David Gasper '16

The American Civil War and the Lehigh Valley: A study and analysis of Primary Sources

Major/minor: Double Major in History/Political Science
Hometown: Bethlehem, PA
Project mentor: Dr. James Paxton

Project Details:

1. Briefly describe your SOAR project.
   The goal of my project was to look into the archives of local institutions, see what primary sources from the Civil War are in their collections, and create a master list of those sources.
    
2. What motivated you to participate in SOAR? 
   I have a strong interest in both the Civil War and local history, so it was great to work on a project that connects both. I also wanted to do some ground work for possible further research.
    
3. What are the results of your work on this project? 
   I found several primary sources in the Moravian Archive that suggest the Lehigh Valley was active in the war effort. The local Moravians even stayed in contact with their southern counterparts.
    
4. What are your personal takeaways from the project? And do you plan to continue work on this project after SOAR? 
   There is much more to be uncovered relating to this topic. Now that I know the Lehigh Valley had an active role in the war, I will be doing further research.

Biographical Information:

1. What clubs/sports/activities/community service are you involved in? 
   I play the violin in the Moravian University Community Orchestra, I am also the President of the Moravian University History Club, and I am also a proud member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity.
    
2. Briefly, what are your future plans and career goals? 
   After finishing college, I plan to attend law school and become a constitutional lawyer.