CIVIL WAR

Our 2024 Civil War Series has concluded!
*2025 Information not yet available*

** Registration opened April 1, 2024 at 5:00 PM EST**

IMPORTANT ADVISEMENT
BEGINNING at 5 pm Eastern on April 1,  2024, the Register HERE link takes you directly to the registration from.
BEFORE that time, viewing is restricted to the event organizers.

Civil War Series: 2024 Terms & Conditions

Reprinted from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kmmWuv3PmhQjCu6hc_smdUDX24e2TeUBPXghQ5CT8ls/edit#heading=h.tgkse5mdsmsd

Lawrence County Historical Society (Last Modified: 03.23.2024)

  1. Student Requirements:
    1. Grade Requirement: All participating students must currently be in 5th or 6th grade during the month of April 2024.
    2. Locational Requirement: All participating students must be currently enrolled in a local Lawrence County schooling system. These are represented by the following school districts: Ellwood City Area School District, Laurel School District, Mohawk Area School District, Neshannock Township School District, New Castle Area School District, Shenango Area School District, Union Area School District, Wilmington Area School District. Note that if the participating student is homeschooled, enrolled in charter school, or otherwise enrolled in another schooling system within the county, they will be counted within the district they reside.
    3. The Participating Student is highly encouraged to attend the majority of the classes within the series and is required to go on the trip.
    4. The Participating Student’s cost of the Civil War Series is $140.00 per student (Classes and Trip). The breakdown for this is $20.00 for registration and $120.00 for the Gettysburg trip.
    5. The $20.00 Registration Fee is waived for participants should anyone within the household hold an active membership to the Lawrence County Historical Society.
    6. The $120.00 Gettysburg Trip Fee will be waived if the Sponsors of the Series amount to 25 Student Trip Sponsors or through possible grants received by the Society. Registrants will be notified upon receipt of sponsors and/or grant monies.
  2. Chaperone Requirements:
    1. Each participating student is required one (1) Chaperone.
    2. The Chaperone must be directly related to the student and above the age of twenty-one (21).
    3. The Chaperone is required to go on the trip to Gettysburg at the cost of $120.00.
  3. Pick-Up Procedure:
    1. Each person picking up the student must be authorized by the parent or guardian previous to the beginning of classes.
    2. If the individual is not authorized, permission must be granted by the parent or guardian.
  4. Quotas: Due to the novelty and optimal pedagogical teaching style of the class, we are only able to allow entry of twenty-five (25) students into the class. Therefore, we must restrict this on a first-come-first-serve basis with the following parameters.
    1. 3 Spots: Ellwood City Area School District
    2. 3 Spots: Laurel School District
    3. 3 Spots: Mohawk Area School District
    4. 3 Spots: Neshannock Township School District
    5. 3 Spots: New Castle Area School District
    6. 3 Spots: Shenango Area School District
    7. 3 Spots: Union Area School District
    8. 3 Spots: Wilmington Area School District
    9. 1 Spot: Roll-Over (First-Come-First-Serve)

Note that if a spot is not filled within that particular school district’s quota, it will roll over to the list of those who registered on a first-come-first-serve basis.

  1. Registration Opening:
    1. Registration will open at 5:00 PM EST on April 1, 2024.
    2. Registration will open online at lawrencechs.org/civilwar
  2. Registration Closing: Registration will close at 11:59 PM EST on May 1, 2024.
  3. Notification of Chosen: 5:00 PM EST May 2, 2024
  4. Payments Issued: 5:00 PM EST May 2, 2024
  5. Notification of Denial: 5:00 PM EST May 9, 2024
  6. Last Day to Collect Payments: 4:00 PM EST May 18, 2024
  7. Series:
    1. Class Dates and Times:
      1. June 11, 2024: 9:30–11:00 AM, Lawrence County Historical Society
      2. June 13, 2024: 9:30–11:00 AM, Lawrence County Historical Society
      3. June 15, 2024: 9:30–11:00 AM, New Castle Public Library [Family Day]
      4. June 18, 2024: 9:30–11:00 AM, Lawrence County Historical Society
      5. June 20, 2024: 9:30–11:00 AM, Lawrence County Historical Society
      6. June 22, 2024: 9:30–11:00 AM, New Castle Public Library [Underground Railroad Tour]
      7. June 25, 2024: 9:30–11:00 AM, Lawrence County Historical Society
      8. June 27, 2024: 9:30-11:00 AM, Lawrence County Historical Society
    2. Trip Date and Time:
      1. June 29, 2024: 5:00 AM–11:59 PM, Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg, PA)
      2. Departure will be from the Old Sears Parking Lot in Union Township.

Civil War Series

Available to all Lawrence County 5th and 6th grade students.
Registration required.

Our three-week Civil War Series included:

  • Engaging re-enactors
  • Interactive classes
  • Enrollment will be open to students from the following eight school districts: Ellwood City, Laurel, Mohawk, Neshannock, New Castle, Shenango, Union, and Wilmington.
  • If the participating student is homeschooled, enrolled in charter school, or otherwise enrolled in another schooling system within the county, they will be counted within the district they reside.

INTRODUCTION

photo of students holding civil war mock up rifles
Photo by Denise Guthery

The goal of the series is to educate the Lawrence County youth about the Civil War and encourage students to gain an understanding of the Civil War through an experiential learning. These students will focus their studies on the Civil War with an emphasis on the Battle of Gettysburg.

The class will be tailored to 5th and 6th graders of Lawrence County schools, aged 10–12 years. The class will incorporate re-enactors, educational materials, as well as 30+ years of experience in the study of the Civil War. Twenty-five (25) Lawrence County students will have the opportunity to participate in this series, which will take place at the Lawrence County Historical Society.

2024 CLASS DATES
(All classes run from 9:30–11:00 am. Depending on date, the classses are held on site at the Lawrence County Historical Society or at the New Castle Public Library)

Tues June 11
Thurs June 13
Sat June 15
Tues June 18
Thurs June 20
Sat June 22
Tues June 25
Thus June 27

TRIP DATE AND TIME
(Departure will be from the Old Sears Parking Lot in Union Township)

Saturday June 29, 2024 from 5:00 AM–11:59 PM
Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg, PA)

IMPORTANT ADVISEMENT
BEGINNING APRIL 1 at 5 pm Eastern, the Register HERE button link takes you directly to the registration from. 
BEFORE April 1, clicking on the Register HERE button link produces this message: “The form LCHS Civil War Series Registration is no longer accepting responses.” What that means is that viewing is restricted to the event organizers. 

Registration button is no longer active

LEARNING OUTCOMES

abe lincoln reenacter

By taking part in this class, students will be able to confidently state that
they learned the following items:

  1. IDENTIFY major themes of the Civil War
  2. RECOGNIZE important people such as generals, soldiers, abolitionists, and many others
  3. UNDERSTAND the impact of the Civil War on the United States, both socially and politically
  4. IDENTIFY major battles fought
  5. UNDERSTAND the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg
  6. RECOGNIZE the global impact of the Civil War
  7. INTERPRET the main ideas of both Confederate and Union supporters
  8. ESTABLISH an understanding for the cause and effects of the Civil War on the United States in the 1800s
  9. LEARN about the equipment and weaponry a soldier would use during the Civil War

Civil War Impact on Lawrence County

re-enactor from the 10th pennsylvania

Lawrence County was a hotbed of anti-slavery sentiment. The County operated several hideaways for runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad.

This area had many devoted Lincoln supporters.  One in five Lawrence County residents enlisted in service for the Union. Key locals formed two units “The Roundheads” and “Battery B”

The Roundheads and Battery B units saw action at:
Antietam
Second Battle of Bull Run
Fredericksburg
Gettysburg
Vicksburg

NEWS BRIEF
"Historical Society Forges Ahead with Civil War Series"

welcome to historic gettysburg sign

New Castle, PA — The Lawrence County Historical Society (LCHS) Civil War Series, embraces the mission to preserve, protect, and promote local history within our community. The Historical Society hosts a three-week Civil War Series usually in mid June. The series includes engaging re-enactors, interactive classes, enjoyable experiences, and educational materials.

Summary of our 2019 Program

Entrance was by application only. Our 22 participating students from the 5th and 6th grades each had a chaperon.  Approximately 86% of the participants said that they were “Very Satisfied” overall with the series. The following school districts were represented and the number of students who participated are: Laurel (2), Neshannock (8), New Castle (2), Shenango (2), Union (7), Wilmington  (1)

Feedback from our 2018 Program

Entrance was by application only. We had 25 participating students from eight school districts. Each student had a chaperon. The positive feedback supported the idea for the program to continue. One participant remarked, “I hope that you continue to have this Civil War Series for years to come.” Likewise, a parent stated, “I hope I get the opportunity to do [the Series] in the following years with my other kids.” The program allows for students, volunteers, teachers, parents and guardians, and historians to collaborate in a pursuit of learning, significant to our region. 

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