If you’ve picked up a newspaper lately, you’ve probably already realized that the United States doesn’t always seem so united. In fact, the two party system that we have in the U.S. has been working pretty hard to divide us since the time of George Washington (George Washington actually warned us to avoid political parties in his Farewell Address back in 1796, but no one really heeded his advice.) However, even though there’s no question that Americans have had their differences from the beginning and we certainly have our differences now, there has probably never been a time where our differences were more apparent than during the American Civil War. This is because the Civil War was the bloodiest conflict to take place on American soil since the country’s founding, and it was the only time in the history of the United States where brother regularly fought brother. As a result, it’s important to understand the history behind the Civil War in order put our differences into context and to ensure that we don’t repeat our past mistakes.
Fortunately, if you’re looking for a way to learn more about the history of the United States as it relates to the American Civil War, you need look no further than the National Park Service’s Civil War Day. The National Park Service’s Civil War Day, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 31st, 2016 from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on Georges Island, will give you the opportunity to see what life was like during the Civil War. This event, through the performances of a talented group of reenactors, will allow you to meet the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment (the first all-African American regiment of the Union Army and one of the first official African-American military units of the U.S. Armed Forces), listen to the stories of a confederate prisoner, learn what it would be like to dance at an authentic Civil War Ball, and watch a baseball game played using the rules that were in use in 1860. For more information on the National Park Service’s Civil War Day, which is free to attend, please visit the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park Calendar.
It is important to note that while there is no fee for the program, there is a fee for the ferry to get to Georges Island. The fee for the ferry is currently $17 for adults and children over the age of 12; $12 for active military, college students, and seniors over the age of 65; $10 for children ages 3 to 12; and there is no fee for children under the age of 3.
Photo credit: dbnunley via VisualHunt / CC BY