The more I thought about the connections between the westward expansion of our nation and the issues involving the expansion of slavery, the more I felt like I had to see some Civil War sites while I was in the area. Even though my study for this grant involves the Lewis and Clark expedition and westward expansion, I realized that I am always trying to teach my students to think about long term consequences of historical events and not just see them as a chain that should be studied one link at a time. Sometimes, jumping ahead or backwards is necessary. So, during this first leg of the trip, I found myself visiting Manassas Battlefield where the first true battle of the Civil War took place (yes, I know the first shots were fired at Fort Sumter, but only a horse died). I also stretched my legs at Stonewall Jackson's house and Lee Chapel in Lexington. All three of these sites are wonderful even if you're not a history nerd.
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Jeremy Henderson
I am a history teacher at Hixson Middle School. I love traveling and exploring new places with my wife and son. Archives
July 2014
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