Significant in Meadowbrook's 7th grade curriculum is the Civil War, and with it the elements of leadership, responsibility and citizenship. The key turning point in the war was the Battle of Gettysburg, a three-day encounter that realized more casualties than any other battle – before or since – on American soil.

Led by Headmaster Stephen Hinds, a Civil War aficionado and expert, and history teacher Justin McLean, our 7th grade students travel to Gettysburg, PA, for an unparalleled educational experience outside the classroom and on the battlefield. Students witness first-hand the battle strategies and tactics of both armies, discuss elements of organizational and situational command structures, analyze the impact of various leadership decisions, walk the ground secured by the 20th Maine at Little Round Top; walk the path of the Confederate’s 15,000-man assault of Pickett’s Charge; and stand on the spot where President Lincoln recited the Gettysburg Address… where students have the opportunity to recite the Address aloud in front of their peers. This trip is more than just a visit to a sacred American historical site, it is a study in leadership, an up-close and personal understanding of duty and responsibility which was so deeply rooted in the idea of citizen soldier.

Before returning home from Gettysburg, the class then visits Washington, D.C. This second part of the journey is about citizenship – what makes American citizenship special and unique. As these students learn and experience in 7th grade what it means to be an American citizen, a foundation is built for their 8th grade studies, during which they will focus on the meaning of global citizenship. To that end, students experience the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument, the World War II, Vietnam and Korean War Memorials, and the Lincoln Memorial.