The Real Martha Washington: Full Show

[Music] following program of the production of the Fairfax Network Fairfax County Public Schools funded in part by the Virginia satellite this program was made possible through generous support from the Donald W Reynolds foundation to George Washington's Mount Vernon estate and gardens the real Martha Washington is a co-production of the Fairfax Network and George Washington's Mount Vernon estate and gardens [Music] [Music] [Applause] hello and welcome to the real Martha Washington I'm Kate Sullivan and I'll be your host I'm very excited today because in just a few minutes Martha Washington will be here to answer questions from students in our audience as well as those in watching in our classroom here and those across the country now before we meet mrs. Washington let's watch a short video about her Martha Washington was born Martha Dandridge on June 2nd 17:31 in New Kent County Virginia her education was fairly typical for a girl of her class stretching housekeeping religion music and dancing skills necessary for the wife of a Virginia gentlemen and planter at age 18 the 5-foot tall brown-haired young woman married Daniel Parke Custis who 20 years her senior was one of the richest and most eligible bachelors in Virginia after only 7 years of marriage Daniel died suddenly making Martha the wealthiest Widow in Virginia after Daniel Parke Custis died this young widow was two little children and she had lost a couple of children so she was nervous about these children immediately took over the business since he did die prematurely he had not made a will and Martha Washington had to step in then and take over his responsibilities very quickly some of the few letters we have of hers in this period are letters to England essentially saying I'm in charge now correspond with me she just took over right where he had left off and there doesn't seem to be any reluctance on her part to assume this role Plantation was a big business and she was running them after her mourning period ended several men began courting the young widow she met George Washington while he was on leave from the French and Indian War they were married at her Southern Virginia home on January 6 1759 a few months later Martha arrived at Mount Vernon with her two children Jackie and Patti a Washington lived a life typical of Virginia planners of the time he watched over his lands and business ventures and was active in Virginia politics and society while she supervised the education of her children and made sure that the domestic operations of the plantation ran smoothly joining me now is mrs. Martha Washington good afternoon mrs. Washington mr. Howe is live at Mount Vernon Oh indeed we thrive we are newly arrived to the plantation and in truth I never thought I would be so very far from my own home in New Kent County but I have learned through the greater part of experience that our happiness or our misery depends not upon our circumstances but upon our dispositions we will carry the seeds of the one or the other about for us in our minds wherever we go and I am ever desirous to be possessed of a cheerful and pleasant mind in whatever situation I may be indeed since we have been at Mount Vernon you can imagine have a war hero as a stepfather for my children is quite a fine thing indeed and in truth I think if I did not remind my Jackie and my Patsy of their dearly departed father mr. Custis they would never know the difference we have many email questions from students around the country will begin our discussion right now with an email question from mrs. Hammond seventh grade class at Shawnee middle school in Shawnee Oklahoma at the young girl what sort of things did you do when you were not in school mrs. Washington Oh indeed I suppose much of my education occurred throughout the day but I've always delighted in gardening horseback riding when I were of an age to do so reading out and I well I am the oldest of eight and so I have a number of sisters and brothers and we always had our minds upon one thing or the other and my cousin's lived across the river so there were quite a number of us many primates indeed absolutely well mrs. merr Alice's third-grade class at the Buckley School in New York would like to know where did you meet George Washington so I suppose I had known mr. Washington for quite a number of years by the very nature of his reputation math of a dashing young war hero but it is my neighbor Colonel Chamberlain who formally reintroduced us at his home in the mid of March of 68 and well I will give over that after that meeting mr. Washington paid two calls upon me at my own plantation and then in June some months later as I were writing to my factor in London I asked him to include sundry items for a bride a momentous meeting was it yes oh we have a question now from our audience here in the studio who would like to answer first question of mrs. Washington yes this young man in the back if you'll wait just a moment for the microphone what's your name and what's your question where a name is Jason how did you feel when Daniel Custis died well indeed it is a very excellent query that you make my husband passed so very suddenly and he had not always had the finest of health but that spring that summer I had seen him in the best health I had seen in all years of our marriage but within three days he were taken from me I suppose it too the great thing to lose not only a husband but two children very close to one another there were a great burden of the properties put upon me it is not that ladies cannot manage plantations it is just that it is a gentleman's fear and to place those fears upon one person's shoulders was a man's fear and a woman's fear not anything I would wish upon anyone but indeed I had a great number of friends and family who did assist me we have another question mrs. festes fifth grade class from which intermediate school in West Hartford Connecticut asks if your children go to school when they move to Mount Vernon so well they would educate it mind you my son we have hired a tutor for him though he is not as diligent as I would care for him he does delight in that of the sport and leisure I have a notion that when my daughter sets a fine a hand upon the slate than my son he will become more diligent very quickly they do have that of music masters that is those tutors which men educate children things relevant were loving and useful to their company and I can look to their letters their numbers my catechism and certainly my daughter's house was pre duties instructing her everything how about another question from the students in our audience how about this young lady right down front what's your name what's your quit my name is Amy and my question is how old were you when your first child is born who I was just that of my 20 years of age in my first child with fun and named for his father Daniel pop Kostas this is a syllabus fourth grade class at Indian Hills Elementary School in Manomet Massachusetts wants to know what kinds of games do your children like play well candy there are quite a number of them they light and blind man's love thread the needle Oh crickets and kite flying there's all matter of games of chase and the like hoop rolling Ridley now singing out there a good number of entertainment another question from our audience we have a lot of good questions in our audience today what about this young lady right down here if you'll just wait for the microphone to come in and tell us your name and your question my name is Sophia and I was winning how would you feel one of your kids suddenly had a drop in education have a job and an intubation how would you feel Oh in your children were a teacher for example well indeed it is not quite the calling for a lady and then certainly my son is also born who were better well I should put it this way the cost of lambs are very vast indeed there is nigh 20,000 acres several plantations spread out within seven different counties and my children will inherit each 1/3 mr. Washington looks over to them and so my son my hope will look to his plantations and serve his king and country in the vertices and my daughter I hope she will marry well and be the mistress of her household that receive me most another question from our audience today how about this young man in the second row the microphones on its way what is your name and what is your question standing I was wondering we'll keep in check well my parents strict I suppose no stricter than any other is indeed we were allowed freedom and to run about that the plantation but mine when I turned 10 that is neither age that a young lady must turn to the duties of her house with free duties and learning out to be like her ma'am Ireland and a young boy should look to the duties much as his papa so before I was 10 I would say I had greater freedoms and afterwards I had more responsibilities I was 15 all right another email question mrs. speed fifth grade class at juniper elementary school has a question for her for you and the question would be do you own slaves and what are their jobs it was naturally I have a good number of people I just say the Custis property is nice 300 people but again only 200 are there our primary residences of white house in New Kent natural I could not bring all of those people with me to Mount Vernon it is a much smaller home and so I have brought 15 of my household and our family a nice 50 people in total and that includes waiters tradesmen such as carpenters and Tanner's as well as my immediate household staff my own maid my children's servants and the girl who thought so Siddhant Rose my cook dal Mia Marge any matter of the scullery maid in the laundress and there is a good number that I have brought with me one cannot manage a plantation without the assistance of up ones people you managed it yourself that's quite remarkable this is Washington well we have another short video about Martha Washington during the American Revolution and her husband's presidency Martha Washington made a tremendous contribution to the Continental Army in fact I can make the case that she kept the Continental Army together at various times when soldiers were threatening desertion by regiment she would come into camp with her carriage filled with a cloth and foodstuffs that have been made at Mount Vernon over the summer and then she would organize the officers five and they would cook for the soldiers they would sew for the soldiers they would pray with the soldiers they would nurse the soldiers and put on great entertainments for them to keep morale up and keep the soldiers in the army Washington regarded her as crucial and when he was submitting his expenses to Congress he included as a request that Congress would reimburse him for the expenses of her travel after the war the Washington's were eagerly anticipating spending their time and peaceful retirement with family and friends however the now famous couple had a constant stream of visitors and in 1789 George was again called to serve his country as its first president as the president's wife Martha became our first first lady creating the role of first lady was a political act the European nations were not really taking us seriously and so she had to create a role where it was grand enough for the Europeans to not laugh at us but simple enough for Republican government she had to walk this fine line between you know had being dignified having people look up to her but at the same time not acting regal or having any supposition that she was assuming too much authority to herself Martha Washington was a reluctant first lady she really did not desire the rule but as with her widowhood she assumed it with gusto I mean she did it with vigor and she executed her duties in a most appropriate manner she understood hospitality she had a tremendous southern charm but she also understood the role of formality and dignity and she really did set the precedent for everyone who came activists because Washington can you tell us a little bit more about your life during this period well I'm so glad to be here to talk with everyone about all that I have known and been privileged to see I suppose I would want all the children to know of the sacrifice that was made during the war our war for independence II the young soldiers as I took care of needed so much and I was very glad to be able to be there at every winter camp there were hard journeys to get there but when I saw the soldiers when I saw what they were enduring my heart went out to them and I am happy to say theirs to me they used to call me Lady Washington the soldiers friend I'm proud of that my dear I'm sure you are we have another email question and this one comes from mrs. Rogers fifth grade class from Mount Diablo Unified School District in Concord California the class would like to know did you have a specific job when you visited the Army during the winter encampments my chief duty during the winter was to feed the soldiers who were so ill many of them had camp fever and also the smallpox you know was happening then so I had to go and nurse them every single day I went out I had a red cape and the soldiers always said they want to see me come with my red cape they could see me at a distance I carried my basket with medicine and also the book of Prayer just to be of comfort to them I'm glad I got to go everyday to see to their needs that was crucial you were really risking your own life oh you have caught one of those diseases well you know I really have to summon all my bravery in 76 I had myself inoculated against the smallpox and if you ever have an inoculation you know you wonder how it's going to go but I did it because the general wanted me to be safe there seeing the soldiers I was a little afraid but I went ahead with it we have another email question the book club at WR Thomas middle school in Miami Florida asks how did you feel when Jackie enlisted in the Continental Army my dear son John Park you know was now the last of my children my sweet daughter was taken from us passing when she was only 17 years old and so of course he was very dear to me he already had four little children born when he decided to go and be with the general I could not deny him that opportunity to be at the general side and I had nursed so many other women's sons I was a little afraid but duty is important doing your duty and I was proud too that he was doing his we have many questions in our studio audience today have always take another one how about this young man what is your name and what's your question for mrs. Washington my name is Richie and how many pets did your husband have Oh Richie that's a good question you know we've had lots of animals about the place at Mount Vernon the general loves his horses best and he used to keep quite a candle hunting dogs you all know hunting dogs oh he calls them the most ridiculous names sweetlips and true loves and Duchess and his most famous Vulcan who once jumped up on my table and grabbed a whole ham and ran off with it I was upset but the general just laughed and called it charming yah-yah-yah Oh mrs. downers fifth grade class from Freemont Elementary in LA cañada California asks General Washington like farming and gardening do you like Gardens - I love gardens and I'm glad that at Mount Vernon we have two gardens we have our lower garden that provides food for our body I'm very fond of my vegetables hope you eat all your vegetables good and then we have our upper garden which has our flowers and the generals new greenhouse and I like that very much you need food to give substance to your body and food for your soul or your spirit that the flowers give I love roses especially mrs. Malone's fourth grade class in Springfield Massachusetts wants to know do your grandchildren live with you and what kind of games do they like well my grandchildren are pretty well grown up now but we raised our two youngest when they were very small and we began to bring them up they were eight and ten years of age washi my grandson and Nelly when their grandpa Bob became president so they had the delight of being country children they used to ride on that dog Vulcan by the way though the way he was so large as if you were a pony and they loved all the country games here but then when Grandpa Paul was present they got to go to Grand Philadelphia attend plays upon the stage our Butler even made a special dish for their parties it's called iced cream I hope you get to taste it sometime let me meet you mrs. Easter third grade class in Tupelo Mississippi asks did you like being the first lady and what responsibilities did you have in that role well I have to be honest because the general believes that honesty is the best policy I didn't like having to be away from home so I even thought that I was very much like a prisoner when I had to go away from Mount Vernon and be the country's president lady but I was brought up that you make the bed of every situation my mother always said keep yourself busy as a bee cheerful as a cricket steady as a clock so I decided to make the best to look out for the generals health now that he was the new president make certain he was alright and entertain everyone keeps them busy so he had a little more time for himself and of course raising the grandchildren they gave me great joy say words of wisdom from you today mrs. Lopez's class from a Colusa Elementary School in Miami Florida wants to know where was the president's house when you live there well we had several houses we refers to the city of New York which of course it's not as large as Philadelphia City and we had a house on Cherry Street there and then when we moved to Philadelphia when the seat of government was removed there we had a house that was lent to us by Robert and Mary Morris on one ninety the high street we hadn't even borrowed homes the whole eight years so I'm very glad an out there building this new federal city in the District of Columbia they're going to get a permanent house built for the presidents in this family I think they need that borrowed hoses aren't so good all right well mrs. mrs. Washington we have time for one final question from our studio audience we have a lot of hands raised but we can only pick the lightly oh dear how are you doing yes how about this young lady right over here we'll wait for the microphone to come Emily and that have to be all the time Emily you know I tend to get a little bit what was it like when and George Washington turned down being the king oh well you know I don't think I'd make a very good queen of America do you I dunno it is really an unusual thing we don't think of having kings in our country but after the war everybody want to make him the king of America I had grown up having a King of England and so I knew we wanted a different country so I was glad that he turned it down but you know it was the first time in history anybody ever did this and he did it I'm very proud of that that's remarkable I know you said that you were rubbish I and you were a little reluctant to be first lady so what had been a little frightening to think that you would be queen I don't think it would have suited me very well I'm an unassuming sort of person all right well now it's time to return to modern times and meet the two women who portrayed Martha Washington for us today our second Martha Washington was presented by historic interpreter Mary Wiseman and now joining us for this discussion our first Martha Washington historic interpreter Susan's echo well thank you very much both of you for the wonderful presentation today I'd like to know how each of you got started portraying Martha Washington Susan excu I worked at cloning we answered for a number of years and in 1995 Mary had started the Women's Forum for history which takes place in March and the subject was Martha Washington and they were focusing on her youth and that was at the time of her life where she was best associated with Williamsburg and so we worked with Mount Vernon we worked with Colonial Williamsburg we had special projects that were developed for the month of March and it was very popular and so they offered me a job permanently as Martha Washington as the young Martha Washington so it worked out very well so both of you have known each other for quite some time how did you get started well I was I was working with the characters at Colonial Williamsburg and I loved working on creating the characters and doing the research helping them to create their characters to find out about these people the baths well when I first started studying about Martha Washington and I had known Susan when she was a young teenage girl who came to work with us that was a great opportunity as a young person there I thought she'd be the perfect one to play young Martha Washington I used to introduce her program and I'd say of all the people I've ever studied Martha Washington is my favorite little did I know that later on when it was needed that mrs. Washington get shall we say a little older I'd qualified to do that and lo and behold I loved portraying her so much I came to Mount Vernon to be here all the time just as she did so long ago what did you like most about Martha Washington now that you have done so much research oh but she I really liked her philosophy and you see it especially when would you older the presidency it's kind of this do it my way or the highway it says she was very strong wealthy and but she knew when she had to step up to to duty and she did that without complaining and I think her her idea of wanting to be happy and letting that affect your your outlook on life was very important and certainly got her through many difficult times in her life so that's one of my favorite aspects about her it sounds like she's very courageous and she took charge of her surroundings would you say that wrath yes she did you know she had a very sad life children when you think about it she lost all four of her children that were born to her and all of her brothers and sisters she had to be away from the home she loved almost half the time that they had it here at Mount Vernon and it be very hard to do but she loved her family she loved the general I think her devotion to him is something I think is very special indeed everyone noticed it we have time for one question from our audience who has the next question hole ago because of this young man right down front what is your name and what's your question hi I'm Luis and I was learning how do was your opinion on slavery well Luis that that's a very complicated question but one that we always like to talk about an answer here at Mount Vernon I myself of course have been brought up in our century to have a very different view than mrs. Washington but when I talk about what she felt about slavery I have to remember to present what she felt from her time to help the visitors of today to understand what it was like in those days have been born to nothing else but that and it's a good opportunity for everyone to begin to talk about such subject so I'm glad you brought it up I hopefully have more time to talk about it any other questions well time for one what what how about a young man in the back with the red shirt on hi my name is Raymond and I wanted to get your opinion on when on the war all right the war for independence II that what our independence II see well you know we weren't always thinking about being independent and it was a great important thing that was done what everyone should know that of course we didn't when we were when I was your age I never expected to be anything but a loyal subject of his majesty so little by little we came to know that as free English people we ought to have more rights than we had and it gradually came to us this is the only way but no one takes war lightly it's a very serious thing that didn't do well thank you very much now I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today thanks to all of the students here in the audience and around the country who has such interesting questions and thank you to our Martha Washington Susan's echo and Mary Weisman and finally thank you to Mount Vernon for hosting this event a DVD of this program is available to schools free of charge for more information please go to our website at WWF CPS edu / Fairfax Network quantities are limited I'm Kate Sullivan thanks for joining us for the real Martha Washington [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music]

Channel: Fairfax Network - Fairfax County Public Schools

Views: 24,027

Rating: 4.7373133 out of 5

Keywords: Martha Washington, George Washington, Mount Vernon, first lady, Martha Dandridge Custis, Colonial America, American History

Id: W58nIFWtyFE

Length: 30min 24sec (1824 seconds)

Published: Wed Feb 15 2017