Civil War Medicine

The Civil War cut short approximately 700,000 lives and left thousands more with debilitating injuries.  Drawing from real stories of the Seminary Hospital, these lessons explore the experiences of surgeons, nurses, and wounded soldiers as they faced mass casualty situations.  In the crucible of the war, American doctors uncovered new knowledge about the human body and built frameworks of care that are still used today.  Lessons in this area examine the construction of scientific knowledge during the Civil War and assess the true human costs of conflict.

Civil War Medicine Educational Videos

Stories of the Wounded: 
Jeremiah Hoffman

Three Doctors at Gettysburg

Stories of the Wounded: Lt. Col. George McFarland

Surgeons Experiences in the American Civil War and Today

Chaplains and Surgeons on Seminary Ridge

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Virtual Museum Experience

The Nurses

Stand within the Seminary Hospital and discover the stories of Lydia Ziegler, Sarah Broadhead, and the Patriot Daughters of Lancaster as they cared for men wounded in battle.

Nearpod Lessons

Follow a Wounded Soldier

Grades 6-8

Civil War Emergency Care

Grades 9-12

Teachers can sign up for Nearpod for free to access full lesson functionality at https://nearpod.com/signup/.
Editable versions are available with a Nearpod subscription.