Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

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The World Turned Upside Down—By the Hand of God
Volume 93, Program 29
11/26/2009

Have you ever thought of thanking God for the world being turned upside down? You might be surprised how our Founding Fathers would have answered. Today on Home School Heartbeat, host Mike Farris explains the surprising connection between the Battle of Yorktown and Thanksgiving.

Mike Farris:
In 1781, the states officially ratified the Articles of Confederation, but the war was not yet over. In late April, British General Cornwallis and an army of 1,500 marched toward Virginia. When Cornwallis joined other British forces at Yorktown, they numbered about 8,000 men. An army of American and French forces, totaling about 17,000 troops came to oppose him. By October, Cornwallis surrendered himself and his army to the Americans. Legend has it that the British troops played a tune called “The World Turned Upside Down” as they surrendered. The Continental Congress saw the hand of God holding the world as it turned.

They recognized God’s Providence by proclaiming that December 13, 1781, should be a day of Thanksgiving and prayer for “the Goodness of God in the year now drawing to a conclusion: … in which the Confederation of the United States has been completed by the accession of all without exception … and in which … a General of the first Rank, with his whole army, has been captured by the allied forces under the direction of our illustrious Commander in Chief.”⁵

Throughout the history of the American founding, Thanksgiving was a time to recognize the hand of God in the affairs of men. His hand is still present today. I’m Mike Farris.

Notes:
5. http://www.pilgrimhall.org/GivingThanks3c.htm.

From Tyndale to Madison
by
Michael P. Farris

Are you interested in religious liberty and the early years of the United States? Michael Farris’s book recounts more stories leading up to the founding of America. To order From Tyndale to Madison: How the Death of an English Martyr Led to the American Bill of Rights, click the link above.

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