One hundred fifty years ago, the United States nearly tore itself apart. Soldiers in blue and gray struggled on battlefields across the country and changed the face of the United States of America.
Nine Southeastern national parks have banded together to encourage young visitors and their families to visit the places where the Civil War unfolded to re-examine what the conflict means today. Children ages 6 and older can earn a junior Civil War historian patch by completing the Junior Ranger programs at two or three of the participating parks and/or completing online activities.
During their visits, young visitors and their families will come to understand how the Civil War impacted the lives Americans and how it still affects the nation today.
Junior Civil War historians will learn why the war started, what it was like to be in the middle of a Civil War battle, how civilians coped with the destruction of war and how enslaved people seized their opportunities to gain — and sometimes fight for — their freedom.
There are two ways to become a junior Civil War historian:
Option 1: Become a junior ranger at three participating parks. Make sure a park ranger initials and dates children’s activity cards (available at all participating parks) or junior ranger program booklets.
Once children become junior rangers at three parks, they must turn in their activity cards or junior ranger program booklets at participating parks to receive a patch.
Option 2: Become a junior ranger at two participating parks and do one online activity. Online activities can be found at www.nps.gov/stri/forkids/jcwhonline.htm.
Children must turn in activity cards or junior ranger program booklets along with printouts of completed online activities at participating parks to receive a patch.

Participating parks:

Andersonville National Historic Site
Anderson, Ga.
229-924-0343
ande_information@nps.gov  or www.nps.gov/ande

Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park Fort
Ogelthorpe, Ga.
423-752-5215
chch_information@nps.gov or www.nps.gov/chch

Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Dover, Tenn.
931-232-5348
fodo_information@nps.gov or www.nps.gov/fodo

Fort Pulaski National Monument
Savannah, Ga.
912-786-5787
fopu_information@nps.gov or www.nps.gov/fopu

Fort Sumter National Monument
Charleston, S.C.
843-883-3123
fosu_information@nps.gov or www.nps.gov/fosu

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Kennesaw, Ga.
770-427-4686
kemo_information@nps.gov  or www.nps.gov/kemo

Shiloh National
Military Park
Shiloh, Tenn.
731-689-5696
shil_information@nps.gov or www.nps.gov/shil

Stones River National Battlefield
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
615-893-9501
stri_information@nps.gov or www.nps.gov/stri

Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg, Miss.
601-636-0583
vick_information@nps.gov or http://www.nps.gov/vick