Civil War Hats & Holsters

Historical reenactment is an activity in which participants recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. It may be a narrowly-defined time period, such as a specific war or other event, or it may be more broadly defined.

Activities related to "reenactment" are not new. Tournaments in the Middle Ages had Roman or other earlier themes (while the Romans themselves staged recreations of famous land and sea battles within their Coliseums as a form of public spectacle), and the Victorians recreated medieval furnishings such as tapestries. However, historical reenactment in pursuit of practical historical interest, beyond merely re-inventing history as an entertainment to suit contemporary convenience or sensibilities, seems to be an invention of the 20th century.

The term living history describes attempts to bring history to life, either for an audience or for the participants themselves. The primary distinction between reenactment and a period dramatic performance is the degree of immersion and the amount of improvisation. Historical reenactment can be considered a form of live-action role-playing.