Breakout Sessions, General Sessions & Tours
2022 National Teacher Institute
More sessions will be announced, soon!
General Sessions Breakout Sessions Saturday Tours Sunday Sessions/Tours
General Sessions
Civil War in the West Photo Extravaganza
The Civil War was the first war to be extensively photographed and, for the first time in history, the public was exposed to real-life images of the gruesome toll of battle. Today, historians, teachers and preservationists use these photographs to better understand American history and to restore battlefields. Although most of these photos were taken in a few eastern states, western Civil War sites were extensively covered as well. Through then-and-now techniques, tight details and several other approaches Garry Adelman will tell the story of the Civil War in the West in his signature energetic manner. From Charleston to Chattanooga, Port Hudson to Pensacola, and from Savannah to Nashville, Shiloh, and the Shirley House, explore the War in the West and the photos that defined it.
Session Type: General Session
Presenter: Garry Adelman, American Battlefield Trust
Subject Areas: Inquiry Learning, Military History, Photography, Primary Documents, Technology in the Classroom
Time Periods: Civil War Era
Grade Levels: All
Finding Clotilda - the origin story of the African diaspora
Author Ben Raines presents how he came to find the Clotilda, the last ship to bring enslaved Africans to America. He will explore its complex legacy, both in America and in Africa, and discuss plans to raise the sunken ship and put it on display in a new, national museum in Africatown, the Alabama village founded by the captives smuggled aboard the ship. The museum will serve as The National Monument to the Enslaved.
Session Type: General Session (Saturday Keynote Session)
Presenter: Ben Raines, Author of The Last Slave Ship: The True Story of How Clotilda Was Found, Her Descendants, and an Extraordinary Reckoning
Subject Areas: African American History, Placed-Based History, Public History
Time Periods: Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era, Modern US History
Grade Levels: All
Fort Taylor, Fort Jefferson, and the Civil War’s International Implications
Forts Taylor and Jefferson were built in the 1840s to protect American commerce as it flowed from the Gulf Coast through the Florida Straits to domestic and international markets across the Atlantic. The forts also defended the young republic against European imperial powers in the Caribbean, but U.S. engineers and garrison troops did not anticipate safeguarding the forts against Southerners during a civil war. This talk will examine how fears of European attack, particularly from Britain and France, persisted throughout the Civil War as Union soldiers and laborers reinforced the forts to fend off a Confederate assault, protect the Union blockade, and detain Confederate sympathizers, both foreign and domestic.
Session Type: General Session
Presenter: Dr. Angela Zombek, University of North Carolina-Wilmington
Subject Areas: Geography, Military History, Political History
Time Periods: Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era
Grade Levels: All
Revisiting Service, Valor, and Recognition: Medal of Honor Recipient Melvin Morris
In April of 1970, SSgt Melvin Morris was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for valorous service in Vietnam in 1969. He was promptly sent back to Vietnam for another tour of duty and then fulfilled a career in the U.S. Army. A call from the White House 44 years later informed Morris that his award was being upgraded to the Medal of Honor. This is his story.
Session Type: General Session (Friday Keynote Session)
Presenter: Staff Sergeant Melvin Morris, Jr., Medal of Honor Recipient
Subject Areas: Character Development, Leadership, Military History
Time Periods: Civil War Era, Vietnam Era, Modern US History
Grade Levels: All
Why the War of 1812 Matters!
This concise overview of the war examines the "big picture" issues for both the United States and Great Britain and busts many of the myths that emerged in the wake of the conflict and still circulate today. The causes of the war, and the role of France as a third party provocateur, are examined alongside the aims and strategies involved. The question of who won and the validity of the idea that this was America's "Second War of Independence" remain central to the reason why the "forgotten" War of 1812 matters in U.S. history.
Session Type: General Session (Thursday Keynote Session)
Presenter: Dr. Samantha Cavell, Southeastern Louisiana University
Subject Areas: Geography, Memory Studies, Military History, Political History
Time Periods: Early Republic, War of 1812
Grade Levels: All
Breakout Sessions
Abraham Lincoln as a Writer
Abraham Lincoln certainly wrote some of the most memorable words of any American president--indeed, of any American author. But how do we know he was a great writer? Most of us accept Lincoln's reputation, but in this workshop, we'll spend some time with his actual words. What constitutes "good writing," and how does Lincoln's work fit those criteria? We'll look at Lincoln's most famous writings to better understand why they've endured and why they still speak to us today.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Dr. Chris Mackowski, St. Bonaventure University
Subject Areas: Cross-Curricular, Memory Studies, Presidential History, Primary Documents
Time Periods: Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era
Grade Levels: All
An Educational Adventure! Personalizing History for our Students
Have you ever wondered as an educator: How do I get my students to care about History? How can I get their attention? If you have, this session is for you! Our session will take us to the fields of Western Maryland and a small town in Southcentral Pennsylvania. We will research several American Civil War primary and secondary sources from a sampling of soldiers that did not expect to go from common United States citizens to our history books, newspapers, and webpages!!
Through our educational adventure, we will try to find the underlying stories that should lead our students to empathize and personalize our American History.
To conclude the session, we will discuss how we can preserve these hallowed fields so that our students and the next generation of Americans can explore, interpret, and awaken to our American History. I am looking forward to having you come along on our Educational Adventure at the 2022 American Battlefield Trust Teacher’s Institute.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Bob Rinehart, Southampton Middle School (MD)
Subject Areas: American History, Field Trip Planning, Placed Based Learning, Primary Documents, Project Based Learning, Student Engagement
Time Periods: Civil War Era
Grade Levels: Middle School, High School
Augmenting Your Reality: Using Augmented and Virtual Reality in the Field and in the Classroom
Augmented and virtual reality are powerful tools in an educator's toolbox. Students can be whisked away into a virtual environment in the classroom or on a field trip. All you need is an app and a smartphone, and you can take your students inside some of the most iconic moments in history. Join American Battlefield Trust Chief Historian Garry Adelman as he demonstrates the American Battlefield Trust's Gettysburg AR Experience and our free VR offerings.
Session Type: Power Session
Presenter: Garry Adelman, American Battlefield Trust
Subject Areas: American History, Classroom Resources, Field Trip Planning, Placed Based Learning, Primary, Student Engagement, Technology in the Classroom
Time Periods: Civil War Era
Grade Levels: All
“Burning with an Impulse to do Honor to Their Race” The USCT Heritage Trail Project at Historic Blakeley State Park
The USCT Heritage Trail is a unique and nationally-significant new educational project being undertaken by Historic Blakeley State Park which will help visitors understand the role of African-American troops in the Battle of Fort Blakeley. More than 4,000 African-American soldiers, a large majority of the former slaves, fought as part of the Federal army besieging Fort Blakeley (April 1-9, 1865) during the operation designed to capture the city of Mobile, the last major Southern city to remain in Confederate hands during the Civil War. Their presence at Blakeley ranks as one of the largest concentrations of African-American soldiers in any Civil War battle.
Until now, public access to this portion of the battlefield, owned by the Historic Blakeley Foundation and located nearly two miles north of the developed portions of Historic Blakeley State Park, has been severely limited due to a lack of infrastructure. This project will feature the creation of nearly two miles of walking trails showcasing portions of three intact parallels of original earthworks and several connecting approach trenches dug under fire by USCT soldiers and from which they launched their successful attack on the northernmost portions of the Confederate lines at Fort Blakeley. Along these trails interpretive panels detailing the story of USCT at Blakeley as well as some contextual information on the natural setting of the battlefield will be placed, while a cell-phone based audio tour and printed guides will assist visitors in exploring this incredible historic site. An electronic keypad gate, restrooms, security lighting, and designated parking area will allow for safe and convenient visitor access.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Mike Bunn, Historic Blakeley State Park (AL)
Subject Areas: African American History, Field Trip Resources, Military History, Placed-Based History, Public History
Time Periods: Civil War Era
Grade Levels: All
Clara Barton– The Life and Legacy of an Americal Icon
Clara Barton was the Angel of the Battlefield, creator of the Missing Soldier’s Office, and Founder of the American Red Cross. She was the most decorated American woman of the 19th century. Her work on Civil War battlefields and her Red Cross relief efforts at every major disaster in the second half of the 19th century touched millions of lives worldwide. Her life and legacy made America a better place and continues to do so today. Join Carolyn Ivanoff as she brings Clara Barton to life through a first-person costumed interpretation of Ms. Barton.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Carolyn Ivanoff, Author and Interpreter
Subject Areas: Costumed Interpretation, Medical History, Women's Studies
Time Periods: Civil War Era, Reconstruction Era, Gilded Age
Grade Levels: All
Clothes That Make History
Clothing makes a statement about a time, place, or events, and through the decades, garments have reflected the political, social, and economic changes of societies. The first part of this workshop delves into an overview of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and American Civil War fashions and offers practical resources for exploring museum collections of preserved historical clothing. The second half of the workshop gets very hands-on, exploring ideas for making historical costumes on a thrift-store budget and the key elements to emphasize for a costume “impression” for each of the three eras. Come have some fun looking at the meaning of clothing in the past, sharing ideas for teaching through material/visual artifacts, and recreating garments for the classroom (with very little sewing!).
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Sarah Kay Bierle, American Battlefield Trust
Subject Areas: Classroom Resources, Costumed Interpretation, Hands-On Learning
Time Periods: Revolutionary War Era, War of 1812, Civil War Era
Grade Levels: All
Colonial Mobile, A Unique Journey Through American History
Join Scott Corcoran, Assistant Curator of Education of the History Museum of Mobile, as he takes us through Mobile’s Colonial History, from the beginnings of French settlement in 1702 to the annexation of Mobile into the U.S. during the War of 1812. During the course of its history, the city was controlled in turn by three different European nations before becoming a part of the United States. Discover how the area’s past has shaped this one-of-a-kind American city.
Session Type: Lecture
Presenter: Scott Corcoran, History Museum of Mobile
Subject Areas: American History, Military History, Political History, Social History
Time Periods: Colonial Era, Revolutionary War Era, Early Republic, War of 1812
Grade Levels: All
Connections: Teaching the Civil War from a Distance
Moss-covered tombstones hidden by rank weeds. Faded photographs hanging in wall-papered halls. Tattered letters packed with elegant script or illegible meanderings. Black hats, frock coats, and the Boys of ’61. Walking hallowed ground and traveling where heroes trod. How can one connect students to the Civil War despite being hundreds of miles from the nearest battlefield? How can students relate to people and events of the Civil War Era? Investigate the possibilities with cemetery visits, primary sources, resource ideas, and the American Battlefield Trust’s Field Trip Fund. Find a “focus unit” to bring veteran stories to life.
Session Type: Lecture & Discussion
Presenter: David Wege, Trinity Lutheran School of Waucousta (WI)
Subject Areas: Field Trip Planning, Primary Documents, Project Based Learning, Regimental Study, Student Engagement
Time Periods: Civil War Era connecting to the Present Day
Grade Level: Middle School
Dilemma Discussions at Gettysburg’s Seminary Ridge
In exploring social and military history, Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center (SRMEC) emphasizes the oftentimes complex, conflicted, and controversial decisions individuals were forced to make throughout the Civil War era. From enslaved people deciding to seek freedom, to military officers committing thousands of troops to battle, to civilian nurses finding the courage and determination to aid hundreds of wounded soldiers, the stories of Seminary Ridge offer innumerable opportunities to explore such emotional choices. This program will investigate some of the dilemma discussions available through SRMEC’s in-person and online educational programming, allowing students and educators to connect and empathize with the people of Gettysburg’s past.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Codie Eash, Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center
Subject Areas: Critical Thinking, Military History, Primary Documents, Problem Based Learning, Student Engagement, Technology
Time Periods: Civil War Era
Grade Levels: All
From Cape Cod to Pensacola: “The Man with the Branded Hand”
Jonathan Walker, was a sea captain from Harwich, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. He gained notoriety in the 1840s as the “Man with the Branded Hand” when he was captured and punished for aiding seven enslaved people in their attempt to escape from Pensacola, Florida. The famous poet John Greenleaf Whittier wrote a piece in honor of Walker’s efforts that added to his status as an international figure while Walker collaborated with William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass. The literary connection of Walker's story offers teachers an opportunity to take an interdisciplinary approach to teaching the period, while a close connection to the presenter's hometown allowed them to incorporate the local historical society into their teaching. Learn more about this fascinating story through a visual presentation, short lecture, sharing of teaching strategies, and group discussion.
Session Type: Lecture & Discussion
Presenter: Richard Houston, 2019 American Battlefield Trust Teacher of the Year
Subject Areas: African American History, American History, Cross-Curricular, Geography, Political History, Primary Documents
Time Periods: Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era
Grade Levels: Middle School, High School
Go South to Freedom: The Underground Railroad at Gulf Islands National Seashore
Gulf Islands National Seashore’s multifaceted mission includes the preservation of sites and stories pertaining to the Underground Railroad. Primary source documentation reveals powerful, complex, and emotional accounts of freedom seekers who resisted enslavement in the region. Evidence yielded from these accounts led to the inclusion of Fort Pickens, Fort Barrancas Area, and Pensacola Pass into the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Join Gulf Islands rangers in examining primary sources that humanize those who set out for liberty.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Casimer Rosiecki, National Park Service
Subject Areas: African American History, American History, Geography, Place-Based Learning, Primary Documents
Time Periods: Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era
Grade Levels: All
Mapping the Past: The Stories that Maps Tell
Once closely guarded state secrets, maps are valuable primary and secondary documents that help to tell the story of humanity. From migration patterns to battlefield troop movements, maps are important tools for every historian and teacher. In this power session, participants will take a crash course in cartography, walk through the evolution of map-making, and learn how to unpack the stories told by maps using a variety of case studies. Discover how to better utilize maps in your classroom and beyond.
Session Type: Power Session
Presenter: Kristopher D. White, American Battlefield Trust
Subject Areas: American History, Classroom Engagement, Classroom Resources, Primary Documents, World History
Time Periods: Ancient History, Revolutionary War Era, Civil War Era, Early 20th-Century, Modern US History
Grade Levels: All
Medal of Honor Character Development Program
Inspire your students through the stories of heroes. Join us to learn how the Medal of Honor Character Development Program uses the stories of Medal of Honor Recipients and Citizen Heroes to teach students about the values of courage, commitment, sacrifice, integrity, citizenship, and patriotism. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society's free resources include lesson plans, videos, webinars, free online training and in-person professional development workshops. The lessons are built to engage students in collaboration, critical thinking, and personal reflection while showing them that everyone can be a hero and make a difference.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Javier Martinez, Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Subject Areas: American History, Classroom Resources, Leadership, Primary Documents
Time Periods: Civil War Era, Early 20th-Century, Modern US History
Grade Levels: All
Monumental Memories: How Shall We Remember?
Join the American Civil War Museum (Richmond, Virginia) to uncover the origins and evolution of how people have chosen to remember the Civil War. Explore the main strands of Civil War memory: Unionist, Confederate (Lost Cause), Emancipationist, and Reconciliationist (post-war). From public art and pop culture, to politics and public policy, where can we still find these narratives? What was (and is) their impact?
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Ana Edwards & Cheyanne Woodard, American Civil War Museum
Subject Areas: American History, Classroom Resources, Memory Studies, Primary Documents
Time Periods: Civil War Era, Jim Crow Era, Early 20th-Century, Modern US History
Grade Levels: All
Primary Documents in the K-12 Classroom - The MoreStory Model
The workshop will explore the details and methodology of 3 research/presentation projects - "Tales from the Crypt," "The Eighth of May Emancipation Celebration," and "MoreStory Monuments". Rooted in the Edward Ayers' observation that "world history is local history writ large", each project challenges students to interpret primary documents and then utilize those interpretations to develop community presentations exploring local history and the insights local history offers for the regional and national experience.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Chuck Yarborough, Mississippi School for Mathematics & Science
Subject Areas: American History, Classroom Resources, Local History, Political History, Primary Documents, Project-Based Learning
Time Periods: Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era, Reconstruction, Jim Crow South
Grade Levels: All
Project Archaeology: Native American Rock Art
Project Archaeology is a comprehensive place-based national education program primarily for upper elementary teachers and their students. This workshop provides an introduction to Project Archaeology curriculum and educators will use art, history, and archaeology to learn about Native American Rock Art and the people who created it by investigating north Alabama's Painted Bluff. The program teaches four overarching enduring understandings:
1. Understanding the past is essential for understanding the present and shaping the future. 2. Learning about other cultures, past and present, is essential for living in a pluralistic society and world. 3. Archaeology is a systemic way to learn about past cultures. 4. Stewardship of archaeological sites and artifacts is everyone’s responsibility.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Dr. Philip Carr & Jennifer Knutson, University of South Alabama
Subject Areas: Archaeology, Classroom Resources, Native American History, Place-Based Learning
Time Periods: Prehistoric
Grade Levels: Elementary
Remembering "Over There.": Using Monuments and Memorials to Teach Hard History at Home and Abroad
Monuments and memorials can be powerful teaching tools on a number of levels. These place-based resources open the doors to a larger conversation about artistic expression, how and why people choose to remember their past while awakening our emotions. From the quirky to the powerful, this session takes a dive into iconic and not so iconic monuments and memorials in Europe, and then compares and contrasts them to our cultural landscape. From Gettysburg to Normandy and from Washington, DC to Munich, learn more about how Americans and Europeans memorialize their past and how you can take these lessons back to your classroom and along with you on your next field trip.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Kristopher White, American Battlefield Trust
Subject Areas: Classroom Resources, Critical Thinking, Memory Studies, Place-Based Learning, Primary Documents
Time Periods: Ancient History, Revolutionary War Era, Civil War Era, Jim Crow Era, Early 20th Century, Modern History
Grade Levels: Middle School, High School
Researching The People Who Fought American Wars Ancestry & Fold3
Learn how to navigate Ancestry & Fold3’s data collections and execute useful searches. Then we will dive into each conflict and discuss the different record collections that are there and how you can get the most out of them. We will also cover how to apply for an AncestryK12 grant which includes US records on Ancestry and well as access to Fold3 and Basic Newspapers.com.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Anne Gillespie Mitchell, Ancestry.com
Subject Areas: Classroom Resources, Critical Thinking, Primary Documents, Technology in the Classroom
Time Periods: Revolutionary War Era, War of 1812, Civil War Era
Grade Levels: All
Season of Independence: Digital Classroom Resources Orientation
The events surrounding the United States’ Declaration of Independence are filled with nuance and provide a window into the experiences of everyday people at the moment of our nation’s founding. Using a map and timeline as its foundation, Season of Independence tracks statements of support for independence across the 13 American colonies in rebellion over time, while placing those colonies in a larger geographic context. Throughout, it presents the voices of those who supported independence, disagreed, and hoped to avoid a war altogether. Join this workshop to receive an introduction to this online interactive and learn how to incorporate it into your classroom instruction with the help of its companion teacher resource guide materials.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Michael Hensinger, Museum of the American Revolution
Subject Areas: Classroom Resources, Critical Thinking, Primary Documents, Technology in the Classroom
Time Periods: Revolutionary War Era
Grade Levels: All
Teaching American History with 100 Milestone American Documents
Join Jim Percoco as he shares with you how to invigorate your year-end teaching with a review, including assessment materials from the National Archives 100 Milestone American Documents page. Teachers will take the test and then learn how to implement the project into their curriculum as they race towards the end of the school year. making for an exceptional review of American history. Test and Answer Key will be provided to participants.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Jim Percoco, Loudon School for Advanced Studies (VA)
Subject Areas: American History, Classroom Resources, Political History, Primary Documents, Project-Based Learning
Time Periods: Revolutionary War, Early Republic, War of 1812, Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era, Reconstruction, Jim Crow South, Modern US History
Grade Levels: All
Textbook to Book Club!
The class thought they knew the first US president...and let me tell you, they were not excited to cover another chapter about him. However, when given an opportunity to learn about George Washington through a non-textbook lens, in a way where they could see him as an everyday figure, they were provided the deep engagement and critical thinking skills practice teachers desire to offer their students. Learn how you can implement these practices in your classroom.
Session Type: Power Session
Presenter: Latrece Johnson, United Pentecostal Holiness Church Small Steps Learning Center
Subject Areas: American History, C3 Framework, Critical Thinking, Cultural History, Museum Studies
Time Periods: Colonial Era, Revolutionary War Era, Early Republic
Grade Levels: Elementary School, Middle School
Using Battlefield Trust Resources in the Online Classroom and Curriculum
This session will explore opportunities to use resources provided by the American Battlefield Trust in the online classroom and course curriculum. This includes presenting lessons in a Learning Management System (LMS; ex: Google Classroom, Canvas, Blackboard, etc.) and within live interactive sessions (ex: Google Hangouts, Zoom, etc…). This session will offer participants the background knowledge and opportunity to develop high-quality online learning lessons. Participants will have the opportunity to ask about specific lesson or project ideas and how to use them with virtual learning.
Session Type: Workshop & Discussion
Presenter: Jason Wells, Virtual Arkansas
Subject Areas: American History, Classroom Resources, Critical Thinking, Curriculum Development, Technology in the Classroom
Time Periods: Colonial Era, Revolutionary War Era, War of 1812, Civil War Era
Grade Levels: All
Valley Forge: It’s More than You Might Think
The Continental Army’s winter encampment at Valley Forge (December 1777-May 1778) is a story of suffering, want, and heroism; but it’s more than that. Valley Forge was the home of an active field army engaged in daily operations against an enemy army and a hub of military activity. This session examines the Valley Forge encampment and how historic sites and battlefields are both classrooms and documents for analysis and learning. The story is one of a maturing army and its commanders, but it’s not the story you might think it is.
Session Type: Workshop & Discussion
Presenter: Dr. Ricardo Herrera, US Army Command and General Staff College
Subject Areas: American History, Critical Thinking, Memory Studies, Primary Documents
Time Periods: Revolutionary War Era
Grade Levels: All
What Are the Words?
Most people are familiar with the phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words." How often do we use pictures, or even paintings to describe a single moment in time, a specific breath, sound, or emotion? Using various photographs from different places and periods in time, participants in this session will learn how to build curiosity and empathy with their students, through inquiry and analysis. Come experience the steps in this activity that transform this from an observation activity into a fact-finding mission to better understand the experiences and emotions through different lenses for the same period in history. We will examine how this can be used across standards, both as a face-to-face unplugged activity as well as a remote learning tool.
Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Jodi Zeis, Frederick County Public Schools (VA)
Subject Areas: African American History, Curriculum Instruction, Inquiry Learning, Military History, Primary Documents, Technology, Women's Studies
Time Periods: Civil War Era, Reconstruction Era, Jim Crow South
Grade Levels: Middle School, High School
More sessions to be announced
Saturday Tours
"Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead!"—Civil War Mobile
You have heard the famous quote uttered by Admiral David G. Farragut, now experience the sites associated with Civil War Mobile and the Battle of Mobile Bay. With a deepwater port and standing as the fourth largest city in the Southern Confederacy, Mobile was a vital link in the Confederate war effort and a major target for the Federal high command. Join the Director of Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours Mark Bielski, and American Battlefield Trust Chief Historian Garry Adelman for an action-packed, photo and fun-filled tour of Civil War Mobile—where you will become a ship in the Union fleet! Visit some of the most famous sites associated with the Battle of Mobile Bay including Fort Gaines & Fort Morgan. Touch the anchor of the USS Hartford. And learn more about the role that the original home of Mardi Gras played before, during, and after the American Civil War.
Walking Level: Modest, less than two miles of total walking. Expect to stand for short periods of time.
Guides: Mark Bielski, Stephen Ambrose Tours, and Garry Adelman, American Battlefield Trust
Time Periods: Antebellum Civil War, Civil War
The City Under Six Flags: A Tour of Historic Mobile
French, British, Spanish, Republic of Alabama, Confederate, American…oh my! Founded in 1702, the city of Mobile, Alabama, served as the capital of French Louisiana before changing hands (and flags) numerous times. From the colonial wars of empire to the American Civil War, Mobile’s history is a rich tapestry of stories of people, commerce, warfare, and peace. Join the Trust’s Deputy Director of Education Kristopher White and Emerging Civil War’s Chris Mackowski as they peel back the layers of history in historic Mobile. Visit sites in downtown Mobile, Magnolia Cemetery, the ghost town of Blakeley (plus its fort), and venture to the mouth of Mobile Bay to one of its imposing gatekeepers, Fort Gaines.
Walking Level: Moderate, two to three miles of total walking. Expect to stand for short periods of time.
Guides: Kristopher White, American Battlefield Trust, Chris Mackowski, Emerging Civil War
Time Periods: Colonial Era, Revolutionary War Era, War of 1812, Early Republic, Antebellum Civil War, Civil War, Reconstruction Era, Early 20th Century
The Gulf's Lost Campaigns: The Struggle for the Gulf Coast from the American Revolution to the War of 1812
Established as a permanent military garrison in 1698, Pensacola’s strategic location on the Gulf of Mexico made it a coveted prize among the world’s most powerful nations. Originally settled by Spain, the city was relinquished to France who in turn surrendered it to Great Britain following the French and Indian War. During the American Revolution, Spanish commander Bernardo de Gálvez captured Mobile and used the victory as a springboard to wrench Pensacola from the Crown’s hands. Some three decades later, Pensacola found itself at the center of the storm between the United States and Great Britain when the city was briefly occupied by Andrew Jackson. Join the American Battlefield Trust’s Education Manager Dan Davis for an exploration of nearly two centuries of Gulf Coast history. Visit Mobile’s Fort Conde, Historic Pensacola Village, Fort George, and other sites to retrace the wars that helped define one of America’s oldest cities.
Walking Level: Modest, less than two miles of total walking. Expect to stand for short periods of time.
Guide: Dan Davis, American Battlefield Trust
Time Periods: Colonial Era, Revolutionary War Era, War of 1812 Era, Antebellum Civil War
Sunday Sessions/Tours
A Cruise Along the Tensaw: Fort Blakeley and the Last Major Battle of the Civil War
Historic Blakeley State Park encompasses more than 2,100 acres of the largest National Register Historic Site in the eastern half of the United States. Within the park's grounds are the site of the last major battle of the Civil War, including several miles of unspoiled Confederate and Union fortifications associated with the Battle of Fort Blakeley of April 9, 1865; the site and remnants of the important early Alabama town of Blakeley. Join Mike Bunn of Historic Blakeley State Park for a cruise down the Tensaw River as you explore one of the gems of Alabama's historic preservation efforts.
Walking Level: Modest, less than two miles of total walking. Expect to stand for short periods of time. Please note that part of this tour takes part on a boat. It is not recommended if you are prone to motion sickness.
Guide: Mike Bunn, Historic Blakeley State Park
Time Periods: Colonial Era, Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era
Exploring the "Mighty A": A Tour of the Battleship USS Alabama
Boasting nine battle stars, nine 16-inch guns, a crew complement of some 2,500 officers and sailors, the USS Alabama served in some of the most famous operations of World War II. Climb aboard the Alabama to learn more about its history, the men who served aboard the mighty vessel, and how it came to call Mobile home. This tour is partially self-guided and includes your admission to the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park.
Walking Level: Modest, less than two miles of total walking. Expect to stand for short periods of time.
Guide: TBA
Time Periods: World War II
Three Centuries Walking Tour
This roughly two-hour walking tour tells the 315-year-old story of Mobile as a Native American settlement, a French settlement, a British port, a Spanish town, and a thriving and genteel American city. This tour follows the beautiful streets of Alabama’s oldest city, and includes street views and explanations of Royal Street, Ft. Conde, Bienville Square, and much more. Learn the "Secret History" of Mobile's tattooed French founder, the distant location where the city was actually founded, and an historic fire hall hiding downtown in plain sight!
Please note that this is a walking tour. Participants should expect to walk roughly two miles round trip from and back to the hotel.
Walking Level: Moderate, expect roughly two miles of total walking. Expect to stand for short periods of time.
Guides: TBA
Time Periods: Colonial Era, Revolutionary War Era, War of 1812, Early Republic, Antebellum Civil War, Civil War, Reconstruction Era, Early 20th Century
Click here to register for this event.
Speaker lineup and tour locations are subject to change.