Students in Linda Townsend’s Cayuga Community College Political Science class at Dana West High School in Port Byron, New York recently had the opportunity to delve into the lives of American Civil War soldiers.  

Through the American Battlefield Trust’s Traveling Trunk program, the class received a trunk, filled with reproduction artifacts like military jackets, kepis, brogans, and personal items such as prayer books, rations and tin cups, to explore for a week. The trunk helped transform their classroom into a time capsule of the 1860s.

Students had the chance to hold each item, try on replicas of uniforms and clothing and imagine life as a soldier during the Civil War. They spent time considering what it might have been like to carry personal keepsakes into battle or to rely on hardtack and coffee rations. The hands-on experience brought a new appreciation for the everyday challenges soldiers faced.

The Traveling Trunk program brings history to life, offering students a tangible connection to our past.

“The Battlefield Trust does an excellent job in providing materials for students throughout our nation. Their work brings to life history for students and teachers!” Townsend said. 

Trunks are provided free of charge to classrooms around the country and have visited all 50 states. In the 2023-2024 school year, the trunks visited 150 schools. The American Battlefield Trust is committed to preserving and sharing these historical resources across the nation. 

For more information on the American Battlefield Trust visit www.battlefields.org.