The Mason City Civil War Council is committed to creating an accurate and poignant retelling of Iowa’s history in a manner that enhances learning potential through our programs. While in the process, help students understand the history of the city, state and country in which they live and promote family and personal values. We strive to protect and restore monuments to veterans and to remind Iowans of the sacrifices they have made while enhancing patriotism and to honor those who have served and are serving in the armed forces in defense of freedom. We bring programs to the school, create live theater events that children can share with their families, and provide educational opportunities for adults through special programs.

The Mason City Civil War Council is a non-profit group of volunteer reenactors, historians and Civil War enthusiasts from the area. Each member is dedicated to the preservation of history, promoting family and personal values and pride in country and state. Supporting Civil War reenactment groups include: 8th Texas (Jerry Hewitt), 16th US Medical Corps (John Duggan) Sisters of St. Brigid (Kelsey Jones), 32nd Iowa Co. B (Brad Williams).

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What Can We Do For You?

We feel that the extra effort to create a fun and interactive learning experience will help students learn to interpret political and economic policies and pinpoint cause and affects and apply those same skills to current political and economic climes.  This will help encourage these youth as they grow up to continue to learn about the world around them and to take an informed and active part in problem solving in their communities.

Our adult educational programs include: History of Civil War Medicine, Civil War Fashion, Women’s Roles on the Civil War, A civilian’s Place, Soldiers and the War.

We will arrive with Civil War Era props and displays and a program created especially for you. No hidden fees.  Participating schools have fees waived due to grant underwriting.

Contact us for date and program availability and prices

Mason City Civil War Council, Inc.

917 N. Jefferson

Mason City, IA 5040

641-423-7658

jahdrh@yahoo.com or TheFieldHospital@mchsi.com

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The Curriculum

The Problem:

 Young adults today often find themselves at a distinct disadvantage when attempting to understand political and historical events occurring around them. Approximately 30% of youth between the ages of 18 and 25 are unable to identify persons responsible for historical events that shaped US law and policies. Sixteen percent are unable to identify pivotal events and the cause and effect on local, state and national law and policies. These youth find themselves unable to understand local and state lawmaking procedures, the cause and effect of the policies and laws made by local, state and national law makers and how as individuals they can affect changes in local, state and national policies and laws.

 Our Goals:

 The study of anthropology, economics, geography, history, law, political science, sociology and humanities helps to develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.

Students who achieve standards for the social sciences will have a broad understanding of political and economic systems. They will better understand events, trends personalities and movements in local, state, national and world history. They will also grasp how concepts of social science can help interpret human actions and prepare them for careers and life long learning.

 Achieving the Goals:

 Our living history programs are structured to give students a unique learning experience while fulfilling several federal and state requirements.  In order to do this we present history as a living experience for students by having them portray roles in which they become part of and explore the world we create for them. We focus on the following concepts in our presentations:

1.       Identify key individuals and events.

2.       Present historical facts and myths.

3.       Showcase historical equipment, clothing, images and documents.

4.       Present many different perspectives and historical interpretations of Civil War events.

5.       Give students an opportunity to interpret and analyze historical events and to determine the cause and effect relationships.

6.       Help students to identify political ideas that helped shape the US including individual rights and the concept of freedom.

7.       Identify traditions that were important to the development of the US.

8.       Identify consistencies and inconsistencies between expressed US political traditions and ideas, and actual practices.

9.       Show how changing economic and social forces affected US political ideas and traditions.

10.       Identify factors that explain how and why consumers must make choices and what must be given up in return and how entrepreneurs take risks in order to produce goods and services.

11.    Identify the affect of various governmental practices that provide or restrict various incentives to produce a good or service.

12.    Explain the impact of governmental policies on producers and production decisions causing shortages or surpluses, raise and fall of prices and employment.

13.    Explain the contributions of individuals and groups who were prominent or made a difference locally, within the state and nationally during the Civil War by their inventions, political views, actions, etc.

14.    We also help students to identify geographical characteristics of regions and how they contributed to the outcome of the  war, affect economics and individuals during the Civil War.

15.    Demonstrate how maps are used to solve spatial problems in the conduct of war and explain human migrations.

16.    Explain how language, stories, folklore, music and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture that became a part of the heritage of the United States.

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