Beyond Boundaries

The fourth and final unit I teach each year is entitled “A Nation Divided and Rebuilt.” The content begins with the events leading up to the American Civil War, moves to the actual fighting of the war, and ends with the period of Reconstruction. Specifically, this unit highlights the economic, political and social tension that ensued between the North and South throughout the mid to late 1800s. Though the harsh realities endured during the Bosnian War occurred over one hundred years later, I push my historians to draw connections to the concepts of change and unity beyond difference. In our current unit, the essential question my students wrestle with is “At what point should people fight to defend deeply held beliefs?” This question directly addresses the humanity and conviction of La Benevolecija.