Sixth Grade Trip to Philadelphia & Gettysburg

St. Bernard’s sixth grade class traveled to Philadelphia and Gettysburg from Tuesday, April 24, to Thursday, April 26.  The boys learned about the important documents and events that shaped the country in which they live.
The boys re-enacted important events from American history in the places where they actually happened.  Karl M. recited the Amendments to the Constitution at Independence Hall.  Clark C. recited the Gettysburg Address at the location where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.  Otto L. recited Chamberlain’s speech to the troops of Maine on Little Round Top.
 
After returning to school the boys were all asked to describe their trip.  Below is a compilation of writings from Henry D., Martin G., Frank M., Karl M., and Cameron S.
 
The Gettysburg trip is the highlight of sixth grade and gives sixth graders an experience they will cherish for the rest of their lives.  The first and most important benefit of the trip is the bonding between roommates and friends.  I think that the friendships that already existed have been further strengthened, and to me that is indispensable.
 
On our first day we arrived in Philadelphia at Independence National Historical Park.  We saw original pieces dating back all the way to the 17th century.  We were in the very room that the Constitution was written and signed.  After learning so much about the Constitution, it meant more to me to actually see it in real life.
 
The best part of Philadelphia was the amazing ethnic food court where we got to eat.  This place served everything from Korean to Dutch and everything in between.  The first day in Gettysburg was amazing, too.  Going to the National Cemetery and seeing the casualties of this battle is an experience that I will never forget.
 
In Gettysburg I learned that the Confederacy is not an idea lost in the past, but rather an idea that still lives with many people.  In town the Civil War is portrayed as a friendly North-South rivalry, with the gift shops selling Confederate memorabilia.  I’ve grown up in the liberal bubble and powerhouse that is New York City, so it was shocking seeing even a small trace of the Confederacy so close to home.
 
We woke up early on the second day because there was a lot to do.  We headed downstairs and enjoyed pancakes and eggs for breakfast.  Then we hopped on the bus and headed to a local Gettysburg museum.  While at the museum we saw the largest painting in North America.  The painting was a gigantic cyclorama depicting the Battle of Gettysburg.  I felt as though I could have spent a whole day in that museum looking at that painting.
 
After departing we hopped onto our bus and were given an amazing tour of a battlefield from the Civil War.  We learned how to shoot and prepare cannons and understood the geographical features of this area.  At Little Round Top all of the landmarks, such as the rocks and trees, are still standing today.  Witness trees are the same living trees that the soldiers saw.  My experience of going to the actual battlefield is similar to the soldiers’ experience 150 years ago.  I learned how soldiers felt approaching and during the Battle of Gettysburg.  Reading a textbook or watching the movie can’t make you comprehend the feel of the battle.
 
On the third and final day, we performed Pickett’s Charge.  Knowing that we were on the grounds of a bloody battle where countless men died, we were sobered but still had the best time of our lives.  We charged up Cemetery Hill through muddy grass, shooting our cap guns in jubilation.  Something that I learned is what the troops saw during the battle and the intimidation they were feeling.  At Pickett’s Charge, I could visualize the Union soldiers firing down the rock wall and thousands of people charging over an open field.
 
After learning about Gettysburg, it was fantastic to experience what it felt like to fight in the battle.  No matter how much you read or learn about something, experience is the best teacher.  This trip bonded all of us closer together and gave us an experience to think of forever.  Gettysburg was definitely the highlight of sixth grade and, who knows, it might be the most memorable time I will ever have at St. Bernard’s.
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