Honors Conflicts in VA History
This class stood in for the normal English 400 class that all students at Longwood are required to take. As a History major, I found this more exciting, and I was not disappointed. This class took multiple field trips to different parts of Virginia in order to examine firsthand the types of historical conflict that have occurred within the commonwealth.
Our first trip was to the Moton Museum, a staple in every Longwood student’s travels. There, we discussed conflicts related to slavery and the oppression of African Americans in America and Virginia, all the way up to the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement in Longwood’s backyard. During this semester I also completed my Partnership course in the education department, in which I taught a unit on the Civil Rights Movement to my 11th grade US History students.
The next trip was to Jamestown, which is a staple in every 3rd/4th grade Virginia classroom. We travelled to an American Indian reservation, where we were able to peruse a museum founded there, and learn more about American Indian rights and how they have changed through the centuries. We also toured the Jamestown settlement and learned more about Pocahontas in terms of the myth versus the reality.
When we got rained/camped out of the Northern Neck trip, I opted to travel alone (well…without the class. I did make my roommate come with me!) to Red Hill Plantation in Charlotte County, the home of Patrick Henry. Being able to traverse the property on my own time and follow what intrigued me was a lot of fun, because I didn’t feel like I was on a tight schedule. The tour guide at the plantation was amazing, and gave me a ton of information.
Finally, we travelled to my own home of Richmond, where we analyzed the statues on Monument Avenue. We focused mainly on the juxtaposition of Arthur Ashe with Robert E. Lee, especially considering size and location. This was fascinating, because I use Monument Avenue nearly every day in my travels, and I’ve never stopped to think about the monuments (other than a general dislike of Lee and his glorification.) My reflection on this trip in particular is available here.