Current high school sophomores and juniors with an interest in American Civil War era are encouraged to apply for the Civil War Institute’s new Young Civil War Historians Conference, to take place July 14-19, 2024 on the Gettysburg College campus. This weeklong conference offers high school students an opportunity to be historians: using original historical documents, battlefield landscapes, Civil War artifacts, and commemorative pieces like monuments and memorials as “sources” for drawing conclusions about the Battle of Gettysburg, and the Civil War more broadly.
Participants will be introduced to many of the unforgettable landscapes that make up the Gettysburg Battlefield; follow in the footsteps of a soldier who fought here; and learn to read the clues the field itself provides for answering lingering questions like “where did Lincoln deliver the Gettysburg Address?” and “why did Robert E. Lee order a charge on July 3?”. Other highlights will include special programming on Civil War medicine, photography, and material culture; behind-the-scenes experiences at some of Gettysburg’s museums; and a trip to Washington, DC to explore the official records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives.
Participants will be housed in the Gettysburg College dormitories, where they will be supervised by college student and/or adult Resident Assistants; eat their meals in the dining hall; and have access to college recreational facilities and Musselman Library, thus giving them a reliable taste of what life would be like as a Gettysburg College student. Enrollment is limited to current high school sophomores and juniors (students who will be rising juniors and seniors in Summer 2024). Applications will be accepted until July 1, or until all available spots are taken. More information, pricing details, and application instructions can be found on the conference website.