Reflect on Your Knowledge

In this section, you will examine your current knowledge about conditions during Civil War battles and reflect on the value of having students look beyond the politics of war to empathize with soldiers on both sides of the conflict. Discuss the following questions with your colleagues or reflect on them in your journal.

1. What were battlefield conditions like at Gettysburg and at other major battles of the Civil War?
2. Why is it important to understand something about the actual battles and fighting tactics used in the Civil War (rather than just the causes and effects of the war, politics, and important figures from the era)?
3. How do you help students to identify with and have empathy for soldiers on both sides of the Civil War conflict? How might photographs be especially helpful in this task?