Why Do People Re-enact the Civil War?

Question

I notice this is an obsession for some people...I'm talking, of the Trekkie variety. Can someone please explain this hobby?

And what scene in particular do they re-enact? Is this strategically planned out?

Are people cast in roles, or can anyone just show up in character playing whoever they feel like playing ... what if like two Abner Doubledays decide to show up... what happens then?

I initially filed this under history - it's weird how it wound up in P&S

That's what I'm talking about Damned fan.
Why not relive the Bay of Pigs? or the atomic bombing at Hiroshima?

that's sarcasm by the way... folks, a lil humor for your Saturday night...thank you...thank you very much

LOL! No - thank you for the humor lovnrckets...you actually made some very relevant points.

...oh, and I passed on the veal, I went with cordon bleu instead ;-)

Answer 1

Your profile says you're a journalist - why not find out why? Go interview them, rather than demean trekkies and people who aren't easy to classify? I know a guy that soups up lawn tractors for local events and parades - it's all he does.

As far as why THAT war, rather than, say, Hiroshima... hmmm... I'd have to say that the civil war was actually FOUGHT HERE - you know, somewhere where it could be recreated truthfully. I'm not a re-creationist, or a trekkie, or part of any other group (I'm anti group altogether), but there are more important groups to attack. Like the Right, the Left, the mainstream media, religions, c'mon. Little different groups generally only add color and variety to the boring zombie mainstream people who live here.

Sorry if they don't fit well into your perception of what people should be. It's a flaw today in many journalists who create the news rather than report it.

Answer 2

There are many events I would like to re-enact.
I think they are just bored... dont insult them...Or they re-enact Gettysburg to appease the spirits(apparently that place has a crap load of spirits) of the fallen soldiers...

I'd like to re-enact D-Day I wonder what its like to jump off a boat and run at a cliff that has machine guns placed all along the top. Iwo Jima would be cool too...

Nah i love history, people are dumb though... staging a battle is the only way to get peoples attention. (Have I mentioned that the history text books are all lies and propaganda?). The Civil war was an important part of our history and its important to remember it.

People down in LA seem to be re-enacting the Mexican-American war a lot though- its incredibly realistic! They just do it right in the streets. I dont think its very accurate though... the outfits and weapons are all wrong.
(sorry,have a sense of humor =s)

Bay of pigs?! That never happened!
I dont know why we dont re-enact Hiroshima... I know they wont let use forget it though.
As far as WW2 in public schools goes.
-Dropped Bomb on Japan(who never ever commited any attrocities)
-All germans are evil
-Japanese were put in camps. The Germans were not! Those 10,000 German-Americans were all having hallucinations about being loaded on trucks and sent to camps on the east coast!
(sorry bout this)

How did this turn into a rant??? Im so so very sorry

So how bout that myth that Abner Doubleday invented baseball?

Answer 3

G'morning!

Quite a few reasons to re-enact ...
In order to get a historical perspective, particularly if they can trace their ancestry back to those who fought in the war.
Escapism.
Southerners may re-enact for political reasons, e.g. identification with the Confederacy.
To some people, it carries an almost religious significance, as a memorial.
The largest re-enactment so far was the 135th Gettysburg, which had over 40,000 participants and even more spectators.
People who participate can attend classes that teach them how to dress, cook, eat, and even "die."
If one side or the other has too few participants, some may be asked to change sides or roles.
You're right, some people are obsessed with this "hobby," on the level of Trekkies. The "hardcore" will recreate everything, down to the smallest detail of dress, behavior, even hairstyle. I'm reminded of people who attend the local Renaissance Fair - you won't see any velcro or zippers or wristwatches on these folks.

Answer 4

It's hard to understand why anyone would want to glamorize some of the darkest times in American history. But what's funny is that it seems like the South who really loves doing this. And they were the losing team. I have yet to see a reenactment up North anywhere. We don't care about it anymore aside from what we learned in high school.

Also, how is it possible that Southerners yearn for the "Old South" when they weren't even close to actually being alive for it? How can they know what they missed?

I would think a round of paintball would be a helluva lot more fun.

MachPen - Thanks for the humor, I'm guessing you'll be booked all week here, try the veal.

Answer 5

it's because people want to keep the history alive
There are a lot of historians and history buffs out there who just love to dress up and bring that part of history back to life
There's also groups that re-enact the colonial wars too
many state parks have re-enactments every year.
Another great organization is the SCA. They are a pre colonial living history society that teaches classes, holds events and gives people a chance to act out a "persona" (that's a character that u create from history)
it's lots of fun for anyone who loves to socialize and share similar interests with all different people.

check it out at www.SCA.org

Answer 6

For several reasons: its a hobby for American history buffs, its also the easiest to re-enact since most of the battlefields are still open areas, almost all the fighting took place on land, both sides were American, etc.

Answer 7

Hell, why don't they do WW1??? I would have loved to be in a dogfight against the Red Baron even if it killed me!!! The Civil war??? I don't know....probably because it was a turning point in US history....thankfully Abe was the President & not George W Bush...he would have messed that up badly!!!!!!

Answer 8

It is an effort on their part to keep history alive. Josh, you are wrong - there are WWII reenactors as well.

Answer 9

I dont know but good question

Answer 10

They don't do it with other wars.