The Civil War Study Guide

Book and Lyrics byFrank Wildhorn, Gregory Boydand Jack MurphyMusic by Frank WildhornDirected by Jeff Calhoun

March 27 to May 24, 2009

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A Civil War Timeline....................................................3An Interview with the Director......................................5Abraham Lincoln...........................................................6Frederick Douglass........................................................8Sullivan Ballou..............................................................10Wartime Letter-Writing.................................................12Hannah Ropes................................................................15Activities and Additional Resources.............................16Welcome to Ford’s Theatre Society’sCompanion Guide for

The Civil War

! This is ayear of big change at Ford’s, as we celebratePresident Lincoln’s 200th birthday with anupdated theatre space, newly redesignedmuseum, and a whole host of new educational programming.This Guide is designed to support and enrich theexperience of seeing

The Civil War

. On many pages, questions for discussion or journaling arehighlighted in black. Throughout the Guide, weexplore historical context, theatrical techniquesand contemporary connections. A short bibliography at the end of the Guide providesresources for further inquiry. Please feel free to print out as many copies of this Guide as youwould like.Companion Guides will be produced for all of our shows next season. We hope you will join usfor these shows in our newly reopened theatre!For group sales information, please call (202)638-2367. For more information on our educational programming, please call (202) 638-2941 ext. 567 or email education@fords.org.We hope you enjoy the show!

Guide created by Nicole Murray, Education Programs Manager

THANK YOU

American Airlines is the official airline of Ford’s Theatre.Production made possible by Nortel, Raytheon Company, ExxonMobil, Southern Companyand The Freed Foundation.Ford’s Theatre Stages Built by The Home Depot.Chevron, a 2008-2009 Season Sponsor.Amtrak is the official rail sponsor of Ford’s Theatre.Ford’s Theatre is grateful to the following for their generous support of educational programming:American Express Company, Bank of America Foundation, Mars Foundation,Motorola Foundation, National Education Association,The William Randolph Hearst Foundation and U.S. Department of the Interior.Education programs are also funded in part by the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities, an agencysupported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

WELCOME!

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1862

Abraham Lincoln is elected president. November 6December 20 South Carolina secedes from the Union, followed within two months by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama,Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.February 9 Secessionist states form the Confederate States of America with Jefferson Davis as president.March 4 Abraham Lincoln is sworn in as 16th President of the United States.April 12 At 4:30 a.m. Confederates under Gen. Beauregard open fire uponUnion-occupied Fort Sumter in Charleston, S.C. The Civil War begins.April 17 Virginia secedes from the Union, followed within five weeks byArkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina.Lincoln issues the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.September 22February 6-16 Battles at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. Union victories. TN.September 17 Antietam, the bloodiest day in U.S. history. Inconclusive. MD.

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18611860

A Civil War Timeline

July 21 First Battle of Bull Run, or First Manassas. Confederate victory. VA.April 6 Battle of Shiloh. Union victory. TN.August 28-30 Second Battle of Bull Run. Confederate victory. VA.March 8-9 Naval battle of the

Monitor

and the

Merrimac.

Inconclusive. VA.Battle of Fredericksburg. Confederate victory. VA.December 11-15

1863