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Re-creation as Recreation
Someday, maybe they'll reenact the Great Emu War. While the United States
is most famous for Civil War reenactments (Gettysburg gets a lot of love)
other parts of the world reenact their own key historical moments—albeit
still mainly battles, to the lament of historians who argue that this
overemphasizes the role of war in history. Research the history of military
reenactments. When and where did they begin—and were they ever meant
as a form of training? Do veterans of the battles being simulated ever
choose to take part? Discuss with your team: is it all right to simulate battles
in which one group of people must represent a cause that we find
problematic today? How long needs to pass before it is okay to reenact a
battle?

Military reenactments can be traced back to the early 19th century, with the first
recorded reenactment taking place in France in 1812. The reenactment was staged
by Napoleon Bonaparte, who wanted to recreate the Battle of Eylau, which had
taken place the previous year.
The reenactment was intended as a propaganda tool, to demonstrate the might of
the French army and to boost morale among the troops. It was a grand spectacle,
with thousands of soldiers and horses involved, and it attracted crowds of
spectators from across Europe.
The idea of military reenactments quickly caught on, and soon similar events were
being staged across Europe and North America. In the United States, the first
recorded military reenactment took place in 1835, when a group of men dressed
as American Revolutionary War soldiers reenacted the Battle of Bunker Hill in
Charlestown, Massachusetts.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, military reenactments remained
popular, particularly in Europe. Many reenactments were staged as part of
national celebrations or anniversaries, such as the centenary of the Battle of
Waterloo in 1915.

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 During the mid-20th century, military reenactments experienced a decline in
popularity, as the world was consumed by the horrors of World War II. However, in
the decades that followed, interest in reenactments began to grow again,
particularly among history enthusiasts and amateur historians.
Today, military reenactments are a popular hobby around the world, with
thousands of people participating in events each year. Reenactments are staged
for a variety of purposes, including historical education, commemoration, and
entertainment. Many reenactors are passionate about recreating historical events
as accurately as possible, using authentic clothing, weapons, and equipment,
while others take a more casual approach.
In more recent times, military reenactments have been used by some military units
as a form of training, particularly for historical battles or tactics. For example, in
the United States, some military schools and units have used reenactments of
battles from the Civil War or other conflicts as a way to teach leadership, tactics,
and decision-making skills. but they are not used as primary military training.
While veterans' participation in military reenactments is not common, when it does
occur, it can add a valuable perspective to the experience and help to bring
history to life in a powerful way.

To be fair, not every reenactment is about horses and bayonets; some are
less guns and more butter. Research the history of Renaissance fairs—and
try to visit one if you can. How soon after the actual Renaissance were they
first held, and are they the same all around the world? Then, discuss with
your team: are Renaissance Fairs an unhealthy form of historical escapism?
Should there be similar fairs dedicated to other periods in history?

"Less guns and more butter" - prioritizing civilian needs over military spending.
The phrase reflects the idea that resources are limited and excessive military
spending can negatively affect civilians. It has been used in political debates
about government spending priorities. Some reenactments involve how people
were living at that time.

Renaissance fairs are festivals or outdoor events that celebrate the Renaissance
period, which lasted from the 14th to the 17th centuries in Europe. These fairs

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 feature entertainment, food, and vendors selling goods and crafts that are inspired
by or created in the style of the Renaissance era.
The first Renaissance fairs are believed to have been held in the United States in
the 1960s. These early fairs were organized by history enthusiasts and cultural
groups who were interested in celebrating the Renaissance period and promoting
historical education. Over time, Renaissance fairs became more popular and
spread to other countries, including Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
While Renaissance fairs have a common theme of celebrating the Renaissance
period, they are not all the same around the world. Each fair has its unique
features and attractions that reflect the local culture and history of the area where
it is held. For example, some Renaissance fairs in the United States may feature
jousting tournaments and reenactments of medieval battles, while fairs in the
United Kingdom may focus more on traditional crafts, music, and food.

In recent years, some Renaissance fairs have expanded beyond the traditional
Renaissance period and include elements of other historical eras, such as the
Viking Age or the Middle Ages. This allows for a broader range of historical
education and entertainment and appeals to a wider audience.

In Bruce Coville's 1986 novel Operation Sherlock, six teenagers have no

history teacher—their parents are rogue scientists developing the first AI on
an otherwise uninhabited island. They learn about the past by playing
historical simulations on their computers. Today, they could choose from
hundreds of games, and their parents would have funding from Microsoft.
But, while simulations are a way to learn history, critics note that many
sacrifice accuracy for better game play or other considerations—for
instance, a game set in a place and time where women had few rights might
still allow playing as a fully-empowered female character. Evaluate which of
the following games is the most historically accurate and which would do
the best job of teaching history. Are these two different considerations?

The Oregon Trail | Seven Cities of Gold | Sid Meier's Pirates! | Call of Duty

Ghost of Tsushima | Age of Empires | Assassin's Creed | Railroad Tycoon

Operation Sherlock talks about how historical video games can be used for
educational purposes.

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 The Oregon Trail - A game where the player chooses their party and the things
that happen along a trail by choosing numbers on the keyboard with options to
choose from. Along the journey split into 16 segments many of the members of
your party will die. If you make it to the state of Oregon, your points will be
calculated and could make it into the top 10 that are displayed.

Seven sites of gold - you are a Spanish travellers who are trying to bring back
gold. You are given objects such as, ships, men, food and trade goods. They are
going to different islands and the player has to spend resources on each island.
You can choose to raid or trade with the natives of the island.

Sid Meier’s pirates - a lot of educational content and fun to play.Time periods to
play in, silver empire 1560, merchants and smugglers 1600, new colonists 1620,
war for profit 1640, buccaneer heroes 1660 and pirates’ sunset 1680

Call of duty - a popular first-person shooter franchise known for its depictions of
historical wars and conflicts. While the series strives for visual and thematic
authenticity, it often prioritizes gameplay and entertainment over strict historical
accuracy. The games may provide a general sense of historical events and
settings, but they tend to take creative liberties and focus more on delivering an
immersive and action-packed experience rather than a comprehensive
educational one.

Ghost of Tsushima - an action-adventure game set in feudal Japan during the

Mongol invasions. While it incorporates historical elements, the game takes
creative liberties for storytelling and gameplay purposes. It offers a visually
stunning representation of the time period and cultural aspects, but it should be
viewed as historical fiction rather than a strict historical recreation. It may inspire
interest in Japanese history and culture but might not provide a comprehensive
educational experience.

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 Age of Empires - a real-time strategy game series that spans different historical
eras, including ancient civilizations, medieval times, and colonial periods. The
games strive for historical accuracy in terms of units, buildings, and technologies,
and players can learn about historical events, cultures, and strategies. Age of
Empires games can serve as effective teaching tools by providing a balance
between entertainment and educational value.

Assassin's Creed - an action-adventure franchise known for its historical settings,

exploring various time periods such as the Crusades, Renaissance Italy, and
Colonial America. While the games feature detailed historical environments,
characters, and events, they also incorporate fictional elements and a modern-day
sci-fi storyline. Assassin's Creed games blend history with fantasy, making them
engaging and entertaining experiences that can spark interest in specific historical
periods.

Railroad Tycoon - a strategy game where players build and manage railway
networks during different historical periods 19th and 20th centuries. The game
focuses on economic and logistical challenges and provides historical context for
the development of railroads. While the gameplay may simplify certain aspects, it
offers insights into industrialization, urbanization, and the historical importance of
rail transportation.

The first of these games, The Oregon Trail, remains a classic; in its heyday,
millions of American schoolchildren discovered how easy it was to die of
dysentery. But the game has also been criticized for celebrating
imperialism, for discounting the cost of environmental destruction, and for
ignoring the perspective of the indigenous peoples whose lands were being
trampled—it was, in a sense, the Oregon Trail of Tears. The developers of a
more recent version addressed these concerns with help from Native
studies scholars. Many board games have also been called out for implicitly
endorsing colonialism—as a result, among other things, Settlers of Catan
was renamed Catan. Discuss with your team: what other games from the list

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 above (or from your own experience) should be redesigned for similar
reasons?

Differences between the original and the new adaptation:

1. Graphics and interface: The new Oregon Trail game features updated graphics
and a modern user interface that is more intuitive and user-friendly than the
original.

2. Gameplay mechanics: The new game includes a range of new gameplay

mechanics and features that were not present in the original, such as co-op
multiplayer, character customization, and a variety of difficulty levels.

3. Educational content: While the original Oregon Trail game was primarily
designed to teach children about American history and geography, the new
game includes a wider range of educational content, including historical facts
and trivia.

4. Platform availability: The new Oregon Trail game is available on a range of

modern platforms, including PC, mobile devices, and gaming consoles,
making it accessible to a wider audience than the original game.

In 2020, Gameloft decided to rebuild the game, and the company hired three
Native studies scholars to “bring a new level of respectful representation to the
game.”

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