Skip to Main Content

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
BRI’s Comprehensive US History digital textbook
Documents of Freedom
BRI’s primary-source civics and government resource
Heroes & Villains
BRI’s character education narrative-based resource
BRI Curricula
Being an American
Plainest Demands of Justice
Presidents and the Constitution
Supreme Court DBQs
Votes for Women
Full Library...
Curriculum Components
Current Events
Essays
Lessons
Primary Sources
Videos
Educator Opportunities
Educator eLearning
Programs & Events
Teacher Council
Student Opportunities
My Impact Challenge
Student Fellowship
Think the Vote
BRI News
Official BRI Blog
Invest In Our Future
The most effective way to secure a freer America with more opportunity for all is through engaging, educating, and empowering our youth. And the most effective way to achieve that is through investing in the Bill of Rights Institute. We support teachers and students by providing valuable resources, tools, and experiences that promote civic engagement. You can be a part of this exciting work by making a donation to the Bill of Rights Institute today!
Support now
Make your investment into the leaders of tomorrow through the Bill of Rights Institute today!
Make a Donation
Ways to partner with BRI
Learn more about the different ways you can partner with the Bill of Rights Institute.
Learn More

Monuments and Memory | BRIdge from the Past: Art Across U.S. History

Description

How do we choose to remember past events, and what does that say about us? Mary and Gary explore the "Memorial to Robert Gould Shaw and the Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Regiment" by Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1884 - 1897). Shaw was a Union officer of the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first all African American military units. Nearly half of the regiment, including Shaw, would be killed, captured, or wounded at the Battle of Fort Wagner in 1863. What does the story of the monument reveal about the challenges African Americans faced fighting in the Civil War? What can we learn from this regiment's bravery?

Subscribe to YouTube

Published On	Feb 16, 2021
Duration	16 min
Founding Principle	Equality
Grade Level	6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Period Era	1860s, Civil War
Topic	Civil War, Military
Virtues	Courage, Honor, Contribution

Related Resources

BRIdge from the Past: Art Across U.S. History Video Playlist

BRIdge from the Past: Art Across U.S. History is a new YouTube series for students that explores an important historic image every episode to gain insights into the culture, politics, and society of a particular time in U.S. history. Host Mary Patterson will explain how each primary source is its own “window to the past,” revealing new areas for contemplation and discussion.

Robert Gould Shaw’s Courageous Decision

3 Activities45 Min

In this lesson, students will explore Colonel Robert Gould Shaw’s decision to take charge of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry regiment. Students will learn why it took courage for him to make the decision, its significance to the nation and the overall war effort, as well as how they can make similar courageous decisions in their own lives.

Tenth Period | Monuments and Their Meanings: How to Teach About the Complexities of War

Join BRI staff members Kirk and Rachel, Mike Knapp, Chief of Historical Services at the American Battle Monuments Commission, and Sean Redmond, BRI Teacher Council Member and National WWI Museum and Monument High School Teacher Fellow, as they discuss the complexities of war. They look into what American battle monuments say about our civic values and how these ideas can be translated to the classroom.