RALEIGH - The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources today unveiled an interactive component of its Web site www.ncculture.com/interactive that highlights North Carolina’s role in the French and Indian War.
“This online project combines traditional and experiential learning,” said Cultural Resources Secretary Linda A. Carlisle. “It’s a fun and engaging way for teachers and students of all ages to learn about an important part of North Carolina’s story.”
The project showcases battle reenactments, a look at frontier and Indian life, historic photos of the archaeological dig at Fort Dobbs, and interviews with historical interpreters, archaeologists and a high school student volunteer. Also included is a guide for educators, a suggested reading list for all ages, a “Guess the Artifact” puzzle, and even recipes for Cherokee Bean Bread and Colonial Stew. Cultural Resources educators are showcasing the interactive at the North Carolina Council for the Social Studies conference in Greensboro.
“The Treaty of Paris, which ended the seven-year French and Indian War, was signed 246 years ago this week in 1763,” said Keith Hardison, Director of State Historic Sites. “North Carolina’s Fort Dobbs www.fortdobbs.org was on the western edge of what was then the frontier and is the only North Carolina Historic Site associated with the conflict.”
Fort Dobbs State Historic Site is located near Statesville, near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. One of 27 State Historic Sites, it interprets North Carolina’s role in the French and Indian War; a global war for empire that crossed five continents, lasted nearly a decade and sowed the seeds for independence.
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources is a state agency devoted to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, heritage and culture. Its theme observance for 2009 is “Treasure N.C. Culture.” For more information, visit www.ncculture.com.