Up-Close Look at American History

An Up-Close Look at American History

Historian James M. McPherson, whose Civil War History Battle cry of Freedom won the 1989 Pulitzer Prize, considers these the nation's most interesting sites:

Antietam National Battlefield : Sharpsburg, Md. The first invasion of the North was stopped here in 1862. At the battle's end, more men had been killed or wounded than on any other day of the Civil War.

Appomattox Court House National Historical Park: Appomattox. On April 9, 1865, General Robert E.Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant here. Although it would be several weeks before the Confederacy fell, the surrender in effect ended the war.

Boston National Historical Park: Boston, Mass. The birth of the American Revolution is commemorated here. The 2.5-mile Freedom Trail connects 16 National Historic Park sites, including the Old North Church and the Paul Revere House.

Colonial Williamsburg, Va.: From 1699 to 1766, Williamsburg was the capital of England's oldest, largest, richest, and most populous colony. Today the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation preserves 173 acres of the original 220-acre town just as it was on the eve of the Revolution.

Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park: Te site of four major battles of the Civil War. Notable sites include the Jackson Shrine, the house where stonewall Jackson died.

Spring flowers. Photo by Elena.

Gettysburg National Military Park : The greatest battle of the Civil War was fought here from July 1 to July 3, 1863 – a repulse of the second attempted Confederate invasion of the North and the turning point in the war.

Hagley Museum and Library: Wilmington, Del. Part of the original du Pont Mills Estate and Gardens, built on 240 acres along the Brandywine River. Sights include a restored workers' community and the Potterworks, where some of the first power tools were used.

Lowell National Historic Park, Lowell, Mass: America's first large-scale planned industrial community was founded here in 1826, introducing high-volume manufacturing to the United States. McPherson notes the town belongs to the time before industrialization turned ugly.

Shiloh National Military Park, Shiloh, Tenn.: The site of the daring surprise attack by the Confederates and the massive counteroffensive by the Union Army. The park and National Cemetery overlook the Tennessee River.

Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Miss.” A 47-day siege here ended July 4, 1863, with the surrender of Vicksburg, giving the North control of the Mississippi River. Sites include the USS Cairo, an ironclad Civil War gunboat.