An 1860 broadside trumpeting the secession of South Carolina from the US Federal Government. The Civil War Round Table will discuss this event at it's next meeting on Monday, January 3, 2011, at Round Table Pizza in Lakeport, Calif.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Redwood Empire Civil War Round Table held its first meeting Nov. 29 in Lakeport.

The meeting set out the goals and the focus of the group.

It was decided that the round table will meet on the first Monday of each month, with the next meeting to be held at Lakeport Round Table Pizza on 11 Street starting at 6:15 p.m. Jan. 3.

According to round table spokesman Phil Smoley, one goal of the group is to observe the sesquicentennial (150 year anniversary) of the events of the Civil War.

“Each month we will discuss the events of that month 150 years prior,” he said. “Our first meeting will review the election of 1860 and discuss the reasons for and legality of secession. Many of the issues debated then are still being debated now, such as States Rights and the 10th Amendment. We want to fairly consider the two sides and allow each participant to draw their own conclusions.”

The group's goal is to make history come alive and become exciting.

“For most people, history is boring. But that is because some history teachers lack the passion needed to make it interesting,” said Smoley. “Presented properly, history becomes fascinating, captivating and educational, in addition to making you a better citizen. We plan to make our presentations full of true stories of courage, patriotism, and even romance. We will discuss not only the battles and strategy, but the politics and impact the war had on average Americans of the time."

One concern of the group is that many people view historical groups as being made up of older eggheads who talk over the average person with an interest in history. But this group hopes to break free from that stereotype.

“Our group will have a wide variety of people, young and old, expert and novice,” Smoley said. “We want to include those that have something to share and those who just want to learn about our history. While our presentations will be filled with information for all levels of interest, it will be geared for the novice in mind. We will be outreaching to the schools to encourage participation by students who show a passion for history.”

With 12 presentations a year over the next four-plus years, there will be nearly 100 hours of time spent going over the entire Civil War period in chronological order.

“By the end of the sesquicentennial, those who attended most of these presentations will be Civil War experts,” Smoley predicted. “The Civil War was the greatest cataclysm of our country's history and its effects still impact us greatly today. By learning what happened then we will come to a greater understanding of what is happening now.”

For more information, contact either Phil Smoley at 707-264-4905 (email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or Zane Jensen at 707-349-6546 (email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

The bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor nearly 150 years ago was the trigger for the federal government's invasion of the Southern states.