks) 

Gone all day as I tend the herds 

I just tallc to the trees and birds. 

10 

~ 

.,.. 

I!!'" 

I!!'" 

r 

I!!'" 

I!!'" 

#]"I' 

I!!'" 

I!!'" 

I!J"" 

IJ'" 

fI1'" 

I1'f' 

!J1'!' 

0/ 

r-

GIRL: 

Help my mom to make all the bread 

Ev'ning comes and the ground's our bed. 

BOY, GIRL, CHORUS: 





Sunrise to sunset, Sunrise to sunset, Sunrise to sunset 

Gotta work all day 



(BO~ GIRL, and MARTHA WASHINGTON exit. GAME 

SHOW HOST, holding note cards, and BETSY SMITH, the 

CONTESTANT, enter.) 

HOST: Welcome to Name That Colony, the quiz show that tests 

your Imowledge of colonial trivia. Time for our theme song from 

the Name That Colony Singers: 

CHORUS: (during theme song, the HOST points 

out the colonies as they are named on 

a large map ofthe eastern seaboard) 

The colonies ofHampshire, York, and Jersey are quite new 

We're all aware that Delaware is something special too. 

Maryland's the very land I'd never leave behind 

Connecticut is cool and Georgia's always on my mind. 

Jamestown, Virginia, ifs where it all began 

The Carolinas, so warm we got a tan. 

(CHORUS puts on sunglasses) 

Rhode Island now is myland it's so tiny and so cute 

Pennsylvania's perfect, Massachusetts is a beaut. 

These 13 colonies are all we need for pioneers 

I doubt we'll need another one for sev'ral hundred years. 

11

HOST: Tonight's contestant is Betsy Smith. Ready, Betsy? Here we 

go. 

(Reads questions from cards) 

The 13th colony was established in 1732-which one was it? 

BETSY (buzzing): Idaho. 

HOST: No, I'm sorry, Idaho was not one ofthe 13 colonies. The 

name ofthe 13th colony established in 1732 is ...Georgia. 

BETSY: I really like potatoes. 

HOST: I'm sure you do. But you have only two questions left, so try 

to concentrate. The first colony to decree religious toleration was... 

BETSY (buzzing): Idaho! 

HOST: No, Betsy, Idaho was not one ofthe original colonies. Are 

you sure you understand the premise of our game? Name That 

Colony. Get it? Think ofsome place near the east coast. 

BETSY: You can't go wrong with a good Idaho potato. You can 

mash 'em, or bake 'em, smear 'em with a little chocolate and 

whipped cream and... 

HOST: Dh, thank you Betsy. The correct answer to our questionthe 

first colony to decree religious toleration-is Maryland. Okay, 

time for our last question. r d really like to see yo u get this one. 

Okay... 

CHE flips through cards, trying to find one that BETSY could 

get right) 

Okay, here we go. Ready) Betsy? Name the colony founded as a 

refuge for Quakers, led byWilliam Penn, in Philadelphia, chartered 

in 1682 between NewYork and Maryland...and Betsy, it's not 

Idaho. Got the answer? 

BETSY: (thinks for minute, then buzzes): Idaho! 

HOST: No! 

BETSY: I really love those potatoes. 

12

'\I 

" me 

.. 

~9" 

.- 

~9' 

e 

~.,,~ ~ 

e ere 

'Z:. 

e me 

e -e 

e 

e 

-e 

e 

se 

.. 

~7 

e 

.e 

.- 

e~f.p;.' 

-~. 

III 

aft 

. 

-e 

-e 

I1!t 

e 

e 

.e 

.e 

. -e 

.- 

l-IOST: Forget it! Start the lllusic, start the 111usic! 

CI-iORUS: 

The colonies of Hanlpshire, York, and Jersey are quite new 

We're all aware that Dehnvare is sOlnething special too. 

Maryland's the very land I'd never leave behind 

Connecticut is cool.and Georgia's always on Iny nlind. 

Jal1lestowl1, Virginia, it's where it all began 

The Carolinas, so warm we got a tan. 

Rhode Island now is Illy land it's so tiny and so cute 

Pennsylvania's perfect, Massachusetts is a beaut. 

These 13 colonies are all we need for pioneers 

I doubt we'll need another one for sev'ral hundred years. 

(TI-IEY ALL exit; GEORGE and MARTHA WASHINGTON 

enter) 

GEORGE WASHINGTON (sllliling broadly to audience): Thank 

you, thank you, it's great to be back! What a super audience. You 

know, Martha, I always say that" " (put in your city's na171e) 

audiences are the best in the world. 

13

MARTHA: Oh, absolutely. 

(SHE looks at GEORGE and he smiles for her) 

Your smile looks wonderful, George. It's amazing what they can do 

with mahogany these days. 

GEORGE: I thought I'd introduce you to one ofour most famous 

men ofthe 18th century. Benjamin Franldin is perhaps... 

(HISTORY POLICE enter, interrupting) blowing whistles) 

POLICE A: Hold it, hold it right there, Mr. Washington. 

GEORGE: Who are you? 

POLICE B: We're the History Police. 

(THEY BOTH whip out identification cards, flash them very 

quicldy in front of George and then quicldy put them away.) 

MARTHA: The history police? I don't believe I'm familiar with 

your organization. 

POLICE A: That's right, Ma'am, history police. We're here to see 

that you don't mess around with history. 

POLICE B: We enforce the facts of history, and we just clocked the 

two ofyou going pretty fast there a minute ago. 

POLICE B: Pretty fast. 150 years ofAmerican history in 5 minutes. 

Way over the speed limit. 

,,,. 

,fi"!I" 

'*1' 

:'ff1 

,''''' 

I~ 

,,,.,. 

"". 

,,- 

,.,.. 

If'" 

I~ 

:.,.,- 

:." 

." 

i~ 

,.~ 

~ 

~ 

~ 

'~ 

I~ 

/~ 

''-'1 

::I ' 

I~ 

~ - I 

:J , -=.J 

POLICE A: You flew right past the development of 

the 13 colonies. One minute we're on the frontier, 

the next we've got all 13 firmly established. 

GEORGE: We only have twenty-five minutes to get 

through the... 

POLICE B (interrupting): And now you're 

suddenly introducing Benjamin Franklin. Have you 

no respect for the flow of history? 

14

GEORGE: I'm sorry, but... 

POLICE A: But we like you. We're going to let you go with a 

warning this time. 

POLICE B: This time. But you'd better slow down, explain to your 

audience what's going on. We won't go so easy on you next time. 

(THEY exit; BENJAMIN FRANKLIN enters, walking very 

quicldy) 

MARTHA: We were very lucky, George. I had no idea. 

GEORGE: Oh, here he comes now. Ben, Ben Franldin. Can you 

stop for a minute? 

BEN FRANKLIN (walking by): A penny saved is a penny earned. 

GEORGE: Uh, sure, Ben. But I was wondering if... 

BEN FRANKLIN: Lost time is never found again. 

GEORGE: Ben, could you just stop for a minute to talk? 

15

BEN FRANI

(BRITISH SOLDIERS enter) 

SOLDIER #1: I'll tell you why we British are fighting the French in 

this French and Indian War. It's over religion. 

SOLDIER #2: No, I'm telling you it's simply over control ofthe fur 

trade. 

SOLDIER #3: You're both wrong. We want land, the French want 

land. Something's gotta give. 

#1: It's religion. 

#2: Trading rights. 

#3: It's a fight for power. 

#1: Wait. Maybe we're all right. But 1know whywe're really 

fighting. 

#2 and #3: Why? 

#1: It's because we're British, and they're so ...so...how do you say 

it...French! 

#2 and #3: Yeah, that's it!! 

17 .

BRITISH SOLDIERS (Note: during the song, the SOLDIERS yell 

out at various intervals supporting shouts ofccYeahI]) and "That's 

right!'»): 

They wear hardly anything on our fine beaches 

They eat things like goose liver, snails, and quiches. 

They jump in our Idtchens and think they are the bosses 

The smear all our meat with all kinds ofrich sauces. 

BRITISH SOLDIERS and CHORUS: 

The French have got to go. 

Come on, it's westward ha! 


Come on, it's westward hoI 

There)s just one thing we can do 

We must fight a say "adieu" 

You can bet your chapeau 


BRITISH SOLDIERS: 

They don)t understand what we)re trying to say 

We order soft-boiled and they bring a souffle. 

We tell them it's casual, they still wear ties 

We serve them some chips and they ask for French fries. 

BRITISH SOLDIERS and CHORUS: 


Come on, it's westward hot 


Come on) it's westward ho! 

There's just one thing we can do 

We must fight and fight beaucoup 

You can bet your chapeau 



(THEY exit; GEORGE WASHINGTON enters) 

18

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Things are getting exciting now. We're 

in Boston in 1773... 

(HISTORY POLICE enter, interrupting, blowing on 

whistles) 

POLICE A: Hold it, hold it right there. 

GEORGE WASHINGTON: The history police again! 

POLICE B: You're a trouble-maker, aren't you, Mr. Washington? 

POLICE A: Having a little fun with the French and Indian war, 

were we? 

POLICE B: Well history is not about fun, Mr. Washington. No 

Slree. 

POLICE A: No siree. Where's the facts? The dates? The family 

trees? 

POLICE B: You've got to explain things. Tell the audience that after 

the French were defeated in the war, the British and the colonists 

were left to struggle for control ofthe land. 

POLICE A: Control ofthe land, Mr. Washington. 

We're not going to warn you again. 

(THEY exit) 

GEORGE WASHINGTON (to audience): Yes, well, 

here we are-again-in Boston, on a cold night in 

December in 1773. The colonists are not happy with 

British rule. 

(SALESMAN enters with tray filled 

with paper cups slung around neck; 

it would be nice if he is played by 

same actor who played SEMINOLE) 

SALESMAN: Coke, get your cokes right here! 

Pepsi, pepsi cola, ice cold pepsi right here. 

19

(THREE distinguished Bostonians-the Adamses-enter) 

SAMUEL ADAMS: Wait a minute. fn take one ofthose. 

SALESlvlAN: Say, aren't you Samuel Adams? 

SAMUEL ADAMS.: Yes I am. And this is my cousin John Adams 

and his wife Abigail. She's holding little John Quincy Adams. 

SALESlvlAN: So you're the Adams family. 

JOHN ADAMS: Yes we are. 

SALESlvlAN: Then where's Uncle Fester? 

JOHN ADAMS.: Excuse me? 

SALESlvlAN: And since when did upper-crust colonists like 

yourselves start drinking sodas and stop drinking tea? 

ABIGAIL ADAMS: Since the parliament back in England put a tax 

on all imported tea. We're going to show the British that they can't 

get away it! 

ADAMSES: 

Bang on the drums 

Blow on the trumpets 

Get out the cups 

Bring out some crumpets. 

Where is the tea 

We should be drinking? 

300 chests 

See them all sinking! 

One lump or two? 

How do you take your tea? 

Just one way will do- 

At the bottom ofthe sea. 

Doo bee doo... 

20

Tyranny's here 

With this taxation 

"When we don't have 

Representation. 

Pick up a bell 

It's time to ring it 

Pick up some tea 

It's time to fling it! 

ADAMSES and CHORUS: 








At the bottom of the sea. 

Doo bee doo... 

Just one way will do 


(ADAMSES and SALESMAN exit, leaving GEORGE 

WASHINGTON on stage) 

21

(SIBYL LUDINGTON and LONGFELLOW enter on side 

and sit down. HE is working on a poem. MARTHA 

WASHINGTON enters, sees them, and speaks to GEORGE) 

MARTHA WASHINGTON: Look, George, it's Henry Wadsworth 

Longfellow and Sibyl Ludington. Looks like Longfellow is working 

on a poem. 

GEORGE: This is a special moment, Martha. Longfellow's trying 

to write an epic poem about Sibyl. 

(HISTORY POLICE enter, blowing whistles) 

POLICE A: Okay, that's it. Cuffhim. 

GEORGE: What'd I do now? 

POLICE B: What did you do? Why you skipped the whole 

begilllling ofthe Revolutionary War! 

POLICE A: Here we are in the middle ofthe colonists' fight for 

freedom from British rule. You can)t just start in the middle. 

POLICE B: Where's your narrative sense? The beginning, then the 

middle, then the end! 

POLICE A: And now, in 1777, you've got a little known 

RevolutionaryWar heroine Sibyl Ludington talking to the great 

American poet Longfellow... 

POLICE B: ...and he wasn't even 

born until 30 years later! Book him, 

Danno. 

GEORGE (being led offby POLICE): 

But it's dramatic license! 

POLICE A: We're revoking that 

license, Mister. 

22

MARTHA (following after them): But Longfellow's right there, 

talking to Sibyl Ludington... 

(THEY exit) 

LONGFELLOW (reading from his work in progress): "Listen, my 

children, and you shalilearn-a-ton, ofthe midnight ride of Sibyl 

Ludington..." I don't know, Sibyl, it doesn't sound good. 

SIBYL: But I deserve a little recognition, Hank. I did everything 

Paul Revere did! 

LONGFELLOW: I know. But your name just doesn't flow. Besides, 

Paul Revere went on his famous ride first. 

SIBYL: But that was in Massachusetts. I rode to warn the militia in 

New York-think how much more dangerous that can be! 

LONGFELLOW: Okay, how about: "Listen, my children, and you 

shall know-the-one, ofthe midnight ride ofSibyl Ludington." No, 

that's even worse. 

SIBYL: But shouldn't people know about me too? 

LONGFELLOW: Of course. But your name doesn't rhyme with 

anything. Think ofRevere-there're so many possibilities: "year," 

"1 c ear, " cc 

career, 

]) CCh effilSp . h ere 

» 

... 

SIBYL: But I was just a girl! That's something, isn't it? 

LONGFELLOW: ... "volunteer," "wood veneer"... 

SIBYL: Oh, I'll never be famous! 

l . 

~ , 

23

SIBYL (NOTE: during the CHORUS sections ofher song, SIBYL 

grabs a stick pony and rides around, delighting in the CHORUS's 

chant): 

Forty long miles on a horse in the dark 

Isn't exactly a walle in the parle 

I stop at each house and I bang on the door 

I tell them "The British are coming-once more." 

CHORUS: 

Sibyl Ludington! Sibyl, we cheer! 

Sibyl Ludington! Glad you came here. 

Too bad your name doesn't rhyme like "Revere" 

You'll miss the folksongs and textbooks, we fear. 

SIBYL: 

Sixteen years old and I ride through the night 

Warn the militia: get ready to fight! 

"The British are coming!)) I yell at each door 

"Sibyl," they tell me, "we've heard it before." 

CHORUS: 

Sibyl Ludington! Sibyl, we cheer! 

Sibyl Ludington! Glad you came here. 


You'll miss the folksongs and textbooks, we fear. 


You'll miss the follesongs and textbooks, we fear. 

(SHE exits) 

GEORGE WASHINGTON (rushing on stage, handcuffs still on): 

Sibyl was just one ofthousands of colonial heroes in the war. I like 

to think I, George Washington, General, First President, Father of 

the Country, et cetera, had some small part in it all. But the 

Colonists were ready to fight for freedom. 

(Whistle blows from off stage; GEORGE looks off stage in 

direction of whistle, and then races off) 

24

COLONISTS: 

It's our revolutionary war 

It's independence we're fighting for. 

We got tired ofmad King George's reign 

We got ([Common SenseJ] from Thomas Paine. 


It's Washington camped atValley Forge. 

It's a boat across the Delaware 

It's a Nathan Hale of gunfight there. 

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit ofHappiness 

That's why we want to throw out the Crown 


Thomas Jefferson wrote it all down. 


When Benedict Arnold falsely swore 

We have Betsy Ross and Lafayette 

And a French blockade we won't forget. 


That's why we want to throw out the Crown 


Thomas Jefferson wrote it all down. 


It's independence we're fighting for. 

We got tired ofmad King George's reign 

We got ,cCommon Sense)] from Thomas Paine. 

(THEY exit) 

25

(GEORGE and MARTHA WASHINGTON enter, leading the 

HISTORY POLICE who are now wearing the handcuffs) 

GEORGE WASHINGTON (to audience): Well, it's all over and the 

Colonists have sent the British packing. I've been elected the 

country's first president, and my first act was to arrest these two 

History Police for being a public nuisance. 

POLICE A: I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my 

country. 

POLICE B: The president isn't going to execute us. 

POLICE A: He isn't? 

POLICE B: No. 

POLICE A: I mew that. 

MARTHA WASHINGTON: With a solid Constitution this new 

countrywill get offto a flying start. Let's end our review ofthe 13 

colonies with a chat with James Madison, the man behind the 

Constitution. 

JAMES MADISON (entering): You know, I thought the 

Constitution was perfect. But I've got to admit this Bill ofRights 

adds just the right touch. So come on, George, Martha. Let's do it. 

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Do what? 

JAMES MADISON: Let's boogie with the Bill of Rights! 

(During the song, members ofthe class spread around the 

room and finish the song surrounding the audience) 

26

-- ~ 

~ 

~ 

~ 

J. 

J.tif 

J. 

~ 

",.. 

,J,j 

".iiI 

,;Iii 

4" 

.... 

-" 

.... 

,........ 

/, 

".,. 

-" .wi 

~ 

rIM 

.. 

... 

,.., 

4L~ 

.. 

... 

JJiI 

,ViI 

,)AI 

~.. 

,),,/Jfj 

,;"Ie 

,,),/III 

JJe 

~ 

~ 

~ 

,)"Ij 

~ 

ENTIRE CLASS: 

We've got freedom of religion 

We can choose how we pray 

We've got freedom of assembly 

So assemble away. 

Got a trial by a jury, gatta do it in a hurry. 

Come on, come on, boogie with the Bill of Rights. 

It's the Bill of Rights 

So it can't be wrong 

We will amend to ten 

And then dance along. 

Come all, come on, boogie with the Bill ofRights. 

Got a right to an attorney 

He'll work on your behalf 

There's no quartering of soldiers 

So just cut them in half. 

It's the perfect resolution to our living Constitution 







(Entire Class does the Bill of Rights Boogie) 

It's the perfect resolution to our living Constitution 

Come on, come all, boogie with the Bill ofRights. 







THE END 

27

13 Colonies Script Packet (new).pdf

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?