Ford's Theatre and the Lincoln Assassination

Length

60 minutes. Can be customized to fit shorter class periods.

Target Audience

Education: Grade(s) 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Adult Learners, Homeschool/Family , Learning Pod

Minimum participants:

8 (eight)

Maximum participants:

Our maximum is 250 participants, but for optimum interactivity, we suggest no more than 30 students.

Primary Disciplines

History & Social Studies

Program Delivery Mode

Videoconference – Webcam/desktop (Zoom, Google Meet, Cisco WebEx, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, etc...)We can host the session in Zoom, or you can invite

Booking Information

Book it!

For more information contact CILC by email info@cilc.org or by phone (507) 388-3672

Provider's Cancellation Policy

All sessions must be booked at least two (2) weeks in advance of the requested date. Cancellations must be made at least one (1) week in advance of the requested date. Any cancellations made less than one (1) week prior to the scheduled session will be charged the full rate.

About This Provider

 

Ford's Theatre

Washington, DC
United States

Ford's Theatre celebrates the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln and explores the American experience through theatre and education.

During the Civil War, Ford's Theatre was one of Washington's top entertainment venues, giving Washingtonians a much-needed break from the realities of war. President Lincoln, who loved theatre, opera and Shakespeare, visited Ford's Theatre on at least 10 formal occasions.

On April 14, 1865, Lincoln and his wife decided to visit the theatre to see the comedy Our American Cousin. John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, snuck into the President's Box and shot Lincoln with a single-shot Derringer pistol. Booth fled into the night, and Lincoln died the next morning in the Petersen House, a boarding house located just across the street from the theatre.

Lincoln's assassination shocked the nation, and Ford's Theatre remained closed for more than 100 years.

In 1968, Ford's Theatre officially reopened as a national historic site and theatre producing live performances. Today, Ford's offers inspiring theatrical productions, interactive museum exhibits and engaging education programs.

Program Details

Format

This program includes sharing slides of historic and contemporary images, maps and illustrations.
Participants are encouraged to respond to what they see, and participate in close-looking exercises.
Participants are encouraged to ask questions throughout.

Objectives

Participants will
*explore the world of Civil War Washington, and compare it to the capital city today.
*learn about the events leading up to the assassination of President Lincoln, and the assassination itself
*consider how and why such an act of political violence could happen in Ford's Theatre in 1865.
*Make connections between Lincoln's legacy and today.