Me: *sings* My name is Alexander Hamilton!
Indy: Who’s that?
Me: He’s one of the people who fought the Revolutionary War and helped start the United States of America. He built the banks.
Indy: *wide eyes* Revolutionary War?
Me: Yes. You know how in 1916 in Ireland there was a revolution? The United States had one of those in 1776, a very long time ago.
Indy: Did Ireland have any more revolutions?
Me: Yes, in 1921. That’s when they obtained their independence from Britain, which is the same country that the US was revolting against.
Indy: Did the US have any more revolutions?
Me: Sort of. In 1860 there was another big war where the South of the US and the North of the US fought each other, but the people who started it didn’t win so it’s called a civil war instead of a revolution.
Indy: Why did they fight?
Me: They were mostly fighting over something called slavery, which is where one person is allowed to own another person and make them do whatever they want. Do you think that’s a good idea or a bad idea?
Indy, looking very thoughtful, lifted his hands in balances, one hand rising high while the other fell very low. I said, “Is that good or bad?”
“*Bad*,” Indy said emphatically. “Who won?”
“The North,” I said, “the side that thought people shouldn’t be allowed to own other people.”
“YES!” Indy shouted, and punched the air.