Week 35 in Mr. Bruce's History

Parents and Students,

Angela Spraul and her daughter Ava, 4, sit at the grave of her
 husband, John Spraul, U.S. Navy, on Memorial Day at
 Arlington National Cemetery on May 25, 2015, in Arlington,
 Virginia. Photo: Gabriella Demczuk via Getty Images
courtesy of Huffington Post

Today we begin the weekend that typically marks the unofficial beginning of summer. It is a weekend that for many means camping, family gatherings, parades, bonfires, and other things that we've been waiting all winter and spring to do. Yet for thousands of wives, husbands, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, and friends, Memorial Day means something more significant. Memorial Day must remind us of more than a day off. We must remember those who, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, "gave their last full measure of devotion." As you go about your activities, take time to let the real meaning of Memorial Day occupy your time, thoughts, and prayers. If you're unsure yet what that is, let this photo set from Huffington Post help.

That phrase is one of the most memorable of Gettysburg Address. His speech marked the commemoration of the Battlefield at Gettysburg, PA, where the largest battle of the Civil War took place. One of our activities this week was to deconstruct the Gettysburg Address to understand how Lincoln looked forward at the unfinished business of the Civil War - particularly the repairing of the Union in a way that honors those who sacrificed for the same. Talk with your student about Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: ask them to share the gems we discovered between the lines of the address.

We also started looking at the period that follows the Civil War - this time called Reconstruction. Lincoln never had a chance to put into effect his plans alluded to at the inauguration of his second term. Lincoln ended his very brief second Inaugural Address with:

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

We end the school year striving to understand how, in his absence, Reconstruction failed to create such a peace, but rather resulted in one that established a century of racial discrimination, prejudice, and segregation that was supported by government of all levels: local, state, and federal.

I'd like to inform you all of the only opportunity I offer for anything related to "Extra Credit." It requires some work following Civil War Days of Branch County. If you are unaware, at Heritage Park in Coldwater, hundreds of actors, presenters, and reenactors spend a whole weekend bring this era back to life. I have provided their complete schedule and a description of expectations for receiving credit in the linked document: Civil War Days 2016 Extra Credit Opportunity. Strongly recommended for some.

Finally, let me remind you all of the email I sent yesterday. Next Friday we will be welcoming Kenneth Davis. Please talk about this over the weekend. Seats are still available. For more, see the Kenneth Davis Announcement.

Today we ended our school week with our Third Annual Staff vs. Student game and fundraiser. Our Student Council organized and facilitated a great event that contributed significant proceeds to Tommy's House. Tommy's House is a transitional house for women. The establishment of a transition house will give these women a safe, structured environment for learning skills enabling them to get a new start as a clean, sober, employable woman. Tommy's House will be a 24 hour supervised home which will include rehabilitation programs so that a woman can complete three levels before being released. These levels will provide spiritual guidance, personal counseling, a 12 step program, job skills and practical life skills, i.e. personal hygiene. Take a look below at a few pics of the event taken by our own Mrs. Knaack and student Emma Barve. What a great time!

Week 34 in Mr. Bruce's History

Parents and Students,

Sorry for getting this out late. I started Friday afternoon, bout couldn't finish. And there are too many projects around my house to occupy my weekend.

As I typed "Week 34" I realized how close we are to the end of the school year. Officially we have two solid weeks of class time and that week in June of exams and that's it. Done. Hard to believe, really. As we wrap up this week, we must recognize that the end is near. Next week, I'll try to share more of the schedule of events as they pertain to you and your need for preparation.

Photo credit: Nina Subin
dontknowmuch.com

I'd like to take an opportunity at the start here to announce an event/opportunity coming on June 3. I have arranged for a Skype conversation with Mr. Kenneth Davis, author/historian of the Don't Know Much About series and other works focusing on sharing lesser-known stories from America's past. His most recent book, In the Shadow of Liberty reveals the unheard stories of slaves belonging to high profile Americans such as George Washington (does it get any higher profile!?). I have arranged for Mr. Davis to speak with us at the end of the day on Friday, June 3 from 1:45ish to 2:45. Because of the nature of the session, I am thinking of making this available on a sign-up basis limited to 35-40 students and arranging opportunities for those who opt-out (rather, miss out). More details to come on that, but in the meantime, look him up at dontknowmuch.com and start planning to get your name on that list.

Otherwise, we spent a good portion of this week getting to understand the progress of the Civil War. I shared some great resources from CivilWar.org and we relied on our textbooks to gain a comprehensive view of the major movements in the Civil War from start to finish. Some key ideas within were the initial optimism of a short war held by both sides, then the significant casualties inflicted by both sides as a result of better weapons technologies. We learned how the abolitionists and the Battle of Antietam shifted Lincoln's view on using the war to bring an end to slavery. Finally, we learned how General Grant changed the strategy toward "total war" against the Confederacy to bring the southern states to a desperate condition in order to bring about a final end to the war, almost exactly 4 years after it began.

Monday we will all begin a timeline activity that puts the major events of this conflict into a chronological view. This will complete our work on the Civil War and we will shift our focus onto the challenges and tragedies facing the nation as it works to rebuild what was torn asunder.

In case you missed it, this past Sunday evening, I had the honor to speak to the graduating Class of 2016 at the QHS Baccalaureate Ceremony. I have linked my speech here for those of you who desire to read it.

I hope you all have a great week. More to come Friday!

Until then, I am yours,
Mr. Bruce

Week 33 in Mr. Bruce's History

Parents and Students,

Three years ago, PBS created a video series as a part of their "American Experience" series titled, The Abolitionists (see a preview at the bottom of the post - online only). The first time I watched it, I knew immediately this had to have a prominent place in my lessons as we approach the Civil War. It is a three-part drama/documentary, each an hour long, covering the movement led by five people to end slavery in the United States beginning in the 1820s and concludes with the end of the Civil War and the establishment of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. It is the most powerful, accurate, and engaging production I have ever used in the classroom to uncover the realities of why the Civil War was a war to end slavery.

All week, your students have gotten to know William Lloyd Garrison, Angelina Grimke, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher-Stowe, and John Brown. They learned about their experiences with slavery and their unshakable Christian foundation that created for them a conviction that their lives must be dedicated to ridding the nation of the evil sin that slavery had been. Most significantly, we have learned of their efforts that forced America to confront this issue as one that must end if the nation was to be preserved. This was the work of the abolitionists - making sure that the Civil War was a war that ended slavery.

All week, we also confronted the critical assumptions of the 1850s that lead to misunderstandings regarding the causes and course of the Civil War. As slavery is the issue that gets the attention, it is also the nature of the definition of federalism that must be recognized as needing to be resolved if the Civil War is to serve a purpose. Southern states had threatened secession and civil war since 1820 - whether or not slavery was the issue. Their stance was against what they perceived as the encroachment of a tyrannical and over-reaching federal government into States' sovereignty. When it became clear that the nation was to be led by a president whose party policy was unfriendly with the status of slavery, they secede.

In their secession, the southern States form a Confederacy, a nation just like the one that existed before the Constitution - a nation where they retain their sovereignty as States.

Homework/Extension Opportunity
To debrief from this week, I have assigned something that is due Tuesday. I recorded three short videos that provide some necessary connections and supplements the content from this week. They are titled, "The Crisis of the Union," and they have an accompanying reflection/guide handout (attached below). This handout has a few questions from the video lectures to answer.

In addition, there are instructions on the handout for accessing and viewing any part (or whole) of The Abolitionists by students. I encourage anyone to re-watch with family, but the focus is to provide these for anyone who missed a day of class this week. Visit history.lawrencebruce.us for access.

The Crisis of the Union (assignment sheet)

Lastly, I hope everyone has a great weekend. Recharge and re-energize as best as possible. We have just a few busy weeks remaining. Emotions and attitudes give in to the beckoning summer weather which sometimes leads to destructive behaviors in the classroom. Let's keep those at bay for a few weeks and end the year strong!

Yours,
Mr. Bruce