Four score and seven years ago, Applied History went on a field trip to Gettysburg.
Actually, it was Wednesday, October 22, when Applied History students piled into a bus and headed to the Gettysburg National Military Park. They enjoyed gaining a new perspective on the Civil War by visiting the historic graveyard.
“I really liked actually being there. It’s really interesting to be where history happened,” said senior Grayce Angle.
Sections of the graveyard are separated by state, so students were able to get a sense of who fought in the war. Also, all soldiers, whites and African-Americans alike, are buried side-by-side without headstones to symbolize the equality that the Civil War was fought for.
The students participated in a group activity that involved learning about an individual soldier. Students were given a bag containing several of the soldier’s belongings, some of which were in the soldier’s pocket when he was killed in combat. Their task was to figure out the soldier’s name, regiment, and state.
“Our soldier was Isaac Oswald, 62nd Regiment, from Pennsylvania,” said senior Abby Brewer.
This activity allowed students to connect with the past on a more personal level. Some students even found similarities with the soldier they researched.
“The guy that we had to research was eighteen, just like me, so that was interesting,” said senior Jack Dunphy.
This gave the field trip a more individual feel. The focus was not on the battle of Gettysburg’s impact on the Civil War, nor was it on Abraham Lincoln’s famous speech. Rather, it was centered on those that are not always acknowledged: the soldiers.
“We talked less about the battle and more about the people buried there,” said Brewer. “This made it more special.”
The items in the soldier’s pockets, as well as the group discussion, gave Applied History students a look into the motivation of the Civil War soldiers. What the students found out was often surprising. Some soldiers were fighting solely for the money, and students also learned that many of the soldier’s on the Northern side were considerably racist.
“Not everybody was as noble as we think they are,” said Angle.
Applied History students returned from Gettysburg with a greater understanding of Civil War history because of the tour and group discussion. They also garnered something a little more personal: a look into the lives of Civil War soldiers.
“When you talk about history, you talk on a large scale, and people quickly turn into numbers,” said Angle. “It’s easy to forget that these are actual people who are fighting.”