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Experience The Civil War As It Unfolds In A Daily Newspaper With New iPad App ...

I opened up the newspaper this morning to find out that the president was in D.C. to witness a demonstration of the latest artillery. The new arms included a highly-accurate rifle invented by Mr. Wilson Ager and an automatic rapid-fire gun that is operated by a hand crank. Upon seeing the gun in action, President Lincoln likened it to a coffee mill.

The article’s date, June 24, 1861, is exactly 150 years ago. At this point in history America is at war with itself. A new App called The Civil War Today , created by A & E’s History Channel, brings daily news stories for the entire four years of the war. I got the App and have been enjoying it immensely these past couple days. You can go back and read the news from days past (the first shot was fired on Fort Sumter April 12), but it doesn’t let you scroll ahead, making the immersion seem all the more lifelike. It’s an enhanced experience. The “A Day In The Life” feature includes letters and diary entries from the prominent, like Abraham Lincoln, to the common like Confederate private Charles H. Lynch. Each day includes a new “Photo of the Day,” a “Quote of the Day,” and a running tally of North and South casualties. There’s also a daily quiz, a daily photo gallery, and updated battle maps. There’s also a game feature through which the user can earn medals for answering quiz questions correctly or, for example, sending “messages in morse code.” A “Feature Story” also brings a broader picture to the daily events. The current story summarizes the role the Dred Scott decision played in the lead-up to the war. Made by Bottle Rocket Apps , The Civil War Today has a nice, old newspaper feel combined with enough quick-and-easy features to keep the user entertained for more than a few minutes each day without feeling like they’re taking on a chapter from a history textbook. Here’s a short video from Apple ‘N’ Apps that runs through nearly all of the features.

Was this the App that the pundits of yesteryear were thinking of when they predicted that the internet would revolutionize education? Probably not. But I remember how tedious it was to memorize names, dates, locations when I was learning about history. Despite my primary education’s best efforts to make me despise history, I’ve grown to crave books on history, documentaries, Steven Spielberg HBO creations. But The Civil War Today would most certainly have captured my fertile but fickle young imagination. It’s a fantastic opportunity for history teachers to put technology to use and tap their students’ enthusiasm. Given the increased use of iPads in classrooms , The Civil War Today and like Apps should become a regular part of today’s curriculum. This App could serve as a template to learn about all sorts of history. What about an App for WWI and II? We could follow the daily events of the Boston Tea Party, the French Revolution(s), or, if it’s your thing, the O.J. Simpson trial. The possibilities are endless. Having history at our fingertips that’s interesting and fun could do wonders to improve historical literacy around the world.

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