PURPOSE: To familiarize students with one of the main foods of the Civil War soldier, and to illustrate the poor diet the soldiers had to endure.
MATERIALS:
2 cups of flour
¾ to 1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (Crisco)
6 pinches salt
PROCEDURE:
Mix flour, shortening, water and salt into a stiff dough, kneading several times. Spread dough ½ inch thick onto baking sheet and slice into 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inch squares. Poke holes in dough as illustrated below, four lines of four holes across and four down. Bake for ½ hour at 400 degrees. Remove from the oven, cut dough into 3 inch squares. Turn dough over, return to oven, and bake another ½ hour. Turn oven off and leave hardtack in until it is cool.
"Gettysburg: The Soldiers’ Battle" Pre-broadcast Activities
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National Park Service
Gettysburg National Military Park
97 Taneytown Road
Gettysburg, PA 17325