Dear E-Pals,

In 1773 citizens of Massachusetts disguised as Native Amaricans threw the contents of 340 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. This was done because the citizens were angry with the high tax the British put on the tea.

This was one of the incidents that led to the Revolutionary War in America.

Today we celebrate the Fourth of July because that is the day that America gained independence from the British.

Your friends,
Hardy - boy age 11
Jesse - boy age 10
Group 404
Village Community School
New York City, USA

Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 14:57:03 -0500

Dear E-Pals,

On July 4th, 1776 the newest copy of the Declaration of Independence was brought to the forefathers of our country (America). The Declaration of Independence was a document written and signed by Thomas Jefferson, it told us about freedom and the rights of all Americans.

We obtained our freedom by winning the Revolutionary War against Britain in 1783.

Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 14:57:03 -0500

Dear E-Pals,

Independence Day is a day when we celebrate our independence from King George the third, ruler of Great Britian (at that time).

It was in 1775-1783 when we fought in the Revolutionary War against the British. It took many years for us to win that war.

Such incidents as the Boston Tea Party which took place in 1773, helped us spark the war.

In 1776 Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. As many as 56 people signed it. Some of those people were:John Hancok, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.

We celebrate this day every year on July 4.

This day is remembered as an historic landmark for America.

Written by,
Coco (girl age 11) and Erika (girl age 9)
Group 404
Village Community School
New York City, USA

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Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 14:57:03 -0500

Dear E-Pals,

Your letters about your Independence Day were very interesting. We liked yours, and we hope you like ours! We are going to write about our Independence Day.

On July 4th, 1776 the members of the Continental Congress gathered at the State House in Philadelphia to talk about a matter of vital importance. The thirteen colonies declared independence from the British in 1781. The British didn't approve of our independence. Thomas Jefferson was the person who wrote the Declaration of Independence, in 1776. Many people signed the Declaration of Independence.

Earlier, in 1773 there was a protest against the British tax on tea inported by the American Colonies. Colonists, disguised as Native Americans, boarded a ship and threw the British tea overboard.

Now we celebrate our Independence Day by having fireworks!

From,
Olivia S.(girl, age 10) and Erica W.(girl, age 9)
Group 404
Village Community School
New York City, USA

Dear Friends,

America became a free country in 1776, July 4th. We were under rule by Great Britian. The war we fought was the Revolutionary War. The Revolutionary War lasted 6 years.

Our first President was Goerge Washington. He was a general during the Revolutionary War.

Today we celebrate the 4th of July by setting off fireworks.

Your friend,
Paul Dunn (boy)
Manton, Michigan

Fri, 12 Mar 1999 08:42:28 PST

Dear Keypals,

America gained independence on July 4, 1776. We were under rule by Britain. They were taxing us without representation in the senate.

So, we fought for six years in the revolutionary war.

Now every fourth of July we celebrate by lighting fireworks at home, and then going to the biggest lake around and watch an hour's worth of huge fireworks light up the sky.

Justin Paquette
Manton, Michigan

Fri, 12 Mar 1999 08:42:28 PST

Dear Friends,

When we celebrate independance day we have fireworks at night time. We usually call it the 4th of July. We have fireworks because in the revolutionary war bombs were going off in the big black sky.

We also sing our national anthem(The Star Spangle Banner) at every sporting event.

Your Friend
Sara Sue Hawk
Manton, Michigan

Fri, 12 Mar 1999 08:42:28 PST

Dear Friends,

Each year we celebrate Independance day by having fireworks and picnics.

Every year I celebrate Independance day by going to different stores and buying fireworks and sparkelers. I take them to the lake were a lot of people gather around and set the fireworks off.

When it is time all the peoole go on their blankets and watch a whole hour of better fireworks. 

Your friend,
Keith Sembach
Manton, Michigan

Hello!

On Independence Day people usually go to a place and see fire works. The place is usually in the park. A lot of people bring picnic baskets. They usually bring sack lunches. They see police rock n roll. There are so many people so all the parking lots are all full.

There are a lot of stores that sell big American flags or little American flags. 

The fireworks start at ten o'clock and end at eleven o'clock at night.

Independence Day is about when America became its own country. Amost everybody even Chinese people celebrate Independence Day.

Johnson
Grade 3
Arcadia Unified School District
California

Greetings !

In America we have a holiday about Independence too.

In our town the Navy puts on a show. There are many fireworks and the Navy Seals parachute out of an airplane.

We have a parade on that day on our main street. We also watch the fireworks that night. Since I live in an apartment building, during the fire works I go up on top of my building. It is really fun.

Parades are held with floats of all kinds . There is no place on the island where you can't hear the music.

Colin Dunn, Felicia Monahan, Shawn Dubberly
6th Grade, CCDS
Coronado, California

Dear friends,

I want to tell you about our flag. In the top left, there is a blue section with 50 white stars. The rest of the flag is red and white. There are 7 red stripes, and 6 white ones, alternating. The 50 stars stand for the 50 states in the United States of America, and the 13 stripes stand for the original 13 colonies of our country.

Your friend,
Corina Lucaciu (girl)
H.M.Arndt Middle School
Hickory, North Carolina, USA

Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 14:41:25 -0800

Dear Friends,

Chinese New Year is a holiday Chinese people celebrate. It is when you clean your house and wear new clothes. Chinese New Year is in January this year. This year's symbol is a tiger for Chinese people.

When it is Chinese New Year we eat rice cakes. Rice cakes are brown or white. They have sesame seeds on top. We also sing Chinese songs. Some colors we wear are red, blue, yellow, and green. On that day you get money from your relatives.

You can also see firecrackers. Firecrackers are red and long. They make loud sounds like fireworks.

Ellen
Grade 3
Holly Avenue School
Arcadia Unified School District

Hello Friends,

I am going to tell you a little about basketball.

In basketball there are two teams which play on a court with a goal usually about 10 ft off the ground and there is a metal ring that has a net to shoot into, this is a way in which you score a point.

There are 5 players on a team at a time. Each basket made by a team is worth 2 points. You must dribble a ball or a violation will be called, you must only dribble with one hand.

There are three possible positions in this game; guard, forward, and a center. Centers are for tall players, forwards are for strong players, guards are for quick and good shooters. The team with the most points after the 4 quarters wins the game.

Sincerely,
Brent Downs
H. M. Arndt Middle School
Hickory, North Carolina, USA

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Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 10:43:28 EST

Hello India friends,

My name is Coleman .

This past weekend we went to Aiken S.C. Our class and two other classes stayed at Confort Suites. Everyone was hoping to win the tournament. When we arrived there on Friday our class just sat around for the whole day.

On Saturday my team played at 10:30. At our first game we played St. Joseph's. St. Joseph had a small team and couldn't shoot the ball all that well. That game we won by 8 points. My team was really excited about our first win ever.

After the game we found out that our next game was at 3:45. So we went out to Chick-Fil-A which is a fast food resteraunt that sells chicken plain or on a bun.

Then we went to our second basketball game. This team we played was horrible. Our problem was that the ball wouldn't go in the basket. So we lost that game.

On Sunday we just sat around the room until checkout time.Then we came back to Greenville.

Your pal ,
Coleman Mullan

March 18, 1998

Dear Pen Pal,

Hello, my name is Jana Stachowicz and I am a thirteen year old girl. I am about five foot two. I have brown eyes, dirty blond hair and have a good personality and a smile that is usually always on my face.

Some of my hobbies are playing field hockey, which I'll explain to you then. I also play the piano and enjoy making jewelry out of hemp and painting my fingernails with all sorts of wacky colors.

Now I'm going to explain field hockey to you. Field hockey is a little like ice hockey if you have ever heard of it or maybe seen it. Everyone has a spesial stick made of wood that you hit the ball with. The unique thing about this sport is that we all where skirts otherwise known as kilts. They usually Have the colors of your school, our colors are grey and blue, so we where grey and blue plaid skirts. We play against the teams that are around our community. Sometimes we have home games, which we play at our school field or we go to different schools and play at their fields.

I am looking forward to heering from you again.

Your new friend,
Jana Stachowicz
Grade 7
Cedar Crest Middle School
Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Currency

Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 10:55:57 -0500

Hello Friends,

   We have 4 basic coins. Starting from the smallest is the pennies, which is equal to one cent, a nickle which is equal to five cents, a dime which is equal to ten cents,and a quarter which is one-fourth of a dollar, or twenty five cents. Those are the coins.

   We have paper money called dollars. The very smallest dollar is a one (1) dollar bill, then the next type of dollar is a two (2) dollar bill but a two dollar bill is rare. The five (5) dollar bill is worth five dollars and what ever number the dollar represents is that's how much it is worth.

   The higher number dollars are the 10 dollar bill, the 20 dollar bill, the 50 dollar bill, the 100 dollar bill, the 500 dollar bill, and the 1,000 dollar bill. The 1,000 is the greatest of all.

   The colors of the coins differ. The penny is copper and the nickels, dimes and quarters are silver. The dollar bills are green.

   Hope this gives you an idea of our money!!

The Dragons
H. M. Arndt Middle School
Hickory, North Carolina, USA