Walking Where History Bled: Civil War Lessons for a Modern America
Dr. Kevin Sims believes that history repeats itself, and he is preparing his students to learn from the past. Taking them to battlefield sites from the Civil War is the next step in their educational process.
America’s modern political climate is rapidly becoming more divisive.
But more than 160 years ago, the nation was divided like never before. Citizens took up arms and fought against one another— brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend— during the American Civil War. From 1861 to 1865, the United States fought the war over slavery.
Dr. Kevin Simsbelieves that history repeats itself, and as senior professor of political scienceatCedarville University, he is preparing his students to learn from the past. Taking them to battlefield sites from the Civil War is the next step in their educational process.
“Visiting these sites puts a physical face on the war,” said Sims. “I can talk about the war in class. I can show pictures. I can provide maps. I can lecture on the battle, how it was fought, how many people were involved, how many died and how many were wounded. I can do all of that. But these two battlefields allow students see the place where it happened.”
At Antietam, students will walk the grounds where so many men diedstoppingGen. Robert E. Lee’s first incursion into the North. At Gettysburg, they will stand in the cemetery where President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg address and explorethe battlefieldthat marked the turningpoint in the war — from Confererateadvantage to Union momentum.
“Students can think about what happened at this specific location at Gettysburg,” said Sims. “They can see why defending the two hills on the battlefield was so important. Had those fallen into Confederate hands, theSouth would have stationed artillery on top of those hills and gunned down the Union army. They likely would have destroyed the Union army, and the South would have won the war. It allows students to be where that occurred.”
Sims hopes his students come away with a more complete understanding of the Civil War’s complexities. Studying history, he says,reveals both the good and the bad andforces students to wrestle with the realities of slavery. He also encourages them to find their political voicesand stand for what is right.
“Christians need to take a stand,” said Sims. “I want students to know that we cannot condone evil behavior. We need to find our place in culture and find our voice. We need to go through the necessary political motions to enact change that will preserve a good and noble American culture. We need to let our values as children of God guide us to lead this country into a better place.”
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and its ranking in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. places Cedarville among the nation’s top five evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more atcedarville.edu.