Have you ever thought about being able to travel through time? I know I have, and I’ll also have to admit to probably spending too much time thinking about what part of my life would I go back to...which day, what year? Is time travel even possible? I always liked the idea of a time machine. It's easier to get into the machine and punch up a date on a console (like Marty McFly did in his Delorean in Back to the Future) than to climb aboard your spaceship and attempt to travel near the speed of light.
Is Time Travel Really Possible?
Is there a realistic way of experiencing our past today, of exploring our history through another means? Going to a museum is one way to experience the past...There are also historic trails and other historic buildings all over our country that can teach us what living used to be like. There are also Living History Reenactments that take place all over the United States. Perhaps you may have already attended such a reenactment? I had a chance to participate in one such reenactment at an old cemetery in my city a few years ago. The cemetery asked actors to portray individuals that were buried in that cemetery. It was interesting, and I learned a lot about some people that lived around town several years ago that had made contributions to local history.
How we can learn about Living History
How much do we know about our own history? Do we know a historian, interpreter, or other expert? Look at this YouTube video from 5 years ago Time magazine feature on Civil War to see a little how people participated in a Gettysburg Civil War reenactment. Living history is an activity that uses historical tools, activities and dress and puts it into a presentation that seeks to give us a sense of stepping back in time. Scouts know that to take action for the future, they have to discover and connect with the past. Through the Living History Programs, Scouts can volunteer and learn more about the area where we live, work and play. Scouts will become educated about life in different time periods.