Young Sally Schuler
loved going to class
‘cause her teacher, Mr. Rebelen,
could make knowledge last.

He made learning fun
for he had a special skill;
he could travel back in time
which of course was a thrill!

Through the center of the room,
Mr. Rebelen made way.
The children shouted out,
“What’s in store for today?”

He cleared his throat
and no one uttered a sound,
then loudly he bellowed,
“To the American Revolution we’re bound!”

The children all cheered
as they grabbed each other’s hands,
forming a transporter
to this old land.

Mr. Rebelen’s magic words
filled Sally with glee:
“SHORTA BORTA TELEPORTA
to the Proclamation of 1763.”

They spun and they spun
between dimensions of time,
then landed on the ground
in check and quite fine.

They saw four colonists
in extreme rage.
Sally asked, “What are they doing?
They’re on a rampage!”

“Ahh, my dear Sally,
England’s made them mad.
They are forbidden to settle
on the land they once had.”

“We just won that land
from the Seven Years War!
I can’t believe what they’re doing!”
yelled the raving group of four.

“Come on, my young children,
we must stay on track!
SHORTA BORTA TELEPORTA
to the sugar act!”

They spun and they spun
between dimensions of time,
then landed on the ground
in check and quite fine.

They saw an angry colonist

who had a few sugar cubes.

Sally asked, “Why is he sad?
Sugar’s a yummy food!”

“Ahh, my dear Sally,
England has put on a tax
for molasses and sugar
to pay the war debt back!”

“Taxes on sugar?
Oh, how is this right?
We’re not even in England!”
the colonist griped.

“Come on, my young children,
we have a schedule to keep!
SHORTA BORTA TELEPORTA
to the many more feats!”

They spun and they spun
between dimensions of time,
then landed on the ground
in check and quite fine.

They saw the Currency Act
which stated quite clear:
colonists may NOT
print their own money in this year.

The Quartering Act made
colonists share their home
with the young British troops
who, in the colonies, roamed.

A tax on all documents
describes the Stamp Act.
Docs weren’t legal
if this stamp they lacked.

The Stamp Act Congress

sent a petition they wrote
to England, explaining
“taxes are things for which we should vote.”

These nine colonies who came
together as one
showed unity was the way that
the new world could run.

But the laws kept coming,
and the colonists boycotted goods more.
As the students traveled,
they kept hearing them roar.

The Sons and Daughters of Liberty
were two groups that protested
all the British policies 
that colonists detested!

“My dear, young children
we must hurry along!
SHORTA BORTA TELEPORTA
to when England really goes wrong!”

They spun and they spun
between dimensions of time,
then landed on the ground
in check and quite fine.

Outside the Boston Commons House
stood a protesting bunch,
throwing snowballs and sticks
at the British soldiers, crunch!

Sally asked, “What are they doing?
That will make them so mad!”
Mr. Rebelen replied,
“Just watch; it gets bad!”

The students watched in horror
as the soldiers all shot
into the the protesting crowd,
killing five on the spot!

“This is the Boston Massacre
which led the colonists to fear
the great power of England
that was absolute and sheer.”

“Come now, my children,
we really must flee,
SHORTA BORTA TELEPORTA
to the act of the tea.”

They spun and they spun
between dimensions of time,
then landed on the ground
in check and quite fine.

They saw many colonists
with noses held high.
Sally asked, “What are they doing
with the tea they are by?”

“Ahh, my dear Sally,
England has, yet again,
tried to profit from the colonist,
who just can’t seem to win!”

“Lowering prices on tea?
Ha! What a laugh!
England’s just trying to trick us.
Sweetie, you do the math!”

“Come on my dear children,
let’s continue on our path.
SHORTA BORTA TELEPORTA
to what I call the “tea bath!”

They spun and they spun

between dimensions of time,
then landed on the ground
in check and quite fine.

They were in the Boston Harbor
a couple years forward,
and off an importing ship
many gallons of tea were being poured!

Sally asked, “What are they doing?
Are they going insane?
Gosh, to England, these colonists
must have been such a pain!”

“Ahh, my dear Sally,
this is a way they protested
to show England that in their goods
they just were not invested.”

“Now my dear children,
we’re going to see some of the fights.
SHORTA BORTA TELEPORTA
to Paul Revere's ride at midnight!”

They spun and they spun
between dimensions of time,
then landed on the ground
in check and quite fine.

Two men on horseback
were riding through town.
Sally asked, “What’s going on?”
as hooves clopped on the ground.

“Ahh, my dear Sally,
they are trying to warn
the young, sleeping colonists
that the Brits are coming in swarms!”

Paul Revere rode and yelled,
“The British are coming!
Everybody wake up!
Can’t you hear the drumming?”

“Class, listen to me
and I’ll tell you what happens next.
The colonists are prepared
and are never perplexed.”

“They fight many battles
and come out on top;
now, SHORTA BORTA TELEPORTA
to our last stop!”

They spun and they spun
between dimensions of time,
then landed on the ground
in check and quite fine.

Sitting near to the class,
Thomas Jefferson writes.
Sally asks, “What is he doing
in such utter delight?”

“Ahh, my dear Sally,
he is writing to declare
the independence of America
and then to the world he will share.”

“The Declaration of Independence
is what it will be called.
Wow! Time flies so fast
when you’re learning it all!”

“Well, children, it’s time
to end this journey we’ve seen
SHORTA BORTA TELEPORTA
to 2015.

They spun and they spun

between dimensions of time,
then landed on the ground
in check and quite fine.

When they were back in the room,
Sally sat in deep thought
of the many events
of today she’d been taught.

Without all the hardships
that those colonists faced
she would not now be living
in such a wonderful place!