Cemeteries are full of history. Have you ever taken a stroll through a cemetery? If you have, you would see the headstones all tell a story. They may or may not offer us a name, a birthdate, a death date, an inscription, something indicating their career, and even relationships. For instance, during different time periods, you might see, Wife of Dr. Frank Smith, in place of a person’s name. You might notice patterns in the timing of deaths of children and parents at different time periods. Was there a flu epidemic? Did a mother die giving birth? Did a young man die in war? Why do some people have large monuments, while others may have crumbling gravestones? Are the monuments and crumbling gravestones located next to each other? If there are any dates on the headstones, you can look up the history of grave markers and the materials they were made from. “To conclude, a lot can be learned about our culture and customs from headstone history. If analyzed properly it will not be wrong to say that headstone history is all about attitudes, beliefs, and livelihoods of our ancestors.” (Retrieved 7/26/17 from http://www.wifialliance.org/OpenSection/fascinating-and-interesting-headstone-history.html)
Be able to integrate research and information from headstones in two different cemeteries by comparing and contrasting them in order to understand the cultural factors, sociological factors, and historical events represented in the cemeteries visited.
