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Civil War

An Experience That Changed Everything

August 8, 2017 by Justin

Civil War Experience

When I was about nine years old, my dad decided to take me to a local Civil War reenactment. I’m from a small town that’s famous for having one of the best reenactments around, drawing thousands of people every year. I loved history and had studied the Civil War, so my excitement for this trip rivaled that of going to Disney World.

I walked around taking it all in. Everything was just as I had read and expected it to be—men and women cooking over campfires next to their tents, sharing stories from the past; the sound of cannon blasts so loud that my ears hurt; soldiers in uncomfortable-looking uniforms carrying rifles with bayonets that made them taller than the men carrying them. It was all so epic.

Then I heard it. A man screaming in pain, or at least acting like it. I turned the corner and saw the medical tent. I froze. The pile of severed limbs covered in “blood” had probably been purchased from a novelty store, but they were all too real to my pre-adolescent eyes. A man in a once white, now crimson apron was wielding an instrument that looked a lot like my dad’s hacksaw. Then I noticed the “wounded” man surrounded by several other men holding him down. Young as I was, I could easily figure out what was going to happen next. The experience shocked me. What I had just witnessed was all I could think about for the rest of the day.

My entire understanding of the Civil War changed in an instant. It wasn’t as though I hadn’t read about the medical treatments of the time, but that was just words in a textbook that I quickly glossed over to get to the exciting battles. Now the realities of the war had become palpable for me.

Sometimes the only way to learn about something in a way that allows for true understanding is to experience it. In many cases, we think we (or our children) understand a topic only to find out that we really didn’t comprehend it at all. That’s why learning activities are so important. Actually experiencing something builds a foundation for learning that you can’t create by merely reading a book or watching a video. Not all activities and experiences need to be shocking like my example. In fact, most won’t be. But simple activities, such as this balloon craft, put skills taught in a lesson into a physical form and accomplish the same thing.

That’s why I always encourage homeschool parents to also purchase the Teacher Editions of BJU Press textbooks.  Parents typically don’t have time to come up with creative activities to reinforce each lesson. The Teacher Editions make this simple by including a large variety of activities for different learning styles.  The time you save in planning and the benefit to your child’s learning experience easily offset the extra expense.

Be sure to check out some learning activity ideas in the posts below.

Image Source

Filed Under: Simplified Homeschool, Successful Learning Tagged With: activities, Civil War, experience, history

Memorial Day: Remembering the Fallen Heroes

May 26, 2014 by Meredith

Today, we honor those in the American Armed Forces who gave their lives while fighting for our nation’s freedom and principles. All sacrifices are worthy of remembrance.

an american flag on the grave of a sergeantMemorial Day, also called Decoration Day in some locations, began at the end of the Civil War. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers died during the War Between the States. Shortly after the war, women, freedmen, and veterans took time to visit the gravesites of those who had died in battle. Some even created monuments to honor their commanders. Brigadier General Strong Vincent created an early Civil War memorial. The Brigadier General’s brigade defended Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg.

memorial to General Strong Vincent at Gettysburg National Military Park

These observances were first followed by organizations and local communities. In 1971, Memorial Day became a national holiday by act of Congress. By this time, the remembrance had also grown to include those who died in all American wars.

image of three gravestones of three revolutionary war soliders

To honor the memory of these fallen soldiers, national cemeteries such as Gettysburg National Cemetery and Arlington National Cemetery have been created. The locations of some cemeteries are the actual places where soldiers died. For example, there are American cemeteries around the world to honor the heroes who never made it back to their homeland.

a picture overlooking Arlington National CemetaryAnother way we honor these heroes is through the erection of monuments—to individuals, events, and wars. Here are several famous monuments located in the Washington, D.C., area.

US Marine Corps War Memorial
Iwo Jima memorial
USS Maine Mast Memorial 
image of the memorial engraving for the USS Maine
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
soldier guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Vietnam Veterans Memorial

image of the vietnam memoria gathering-5-2014

Visitors can find the names of friends and family members on the wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and make pencil rubbings. I made a pencil rubbing of a family member’s name when I was there.

image of a little girl shading a name into a piece of paper at the Vietnam Memorial.Youth Activity Ideas for Memorial Day

  • Read about this federal holiday in Heritage Studies 4 and about different memorials in Heritage Studies 5 from BJU Press
  • Visit dedicated veteran’s cemeteries near you or those located in Washington, D.C.
  • Participate in Memorial Day parades
  • Place American flags or flowers at military graves
  • Observe the National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 p.m. local time

How do you and your family observe Memorial Day?

Filed Under: Successful Learning Tagged With: Armed Forces, Civil War, history, Memorial Day, military, soldier

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As parents, teachers, or former homeschool students, we are passionate about homeschooling from a biblical worldview. We hope these teaching tips, fun activities, and inspirational stories support you in teaching your children.

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