The First Battle of Bull Run/First Manassas occurred 164 years ago today, several months after shots were fired at Sumter in April 1861. This video is in my opinion the most concise summary of the battle to be found on YouTube.
I had my older child watch this video, and then I used the opportunity to talk her about civilian casualties of war. I specifically mentioned Judith Carter Henry, who was the first of about 50,000 civilian casualties in the Civil War and whose grave remains a landmark on the battlefield. You can read Judith’s story at the Smithsonian Magazine. (Here is the link.)
I also took some time to discuss with my older child the “war enthusiasm” mentioned in the video above. We watched some of the earlier scenes from Gone with the Wind, and among other topics, I specifically noted the change in opinions from the time the war began and as it dragged on. We also did some research into Margaret “Peg” Mitchell’s childhood and how it influenced her beliefs and her book she wrote upon which this movie is based before covering several other topics. We started with the 1906 Atlanta Race Riots:
We talked about the murder of Emmett Till and the miscarriage of justice that this nation allowed to happen in association.
We also revisited the Lost Cause, which is a myth I was taught was truth when I was a child.
My child and I went on to talk about the allegations made in the 2024 presidential election season compare those to the Georgia governor’s claims back in the first decade of the 20th century. We also talked about how the ICE “battles” with immigrants during the last few months have changed many people’s opinions about immigrants and about how they think immigration should be addressed. Finally, we discussed that at the time of the Civil War and still today people look at some horrid events as entertainment. I alluded to Joseph Conrad’s “fascination with the abomination” quotation from his book Heart of Darkness.
As a final note, you might notice that I’m always trying to relate history and literature to modern day struggles. I did so when I taught high school, and I still do so today while homeschooling my own children. I believe doing so helps cultivate empathy, something I feel is in woefully short supply.
Never stop learning,
Erin
PS (updated 07/22/2025): In later days, we continued watching Gone with the Wind, talking about the changing attitudes of civilians toward the Civil War in the midst of it, noting major battles (Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and Sherman’s March to the Sea), and talking about Confederate myths and propaganda, including the myth of African-American Confederate soldiers. (Here is a link from the American Civil War Museum in Richmond.) We also talked about dynamic and static characters in literature and about character development. In short, you can go so many interesting places with these lessons without ever having to buy an actual textbook, print a worksheet, or spend a bunch of money.
Leave a comment