From the Reacting to the Past website:

“Reacting to the Past” consists of elaborate games, set in the past, in which students are assigned “roles” with “victory objectives” informed by classic texts in the history of ideas. Class sessions are run entirely by students; instructors advise and guide students and grade their oral and written work. It seeks to draw students into the past, promote engagement with big ideas, and improve speaking, writing, and leadership skills.

Simpson history classes have used several Reacting games in the past few years. Students have used these games to immerse themselves in classical Athens, Ming China, and modern India. We have also played two very different games about New York City. One is set in the revolutionary ferment of 1775. The other is set in the Bohemian world of Greenwich Village in 1913. In spring 2008 we will be using games on the French Revolution and the court of Henry VIII.

Nicolas Proctor is currently developing two different Reacting games. "Forest Diplomacy" explores the issues of war, peace, and land that divided Indians and colonists during the French and Indian War. "Kentucky, 1861" examines how the people of a pivotal border state deal with the secession crisis that led to the American Civil War.