By Maxim Shumylo
From Historic New Bridge Landing in North Jersey to Red Bank Battlefield in South Jersey, our state has a rich Revolutionary War history. In recognition of this, Congress established the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area in 2006 which spans 14 counties all across the state.
In April 2025, commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War begin. Events marking the conflict will continue through 2033, 250 years after the war’s end. Numerous organizations, such as the National Park Service, Revolution NJ and the New Jersey Historical Commission already offer lesson plans relating to this important historical anniversary. This is also an ideal time to bring the Revolution’s diverse stories to life and consider working with historical reenactors to provide a memorable educational experience for our students during such a landmark occasion.
I’ve been a Revolutionary War reenactor with the 43rd Regiment of Foot and 2nd Pennsylvania since 2018. Participating in that hobby over the years has provided me with many unique experiences that captured my interest in a way impossible to recreate anywhere else, especially as we portray troops from both sides.
From bayonet charging the Continental forces at Princeton Battlefield State Park, to firing a crisp musket volley or marching alongside other regiments of the British Brigade as the fifers and drummers play period tunes, this hobby has given me a newfound perspective on the life of a Revolutionary War soldier. It has also given me a greater appreciation for the troops who served in that conflict for years on end and in much harsher conditions.
By using living history as a pedagogical tool, students can learn about the intricacies of the Revolution in a unique way—one that is very different from a textbook or documentary. For instance, if a reenactor instructs a social studies class in some of the maneuvers from period drill manuals or brings in a spare regimental coat or knapsack, students experience what would have been part of a soldier’s daily life and feel the weight of the uniform and accoutrements. This humanizes the story of the Revolution by making it tangible as students interact with these historical objects.
Historical reenactment can bring nearly any perspective into the classroom. This helps students hear from a diverse range of voices, including typically underrepresented groups such as African Americans or Loyalists.
Besides representing numerous regiments from both Crown and Continental forces, reenactors also portray colonial civilians and the women who traveled alongside both armies as camp followers. This provides an opportunity to focus on colonial life in addition to the soldier’s perspective of the Revolutionary War.
Additionally, educators could invite a patriot and loyalist reenactor into the classroom to debate the fairness of British policies toward the 13 colonies or have a reenactor set up a display with their equipment and answer questions. The possibilities are indeed numerous. Overall, I am very excited to continue educating both the public and my future students as the 250th anniversary of the Revolution approaches and I look forward to all the planned commemorations.
Bringing the American Revolution to life in your school
Are you interested in learning more about historical reenactors, opportunities for educators and resources for your classroom? Want to bring history to life yourself?
Visit my regiment at 243regiment.com or facebook.com/43rdRegiment.