Civil War in Living Memory
Michael O'Malley, Associate Professor of History and Art History, George Mason University
Assignment
Background
In this exercise, we will be looking at how Americans remember the Civil War. The War was extremely complicated, and touched virtually every aspect of American life. What things do Americans choose to emphasize about the war? What do they like to remember, and what do they choose to forget? How do they choose to remember the war?
Go to www.google.com, or any other search engine, and enter the search term "civil war re-enactors." Choose at least five sites and describe, in detail, their contents. Feel free to expand your search with other terms, and feel free to include images in your web journals. Here are some questions to consider.
Questions
- What aspects of the war are they reenacting? Is it strictly combat? Or does it include non-combat aspects of military life?
- Are there any reenactments of non military subjects, such as politics, domestic life, farming, craft labor etc.?
- Do the re enactors say what their goals are, or why they do it?
- In what sense are the reenactments accurate?
Again, you must choose at least five sites to discuss.
Last Updated | April 2004