USA TRIP Washington DC and New York were beautiful for the History and Politics trip in the autumn. With the election of Donald Trump, it felt very different and it is clear the USA is a divided nation at the moment. This point was reiterated in a talk given by Andrew Sullivan, an old Reigatian, who is now a highly respected political commentator in the US. Andrew is a long-time Republican supporter but he presented a rather pessimistic assessment of Trump’s first 10 months in office. Andrew was very generous with his time and it is clear that he holds dear memories of RGS. He was delighted, although a little shocked, to discover that he went to school with a number of parents of our students!
Hilary Shelton, head of the NAACP within DC, gave us another excellent talk. Indeed, his answers proved very useful for our History students currently tackling their coursework essays on the civil rights movement. Students also visited the major sights such as the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Cemetery and the Supreme Court. During a visit to Congress students were very fortunate to gain entry to a debate within the Senate where they saw Mitch McConnell, Republican Majority leader, and Chuck Schumer, Democrat Minority leader, argue the merits of plans for healthcare and tax reform. Leaving DC to transfer to New York, the group stopped en route at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 was the scene of the deadliest
battle of the Civil War and is often described as the war’s turning point with the Union delivering a decisive blow to Confederate forces. In New York students visited Ellis Island and saw the experiences of many new immigrants to the USA in the early 20 th century. They also spent three hours in the 9/11 Museum, and had a morning tour of the UN. However, it was not just work and education: with novelty baseball and Statue of Liberty hats donned, the group enjoyed the sights and experiences of New York. This included various culinary delights and a Broadway Show. There was also time for some retail therapy when students educated the teachers on modern sartorial trends.
42