Download The Civil War

Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit of Study
Era 5
Civil War and
Reconstruction
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~arcrawfo/military/images/civil-war-lincoln-pinkerton.jpg
6/8/10
Developed by
Robin Collins, Jeanne Duba, Lisa DiGangi,
Diane Gallagher, Marnee Morris, and Brian Wyzykiewicz
Summer 2009
Era 5
Civil War and
Reconstruction
Suggested Scope and Sequence
1.
The Path to War: Events Leading to the Civil War
2.
The Great Divide: Sectionalism and Secession
3.
Ken Burns: The Civil War
4.
Gettysburg Address: Text Rendering
5.
Was Reconstruction a Remedy?
6.
Glory
The Path to War
Events Leading to the Civil War
Pacing: 4-5 Days
Objectives:
 Students will examine the key events, which led the country to war.
 Students will analyze these events and hypothesize the impact that each had on
bringing the country to war.
 Students will be introduced to the characters that helped shape American History
from 1820-1861.
 Students will construct a foldable timeline of events related to the war.
Materials:
 Path To War PowerPoint and a print out of the student version (on shared drive)
 A History of Us War: Terrible War 1855-1865
 Chapter 3 Harriet and Uncle Tom
 Chapter 4 Harriet, Also Known as Moses
 Chapter 5 Abraham Lincoln
 Chapter 7 Mr. President Lincoln
 Chapter 9 Slavery
 Chapter 10 John Brown’s Body
 Foldable materials, e.g. construction paper, oak tag
Procedures:
 Warm up: Have students respond to the following in their Social Studies notebook:
o Briefly describe the way of life in the North as compared to the South. How
did people in the North make a living compared to the South? Where did
most people live in the North compared to the South? Which part of the
country do you think was more populated?
It is important to emphasize to your students that the North’s economy increasingly
became more and more based on manufacturing and depended on laborers and
immigrants. Most people in the North lived near cities and had a large population. By
comparison the South’s economy was based on farming and depended on slaves. Most
Southerners lived on plantations that were fairly spread out giving them less population
than that of the North. Emphasize that this will no doubt shape how each side views
the events that are described in The Path to War.

Distribute to students a copy of “The Path to War” (student edition) and explain to
them that they will be examining the key events that slowly led the country into the
Civil War (1861-1865). Explain to the class that the purpose of this activity is to
show how each event described in the PowerPoint had an IMPACT on the Civil War
and that you encourage your students to determine what that impact will be.
Remind your class that their print out does not include the IMPACT portion of each
event and that although you will provide them with the impact, they are responsible
for writing it down on their PowerPoint note sheets.
Throughout the PowerPoint encourage students to hypothesize what the impact of each
event may be as it relates to the Civil War. Remind the students of the vast differences
in economy, climate, population, etc. of the two sides. Although most of the
Abolitionists reside in the North, is the issue of slavery merely a moral issue? Or does
the economy of the South in some ways necessitate slavery? These overriding
questions are imperative as you present the PowerPoint. As this lesson will take three
or four days, consider using the material covered in the previous class periods and the
material from the listed chapters to develop both warm up questions and closure
questions.
Extended Activity:
 This will be assigned after concluding the PowerPoint presentation Path to War.
 Distribute materials for creating a foldable. The style of foldable to be made for this
activity is known as a “timeline foldable”. A rectangular piece of construction paper
should be folded into 8 sections. It may be necessary to review the procedures with
students on how to construct a foldable. Specific directions for creating a foldable
can be found in the previous lesson on the War of 1812.
 Students should work on creating their timeline foldable. Students should fill the
front and back of the foldable with 16 pieces of chronologically accurate information
from the reading. Students will fill each section with brief notes and a picture that
depicts the event.
Homework:
The chapters above correlate with the material covered in the PowerPoint. Students
should be encouraged to read some of these to gain a better understanding of the
material covered in class.
Assessment:
Teachers may grade the foldable as an assessment grade. In addition, teachers may
elect to create a quiz/test from the material and encourage their students to use their
foldable to review and study for the quiz/test.
The Great Divide:
Sectionalism and Secession
Pacing: 1 Day
Objectives:
 Examine and analyze decisions made for/against Secession as the United States
faced the onset of the Civil War
 Explain how sectionalism contributed to secession as a push pull factor towards Civil
War
Materials:
 Sectionalism Chart
 Which Side Do I Choose? Handout
 Biographies
 Notes/Foldables on the Events Leading to the Civil War
 Biography Charts (student and teacher versions)
Procedures:
 Introduce regionalization of United States (North and South) by posting the
Sectionalism chart. Have students respond to the following questions referring to
the chart in their social studies notebooks:
o What is similar?
o What is different?
o How will this affect the country?
 Introduce lesson theme – the gradual shift between North and South will slowly
divide the nation. As it does, each American will have to pick a side (and decide
what to do about the other half!). The question – which side will you choose?
 Activity: What will I do?
o Scenario: Class will be confronted by brief biographies of Americans on the
eve of the Civil War. Included will be prominent Americans like Robert E. Lee
and Abraham Lincoln as well as average citizens. Students will have to
analyze the biography and determine which side the individual will choose
and note this on the handout.
o Structure: To encourage participation, class should be broken into pairs/trios.
o Process: Each group should receive one biographical statement. After
reading the statement, they should record their prediction on the Biography
Chart as to whether the individual would secede or not. They should also
offer an explanation for their decision. After two minutes, the biographies
will rotate and the process will repeat. Continue until each group has had a
chance to analyze and offer a guess on each biography.
o Summary: Review class predictions and reveal their respective choices.
Were any surprises? Why?


o Class Discussion: Have groups reconvene to discuss results. Which results, if
any, surprised them? What factors were most important in their decision
making process? Can any generalizations be drawn about who would choose
which side? What are they? After considering questions, students should
share their thoughts with the class.
The Story of Robert E. Lee – Share the story of the Union offering Lee the chance to
lead the US Army against the seceding states. What does this story tell us about
how both sides – North and South – felt about the question of secession?
Homework: students write a paragraph responding to the prompt on the following
quote by Robert E. Lee providing support statements:
I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the
dissolution of the Union. It would be an accumulation of all the
evils we complain of, and I am willing to sacrifice everything but
honor for its preservation.
Col. Robert E. Lee, U.S.A. in a letter to his son Custis, January 23, 1861
Robert E. Lee wrote these words while he was still a member of the US Army in
1861, months before he would abandon the Union side for his home state of
Virginia. In a paragraph, explain how the question of secession could cause
anyone, much less Robert E. Lee - future Commander of the Confederate Army of
Northern Virginia, to struggle determining which side to choose.
Assessment:
 May be informal through monitoring of group participation and completion of the
homework response.
Extension:
 Students should investigate other prominent Americans who served against their
“side” during the American Civil War.
 Letter Writing Exchange: Students will produce an exchange of letters between
two old friends – one who supports the Confederate Secession and the other who
supports the Union North. Within the exchange, they must do the following:
incorporate three (3) generalizations, or determining factors, supporting each
decision; make one subject “struggle” with the decision (i.e., oppose the general
direction of his region)
Background:
The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 ended a tumultuous decade that saw
the United States on the brink of disunion. Both Northerners and Southerners had each
contributed to the severing of national bonds and secession that was now seen as a
forgone conclusion by many in both regions. None the less, even after election results
brought the feared Lincoln to the Presidency, a choice would still have to be made.
Individuals in both the North and the South would have to decide where their loyalty
laid – the states in which they had grown up and which they loved, or the nation that
had come to symbolize the promise of a free people. No matter the choice, for many
the decision would neither be easy nor straightforward.
Instead, it was often complicated by factors well beyond the individual. Some
were highly personal, including family bonds that could be deeply divided over the
issue. In others, geography played the critical role. Those located in Border States
found themselves literally torn between North and South. In others, military service
caused conflicted responses. In all, however, the decision was difficult. And, in all, it
was not always a foregone conclusion.
No one illustrates the difficulty of the dilemma more clearly than Robert E. Lee.
He hailed from a prominent family in Virginia. His father had served prominently n the
American Revolution, fighting with many of the founding Fathers before going on to led
Virginia as a governor. He would eventually marry into George Washington’s family,
with his betrothal to Mary Washington’s great-granddaughter, Mary Custis. Robert E.
Lee enrolled at West Point, where his natural leadership ability and many talents
pushed him to the top of his class and made him a favorite friend of many – Northern
and Southern alike. He went on to serve with distinction on Winfield Scott’s staff during
the Mexican-American, earning high praise from the general and the common soldier
alike.
After the war, on leave from assignment in Texas, he would be called upon to
lead the military response to John Brown’s raid at Harpers Ferry. Under his command,
the ill-fated attempt at slave insurrection was quickly broken up. As he headed back
out to Texas, Lee knew that the seeds of secession had already been sown. Shortly
thereafter, Texas herself decided to leave the Union and Lee, as a Federal soldier, was
asked to leave the state. He did, heading home to Virginia, where his own loyalty
would be called into question.
In Washington, he was confronted with a fateful offer – would he command the
Federal forces into bringing the rebellious states back into the nation fold? Here he
would confront the primal question confronting all Americans across the country.
Where does one’s loyalty lie? Contrary to popular belief, the question was not a simple
one. It surely was not for Lee. However, when his own state of Virginia decided to join
the Confederacy, Lee painfully decided he must stay with his state,
With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and
duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up
my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my
home. I have therefore resigned my commission in the Army,
and save in defense of my native State, with the sincere hope
that my poor services may never be needed, I hope I may never
be called on to draw my sword.....
Lee in a letter to his sister, April 20, 1861
(http://www.civilwarhome.com/leebio.htm)
Lee, therefore, stands as the epitome of the stark decision confronting many
Americans. And, while he chooses to defend his home state of Virginia, it is not done
without deep consideration.
During this time, stories like Lee’s are abundant in the military. Soldiers hailed
from all over the country. They had gone to school together, many having graduated
from the military academy at West Point. They had served in remote regions of the
country together, especially on the frontier of the nation. They had fought wars
together, fighting side-by-side in the Mexican-American War in the 1840s. They had
forged bonds to each other and loyalty to the United States. Now, they would be
forced to choose, ultimate, where their future was – the seceding states of the
Confederate South which many called home or the Union they had proudly served for
much of their lives.
Most, like Lee, chose to fight for their homes. The two men, who would become
Lee’s most capable subordinates, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and James Longstreet,
were also career military men. Both clearly followed the call to secede. Jackson, like
Lee, was a born and bred Virginian, albeit without the familial reputation Lee
possessed. He also attended West Point and served in the Mexican-American War.
However, unlike Lee, he quickly and decisively turned his attention to the Southern
cause. Ten years removed from active duty in the US Army, he was an instructor at
Virginia Military Institute. When the call for secession came, he organized his students
for the defense of his state. Likewise, Longstreet, hailing from Northern Georgia,
seemingly had no compunctions about his call. When secession arrived, he resigned his
position in the Army and was quickly pressed into service for the Confederacy.
Others military professionals grappled with the decision more profoundly and,
somewhat surprisingly, their decisions didn’t always follow the examples set by Lee,
Jackson, and Longstreet. For example, David Farraguat, for whom future fame awaited
after leading the Union Navy, hailed from the border state of Tennessee, where the
majority joined the Confederate cause. Virginian George H. Thomas stayed loyal to the
Union and played a prominent role in decisive Union victories at Chickamauga and
Nashville. North Carolinian, John Gibbon, chose nation over state and became a
division commander in the Union Army of the Potomac. Adding to his dilemma? Three
of his brothers fought for the South! Pennsylvanian, John Pemberton, followed his
Virginian wife and joined the Confederacy. Each of their stories offers a glimpse into
the painful, divisive decision that Secession forced many to make.
Citizens themselves were obviously not immune to the dilemma. Even while the
majority sided with their states, many struggled none the less. Border states, naturally,
felt the dual pulls most acutely. The eight (8) states bounding both North and South –
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, North Carolina, and
Arkansas – all had powerful voices calling for both loyalty to the Union and Secession
with the Confederacy. And, even after each state made its “choice” (Delaware,
Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri never formally left the Union), signs of division were
clear. Missouri, for example, sent thirty-nine (39) regiments to fight in the Siege of
Vicksburg – 17 to the Confederacy and 22 to the Union. Obviously, the divided
populace would produce citizens on both sides deciding differently, often against the
ultimate decision of the state.
William Brownlow is one such citizen. Brownlow was born in Virginia and
traveled the country as an itinerant Methodist minister. He settled in Eastern
Tennessee in the 1830’s. There, he bought a newspaper and began loudly proclaiming
his opinion on all matters. Soon, as talk of secession grew louder and louder, he
became a vocal voice for Union. Even after Tennessee decided to join the South,
Brownlow spoke against secession so strongly that Confederate President Jefferson
Davis had him arrested and exiled to the North. He would return with the victorious
Union Army in 1863. Once again he advocated the cause of Union in a place where
many chose not to. And, once again, he illustrates that even in regions purportedly for
one side or the other, the question of secession often produced a variety of responses.
All in all, the Civil War was a divisive struggle, splitting the country and tossing
the nation into a bloody struggle to determine its identity. The very nature of that split
was felt by all. Americans everywhere were forced to consider where their strongest
loyalty would lie and what decisions they would make were diverse and sometimes
unpredictable – as the Americans individuals themselves. Of course, many did quickly
venture to the side of their states, following the regional trend. Others, however, like
the future leader of the Confederate forces, ultimately decided to join their regional side
only after much consideration. Finally, some actually bucked the regional trend,
deciding to challenge the prevailing regional winds. To everyone, the question of
secession prompted a painful decision that would tear the nation apart.
Resources:
Lee, R.E. (1862). Lee in a letter to his sister, April 20, 1861. Retrieved
05/25/2008. http://www.civilwarhome.com/leebio.htm
McPherson, J. M. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom. New York: Oxford University
Press.
PBS/WETA (2002). The War: Crossroads of Our Being. Retrieved 05/22/2008.
http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/
Young, R. F. (October 20, 2006). Dissent in America. ISBN: 0321442970. New York:
Longman Publishing Group.
Sectionalism
North v. South
The South in the 1860’s
Republic with strong State
governments, militia,
and offices
TIME PERIOD
Aristocracy/Gentry
(through Parliament)
Ruling Class
Wealthy, white landowners and
entrepreneurs/citizens
Declaration of Independence,
Virginia and Kentucky
Resolutions
What makes
the society
what it is
Declaration of Independence,
United States Constitution
Liberty as defined through local
government
Highest Values
Loyalty to the Union of states,
Government
The North in the 1860’s
Republic with strong State
governments, militia,
and offices
Teachers, please cut out each biography.
Civil War Lesson Biographies
Directions: In your group, read the following biographies and discuss them. Your
goal is to determine which side of the Civil War each of the individuals decided to
fight for.
William G. “Parson” Brownlow
I was born in Virginia in 1805 and orphaned at age 10. At age 21, I began my
career as a Methodist minister and moved Tennessee in 1828. I traveled from
town to town, giving speeches to large crowds in the South, while helping to
establish the Methodist presence in that part of the United States. In 1839, I
started a newspaper, the Tennessee Whig and later published the Knoxville
Whig. I became known as "The Fighting Parson" because of how passionately I
addressed the issues of the time in my publications. I was pro-slavery yet chose
to fly the stars and stripes of the Union.
Which Side Did I Choose?
Clement Vallandigham
I was born in New Lisbon, Ohio and graduated from Jefferson College in
Pennsylvania. I was elected to the Ohio legislature in 1845 and 1846. I was a
supporter of the rights of individual states and was opposed to the institution of
slavery. I coined the phrase “To maintain the Constitution as it is, and to restore
the Union as it was.”
Which Side Did I Choose?
Benjamin Hardin Helm
I was born in Kentucky and graduated ninth in my class from the United States
Military Academy. I was offered a job in the Union Army by my brother-in-law,
Abraham Lincoln.
Which Side Did I choose?
Robert E. Lee
I was born in 1807 in Virginia and was the son of a Major General in the Army. I
was a top graduate of West Point military academy and was an exceptional
soldier in the U.S. Army for thirty-two years, during which time I fought in the
Mexican-American War. I owned slaves but I am often understood as being
against it. I was offered the command of the Union Army at the beginning of the
Civil War.
Which Side Did I choose?
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
I was born in Virginia in 1824. I attended West Point and later taught at Virginia
Military Institute. Although my family owned slaves during my childhood, I
illegally taught a slave to read and write and I set up classes for slaves at a local
Presbyterian church. As a result I was admired by slaves and free blacks
throughout the South.
Which Side Did I Choose?
James Longstreet
I was born in South Carolina, but my father and mother were from the New
Jersey and Maryland respectively. My family owned a cotton plantation in
Georgia when I was young. I went to the United States Military Academy where
I was not overly successful but I became very good friends with Ulysses S.
Grant, the famous Union General, and I served as his best man at his wedding.
Which Side Did I Choose?
George B. McClellan
I was born in 1826 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I attended West Point where
some of my closest friends were rich southerners.
Which Side Did I Choose?
Winfield Scott
I was born on my family's farm in Virginia I was educated at the College of
William and Mary and later served in the United States military. I had a
reputation of being anti-slavery yet my political affiliation was pro-slavery.
Which Side Did I Choose?
George H. Thomas
I was born in Virginia. At an early age, my family I and were forced to flee our
home because of Nat Turner’s slave rebellion. I graduated from the U.S. Military
Academy in 1840 and later was an instructor at West Point. At the outbreak of
the Civil War, one of my superiors was Robert E. Lee, yet I was married to a
northern-born woman who was against slavery.
Which Side Did I Choose?
John Gibbon
I was born in Philadelphia but I was raised in North Carolina. I graduated from
the U.S. Military Academy in 1847. Three of my brothers fought for the South in
the Civil War.
Which Side Did I Choose?
Which Side Did I Choose?
Read each biography while looking for clues as to which side the people chose in the
secession debate. Place an “X” in the box of your choice and a short explanation.
Person
William G. “Parson”
Brownlow
Clement Vallandigham
Benjamin Hardin Helm
Robert E. Lee
Thomas “Stonewall”
Jackson
James Longstreet
George B. McClellan
Winfield Scott
George H. Thomas
John Gibbon
I chose the North
I chose the South
KEY
Which Side Did I Choose?
Read each biography while looking for clues as to which side the people chose in the
secession debate. Place an “X” in the box of your choice and a short explanation.
Person
William G. “Parson”
Brownlow
Clement Vallandigham
I chose the North
X
I chose the South
X
Benjamin Hardin Helm
X
Robert E. Lee
X
Thomas “Stonewall”
Jackson
X
James Longstreet
X
George B. McClellan
X
Winfield Scott
X
George H. Thomas
X
John Gibbon
X
Ken Burns: The Civil War
Pacing: 1 Day per episode (at teacher’s discretion)
Objectives:
 Understands the technological, social, and strategic aspects of the Civil War (e.g.,
the impact of innovations in military technology; turning points of the war; leaders
of the Confederacy and Union; conditions, characteristics, and armies of the
Confederacy and Union; major areas of Civil War combat)
 Understands the impact of the Civil War on social and gender issues (e.g., the roles
of women on the home front and on the battlefield; the human and material costs of
the war; the degree to which the war united the nation; how it changed the lives of
women, men, and children)
Materials:
 Ken Burns, The Civil War DVD/VHS
 Student handouts – Viewing Questions
Procedures:
 Prior to viewing the episodes, the following procedures are recommended:
o Distribute the viewing questions.
o Remind students to preview the questions prior to viewing the video.
o After viewing, allow students to consult with their team members to check their
responses for accuracy
o Use the discussion questions to engage in whole class discussion.
o Closure or for Homework: Ask students to make connections to the video. Have
them think about the connections they make while reading; text to self, text to
text, and text to world. Prompt them by asking, “What does this remind you of?”
“How is this similar to your life?”
 The following are recommended episodes for viewing that will elaborate on the
objectives:
o Episode Four: 1863-Simply Murder
 Topics “uncovered:” Conditions of the War for the Johny Reb and Billy Yank
 Viewing Questions p. 20
 Discussion Questions:
o Why did the North have to resort to conscription in 1863? Do students
believe the government should have the power of conscription? At what
point can the state impose on your liberty in order to defend the nation?
o What was the cause of the Richmond bread riots? Why was the South so
harshly affected by inflation? When did the Confederates begin using their
own currency?
o Who were the "Copperheads"? What ideals did they stand for? How can a
country in the midst of a civil war allow for freedom of expression?
o Episode Five: 1863-The Universe of Battle
 Topics “uncovered:” The Women’s War, The Gettysburg Address, Role of
Black Americans
 Viewing Questions p. 26
 Discussion Questions:
o Why was the Battle of Gettysburg such an important northern victory?
How did Lincoln view the victory? Who took responsibility for the
Confederate defeat?
o In what ways did women contribute to the war effort? How do women
participate in war today? Have their roles changed? What issues did the
Civil War feminists address?
o The Shakers during the Civil War had been called the first conscientious
objectors. What does this term mean? If the US issued a draft tomorrow,
which students would consider themselves conscientious objectors? Would
it make a difference what the war was about? Is war morally right at
certain times and morally wrong at others?
o Episode Six: 1864-Valley of the Shadow of Death
 Topics “uncovered:” Grant’s Leadership, Medical Care, Introduction to
Sherman’s March to the Sea
 Viewing Questions p. 28
 Discussion Questions
o How did supplies reach troops during the Civil War? What types of
supplies would troops need in order to fight a war? How did the Union
blockades affect the flow of supplies into the South?
o The Civil War often split families apart. Where do students think one’s
loyalty should lie-- with one’s family or one’s country?
o Trace Sherman’s advance through the South. Which major cities lay in his
path? Why do some southerners, even today, consider him the greatest
villain of the war?
o Episode Eight: 1865-War is All Hell
 Topics “uncovered:” Sherman’s March and Emancipation, Appomattox
 Viewing Questions p. 34
 Discussion Questions
o What was the significance, respectively, of the fall of Savannah,
Charleston, and Richmond?
o What was the importance of the Freedmen’s Bureau?
o Compare and contrast Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address with his Second
Inaugural Address. What is the theme of each? How do they differ?
o Episode Nine: 1865-The Better Angels of Our Nature
 Topics “uncovered:” Assassination of Lincoln
 Viewing Questions p. 40

Discussion Questions
o Where did the phrase "reconstruction" come from? What were the
purposes of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments?
o What were the Jim Crow laws and how did they affect the lives of
southern blacks? What did "separate but equal" mean?
o Why do we commemorate wars? How is it important to a country and to
its veterans?
Assessment:
 Assessment can be informal and based on student responses. It can include teacher
observation of students’ participation and completion of response questions.
Extension:
Visit the PBS website for additional information, lessons, and projects:
http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/classroom/index.html
The Civil War Trunk is a possible extension activity. Contact Charles Albee, former
Board of Education member, for more information.
Episode Four: 1863-Simply Murder
Conditions of the War for the Johny Reb and Billy Yank

Viewing Questions p. 20

Discussion Questions:
 Why did the North have to resort to conscription (the “draft”) in 1863? Do
students believe the government should have the power of conscription? At
what point can the state impose on your liberty in order to defend the nation?

What was the cause of the Richmond bread riots? Why was the South so
harshly affected by inflation? When did the Confederates begin using their
own currency?

Who were the "Copperheads"? What ideals did they stand for? How can a
country in the midst of a civil war allow for freedom of expression?
Episode Five: 1863-The Universe of Battle
The Women’s War, The Gettysburg Address, Role of Black Americans

Viewing Questions p. 26

Discussion Questions:
 Why was the Battle of Gettysburg such an important northern victory? How
did Lincoln view the victory? Who took responsibility for the Confederate
defeat?

In what ways did women contribute to the war effort? How do women
participate in war today? Have their roles changed? What issues did the Civil
War feminists address?

The Shakers during the Civil War had been called the first conscientious
objectors. What does this term mean? If the US issued a draft tomorrow,
which students would consider themselves conscientious objectors? Would it
make a difference what the war was about? Is war morally right at certain
times and morally wrong at others?
Episode Six: 1864-Valley of the Shadow of Death
Grant’s Leadership, Medical Care, Introduction to Sherman’s March to the Sea

Viewing Questions p. 28

Discussion Questions
 How did supplies reach troops during the Civil War? What types of supplies
would troops need in order to fight a war? How did the Union blockades
affect the flow of supplies into the South?

The Civil War often split families apart. Where do students think one’s loyalty
should lie-- with one’s family or one’s country?

Trace Sherman’s advance through the South. Which major cities lay in his
path? Why do some southerners, even today, consider him the greatest villain
of the war?
Episode Eight: 1865-War is All Hell
Sherman’s March and Emancipation, Appomatox

Viewing Questions p. 34

Discussion Questions
 What was the significance, respectively, of the fall of Savannah, Charleston,
and Richmond?

What was the importance of the Freedmen’s Bureau?

Compare and contrast Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address with his Second
Inaugural Address. What is the theme of each? How do they differ?
Episode Nine: 1865-The Better Angels of Our Nature
Assassination of Lincoln

Viewing Questions p. 40

Discussion Questions
 Where did the phrase "reconstruction" come from? What were the purposes
of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments?

What were the Jim Crow laws and how did they affect the lives of southern
blacks? What did "separate but equal" mean?

Why do we commemorate wars? How is it important to a country and to its
veterans?
Gettysburg Address – Text Rendering
Pacing: 1 Day
Objectives:
 Students will collaboratively construct meaning, clarify, and expand their thinking
about The Gettysburg Address.
Materials:
 Text of The Gettysburg Address: http://americancivilwar.com/north/lincoln.html
 Highlighters
 Social Studies Notebook
 National School Reform Faculty: The Text Rendering Experience Protocol
http://www.nsrfharmony.org/protocol/doc/text_rendering.pdf
 Mp3 files of readings of The Gettysburg Address by Jeff Daniels, Sam Waterson, and
Johnny Cash http://www.fiftiesweb.com/usa/gettysburg-address.htm
Procedures:
 Warm up: Have students respond to the following question in their Social Studies
notebooks:
o What do I know about The Gettysburg Address?
 Have students share their responses in pairs, then debrief as a whole class. (The
students may have some very general ideas such as, it was a speech, Abraham
Lincoln gave it, it has something to do with ending slavery, and/or it starting with
“Four score and seven years ago.”)
 Take a few moments to review the power of a text rendering. Explain that the
students will be reading and analyzing The Gettysburg Address. They will first read
it once just to get a feel for the piece. The second time they read it, they will mark
the sentence, the phrase, and the word that they think are particularly important or
powerful. Going around the room, everyone in the class will share the sentences,
the phrases, and finally the words. Once everyone has shared, the group will
discuss what they heard and what they think the ideas that stuck out as most
powerful by the class say about the document. (As an alternative, you can have the
students listen to a dramatic reading of The Gettysburg Address for their first read.)
 Have the students read The Gettysburg Address twice (or listen once and read once)
– once to get a feel for the writing and once to mark up the text. After students
have indicated a powerful sentence, phrase, and word the sharing can begin.
 First Round: Each person shares a sentence from the document that he/she
thinks/feels is particularly significant. (Remind students that it is perfectly
fine to repeat an idea. The power of the text rendering protocol is that you
will REALLY hear the ideas that are most significance through the repetition.)
 Second Round: Each person shares a phrase that he/she thinks/feels is
particularly significant. (Again, repetition is fine.)
Third Round: Each person shares the word that he/she thinks/feels is
particularly significant. (This is where the repetition will be most powerful.)
The group discusses what they heard and what it says about the document.
The group shares any new insights about the document.
The group debriefs the text rendering process.
Finally have the students reflect in their Social Studies Notebooks any new insights
they have gained by the text rendering experience.
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Assessment:
Assessment can be informal and based on student responses. It can include teacher
observation of students’ participation and completion of text rendering choices and
response questions. Students can receive a check plus, check, or check minus based
on teacher observation.
Abraham Lincoln
The Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a
new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any
nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a
great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it as a final
resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is
altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But in a larger sense we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not
hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled, here, have
consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little
note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did
here.
It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which
they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to
the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take
increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of
devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain;
that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of
the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Allan Pinkerton of the secret service, President Lincoln, and Major General
John McClernand, 1862
GENESIS OF THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS.
The theme of the Gettysburg Address was not entirely new. President Lincoln was
aware of Daniel Webster's statement in 1830 that the origin of our government and
the source of its power is "the people's constitution, the people's government; made
for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people." Lincoln had read
Supreme Court Justice John Marshall's opinion, which states: "The government of the
Union . . . is emphatically and truly a government of the people. . . Its powers are
granted by them and are to be exercised directly on them, and for their benefit." In a
ringing anti-slavery address in Boston in 1858, Rev. Theodore Parker, the noted
minister, defined democracy as "a government of all the people, by all the people, for
all the people." On a copy of this address in Lincoln's papers, this passage is encircled
with pencil marks. But Lincoln did not merely repeat this theme; he transformed it into
America's greatest patriotic utterance. With the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln gave
meaning to the sacrifice of the dead—he gave inspiration to the living.
Rather than accept the address as a few brief notes hastily prepared on the route
to Gettysburg (an assumption which has long gained much public acceptance), it
should be regarded as a pronouncement of the high purpose dominant in Lincoln's
thinking throughout the war. Habitually cautious of words in public address, spoken or
written, it is not likely that the President, on such an occasion, failed to give careful
thought to the words which he would speak. After receiving the belated invitation on
November 2, he yet had ample time to prepare for the occasion, and the well-known
correspondent Noah Brooks stated that several days before the dedication Lincoln told
him in Washington that his address would be "short, short, short" and that it was
"written, but not finished."
THE FIVE AUTOGRAPH COPIES OF THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS.
Even after his arrival at Gettysburg the President continued to put finishing touches
to his address. The first page of the original text was written in ink on a sheet of
Executive Mansion paper. The second page, either written or revised at the Wills
residence, was in pencil on a sheet of foolscap, and, according to Lincoln's secretary,
Nicolay, the few words changed in pencil at the bottom of the first page were added
while in Gettysburg. The second draft of the address was written in Gettysburg probably
on the morning of its delivery, as it contains certain phrases that are not in the first draft
but are in the reports of the address as delivered and in subsequent copies made by
Lincoln. It is probable, as stated in the explanatory note accompanying the original copies
of the first and second drafts in the Library of Congress, that it was the second draft,
which Lincoln held in his hand when he delivered the address. Quite opposite to Lincoln's
feeling, expressed soon after the delivery of the address, that it "would not scour," the
President lived long enough to think better of it himself and to see it widely accepted as a
master piece. Early in 1864, Mr. Everett requested him to join in presenting manuscripts
of the two addresses given at Gettysburg to be bound in a volume and sold for the
benefit of stricken soldiers at a Sanitary Commission Fair in New York. The draft Lincoln
sent became the third autograph copy, known as the Everett-Keyes copy, and it is now in
the possession of the Illinois State Historical Library.
George Bancroft requested a copy in April 1864, to be included in Autograph Leaves
of Our Country's Authors. This volume was to be sold at a Soldiers' and Sailors' Sanitary
Fair in Baltimore. As this fourth copy was written on both sides of the paper, it proved
unusable for this purpose, and Mr. Bancroft was allowed to keep it. This autograph draft
is known as the Bancroft copy, as it remained in that family for many years. It has
recently been presented to the Cornell University Library. Finding that the copy written
for Autograph Leaves could not be used, Mr. Lincoln wrote another, a fifth draft, which
was accepted for the purpose requested. It is the only draft to which he affixed his
signature. In all probability it was the last copy written by Lincoln, and because of the
apparent care in its preparation it has become the standard version of the address. This
draft was owned by the family of Col. Alexander Bliss, publisher of Autograph Leaves,
and is known as the Bliss copy. It now hangs in the Lincoln Room of the White House, a
gift of Oscar B. Cintas, former Cuban Ambassador to the United States.
photograph taken Nov. 8 1863
http://americancivilwar.com/north/lincoln.html August 3, 2009
Was Reconstruction a Remedy?
Pacing: 3 Days
Objectives:
 Students will analyze the opposing views of Reconstruction.
 Students will identify those who supported the competing views.
 Students will evaluate whether Reconstruction was a success or failure.
Materials:
 Key Terms handout
 Sticky notes
 Economical, Political and Social Chart
 Economical, Political and Social Cards
 Political Cartoons
Key Terms:
Reconstruction (n.) Period of time between 1865-1877 in which the federal
government attempted to rebuild and reunify with the
Southern states that seceded from the nation.
Scalawag (n.)
Southerner who supported the North during Reconstruction;
considered a traitor by other southerners.
Carpetbagger (n.) Northerner who went South during Reconstruction to make
money or get rich quick.
Freedman (n.)
Freed slave after Civil War
Radical Republicans (n.) Members of Congress from Northern states who
wanted the South to pay for the Civil War.
Sharecroppers (n.) freedman became sharecroppers; worked for landowners,
received a share of the crops and a place to stay, often
owed money to landowner for farming supplies
Jim Crow Laws (n.) Laws passed in former Confederate states to control exslaves limiting their civil liberties
th
13 Amendment (n.) banned slavery in the United States and in
territories.
14th Amendment (n.) granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to
all persons born in the United States
th
15 Amendment (n.) Gave African-American male citizens the right to vote
Freedman’s Bureau (n.) created schools, hospitals, industrial institutes, teacher
training centers, and distributed food and clothing to
freedman
Lincoln’s 10% Plan (n.) Allowed Southern states re-enter the Union with 10%
taking a loyalty oath.
Johnson’s Plan (n.) A more sympathetic approach that issued pardons to white
southerners with minimal requirements to reenter the Union
Procedures:
Day 1
 Homework in preparation for the day’s lesson: Distribute the Key Terms for
this lesson. Have students illustrate or draw a symbol for each definition.
 Warm Up: Before students enter, set up three separate areas for student
groups according to the following categories: economic, social, and political.
Place sticky notes at each group’s station. As students enter the classroom,
sort them into heterogeneous groups by giving them cards labeled
“Economic,” “Social,” or “Political.” (It is recommended that the cards be
laminated for future use.) Students should sit with their corresponding
group. Ask students to review their Civil War notes and/or readings and
respond to the following prompt in their Social Studies notebooks:
o The majority of the Civil War was fought in the South. In what specific
ways did the South need to be rebuilt (socially, politically, and
economically)?
 After students have enough time to respond they may share their responses
on a class chart by placing their sticky notes under the corresponding
category: Social, Political, Economic. Students should then record responses
as the teacher reviews the responses. Note commonalities on the chart.
 Either in whole class discussion or by responding to the following in Social
Studies notebooks, address the following:
o After the United States invaded Iraq and captured their dictator,
Sadam Hussein, did they have a responsibility to help rebuild the
country? Explain.
 Allow students to discuss with a partner/group. Elicit student volunteers to
share as a whole class.
 Closure: Post the key terms on the board and elicit student volunteers to
share their definitions or illustrations.
Day 2
 Keep students in the same group from the previous day.
 Distribute a set of the Political Cartoons to each group (include the
descriptions or at least part of the descriptions). Have each group match
each cartoon to one or more key terms. All group members should record
responses on the student handout. Teacher should monitor student
responses.
 Whole class review. Review lesson by discussing Thomas Nast’s point of view
of Reconstruction.
 Closure: Give each group an identity: White Southerners, Freedman, or
Radical Republicans and have each group create a title for each of Nast’s
political cartoon that depicts its identity’s point of view regarding
Reconstruction.
Day 3
 Direct Students to create a T-chart and to label the left, “concepts” and the
right, “summary” in their Social Studies notebooks. Please direct students to
write the following concepts on the left while skipping 5 lines for each:
o Forty Acres and a Mule
o Plantations in Ruin
o Black Legislators
o Northerners in the South
o Access to Learning
o Sharecropping: New Slavery
o The Negro Question
o White Men Unite
 Show clips from the PBS documentary, Reconstruction: The Second Civil War.
Video clips that correspond to each concept may be found at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/reconstruction/40acres/program_clips.html.
Allow students time to summarize the big idea from each clip. Differentiate
instruction by downloading the transcript from each clip and provide students
with a copy. Teacher should monitor student responses for understanding.
Assessment:
 Assessment can be informal and based on student responses. It can include
teacher observation of students’ participation and completion of response
questions and foldable. Students can receive a check plus, check, or check
minus based on teacher observation.
Extension:
 Direct students to read one of the recommended books or visit a
recommended website to learn more at:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/reconstruction/40acres/index.html
Resources:
PBS (2008). American experience: reconstruction: the second civil war.
Retrieved August 22, 2008 from the website
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/reconstruction/index.html
Schultz, S. (1999). Reconstructing the nation. Retrieved June 26, 2008 from the
website http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/lectures/lecture01.html
Historical Background for Teachers:
When the Civil War ended in 1865, the Southern states were left
devastated in a number of ways – socially, politically, and economically. The
President and Congress were left with the difficult task of reuniting the Southern
states with their Northern brethren. When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in
April of 1865, the direction that Reconstruction would take was left in question.
Lincoln’s successor, Andrew Johnson, was a Southern Democrat who took a very
sympathetic, conciliatory approach to Reconstruction. Johnson proposed that
the states rejoin the Union after taking an oath of loyalty to the Union.
Additionally, he proposed that ex-Confederates be pardoned, with provisions for
being able to regain their land. Johnson opposed much of the civil rights
legislation (save for the 13th amendment) that was later passed for freedmen –
recently freed black slaves. Johnson opposed black male suffrage rights under
the 15th amendment.
Johnson’s approach brought him into constant conflict with Congress,
especially the Radical Republicans. The Radical Republicans were a faction of
Congress that favored massive reform in the Southern states, including military
occupation to achieve these reforms in Southern social and political life. For
example, it was the Radical Republicans who created legislation for the
Freedmen’s Bureau (over a Johnson veto). The Freedmen’s Bureau was a
federal organization created to feed, clothe, house, and educate former slaves.
The early years of Reconstruction saw some significant changes in
Southern Reconstruction governments, as some former slaves won positions in
their respective legislatures. But the decade was filled with conflict and violence,
as Southern “redeemers” – through the intimidation of the Ku Klux Klan resisted Northern Reconstruction attempts to push them out of power. Thus, the
era is filled with many differing viewpoints on Reconstruction, as the primary
source documents in the following lesson will indicate. Historians have often
differed throughout time on the essential question: was Reconstruction a success
or a failure? It should be noted that today an overwhelming portion of academia
would acknowledge that the Jim Crow era rendered Reconstruction a failure.
Economic
Social
Political
Economic
Social
Political
Economic
Social
Political
Economic
Social
Political
Economic
Social
Political
Student handout
Economic
Social
Political
Reconstruction Dictionary
Reconstruction (n.) Period of time between 1865-1877 in which
the federal government attempted to rebuild and reunify
with the Southern states that seceded from the nation
Scalawag (n.) Southerner who supported the North during
Reconstruction; considered a traitor by other southerners.
Carpetbagger (n.) Northerner who went South during
Reconstruction to make money or get rich quick.
Freedman (n.) Freed slave after Civil War
Radical Republicans (n.) Members of Congress from Northern
states who wanted the South to pay for the Civil War
Sharecroppers (n.) Freedman became sharecroppers; worked for
landowners, received a share of the crops and a place to
stay, often owed money to landowner for farming supplies
Jim Crow Laws (n.) Laws passed in former Confederate states to
control ex-slaves limiting their civil liberties
13th Amendment (n.) Banned slavery in the United States and its
territories
14th Amendment (n.) Granted citizenship and equal protection
under the law to all persons born in the United States
15th Amendment (n.) Gave African-American male citizens the right
to vote
Freedman’s Bureau (n.) created schools, hospitals, industrial
institutes, teacher training centers, and distributed food and
clothing to freedman
Lincoln’s 10% Plan (n.)
Allowed Southern states re-enter the
Union with 10% taking a loyalty oath
Johnson’s Plan (n.)A more sympathetic approach that issued
pardons to white southerners with minimal requirements to
reenter the Union
Thomas Nast Analyzes Reconstruction
The following political cartoons and descriptions are taken directly from:
www.pbs.org/.../reconstruction/nast/index.html
Laminate and distribute a set of 4 to each group.
March 23, 1867
In this commentary on President Andrew Johnson's
veto of the military government bill, Nast portrays the scales
of justice favoring the South and the Confederate Army.
September 2, 1876
Recognizing the failure of Reconstruction, Nast asks, "Is This
a Republican Form of Government? Is This Protecting Life,
Liberty, or Property? Is This the Equal Protection of the
Laws?"
"One Less Vote."
The Fourteenth Amendment, granting black men the
right to vote, was ratified in July 1868. Every black
vote became a threat to white Southerners' political
power. The stone reads, "Negroe Killed, Seymour
Ratification, KKK."
September 5, 1868
"This Is a White Man's Government."
Nast's view of the Democratic platform for the divisive
presidential election of 1868 places the Democratic
candidate in partnership with the poor Irish of the North and
loyal Confederates of the South (and its Lost Cause) to keep
black men from gaining access to government.
Directions:
o Sketch a depiction of the cartoon inside the frame.
o Label the top of the frame with the KEY TERM that relates to the cartoon.
o Write the message (BIG IDEA) of the cartoon at the bottom of the frame.
Did Nast believe Reconstruction was a success or failure? Explain
Glory
Pacing: 4 Days
Objectives:
 Students will explore the trials and tribulations in the attempt to raise the first
African American regiment to fight on the front lines of the Civil War.
 Students will analyze the Civil War through the African American perspective
and explore the effects of their participation in this fight for abolition.
Key Terms: Flog, emancipation, abolition, enlisted
Materials:
 Glory, Directed by Edward Zwick (educators’ copy in each school)
 Cast Sheet: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097441/ (PowerPoint attached.)
Procedure:
Day 1
 Warm Up 1: Review the cast of characters to aid in understanding of the
movie. Encourage students to keep notes on each character throughout the
story to use in daily discussions.
 Watch Movie- Chapters 1-9
*Questions follow each section and are used as a discussion tool.
There is not going to be enough time to discuss every question. Use
the questions provided as a guide for discussion.
 Possible discussion questions:
o Why might Colonel Shaw decide to take on the regiment?
o Why does Shaw reprimand Major Forbes for “fraternizing” with Thomas
Searles?
o Why was Sgt. Mulcahy brought to the 54th? How did his behavior make
the soldiers feel? Do you think he should have acted differently? Explain.
o In the letter to his mother, Colonel Shaw mentions that the men learn
faster than white troops, why might this be?
o When Shaw reads the note from Lincoln, what is the mood of the
moment? Why do the men stay? How do the officers respond to this
warning from Lincoln?
Day 2
 Warm up 2: Recap movie from yesterday and clarify any confusion.
 Begin movie from chapter 10-16
o What was Thomas’s reaction to the idea that the black troops would
not be allowed to fight?
o Is Colonel Shaw questioning his faith in the troops when he sees their
behavior when the troops are issued their weapons?
o When Colonel Shaw begins yelling at Sharts, what is his goal? Why is
he making Sharts respond faster when loading his rifle?
o How was Shaw’s treatment of Thomas in the 54th different than their
prior relationship? Was that important or not? Explain and support
your opinion.
o List and explain emotions hat YOU felt during the scene when “Trip” is
flogged for desertion. Did Colonel Shaw make the right decision?
Support your response with events from the movie.
o At the Christmas dinner, what realization does Shaw come to? What
events lead to this realization?
o How did Shaw’s experience with the other officers change his ideas of
the 54th and their needs?
o Ultimately, how does Colonel Shaw get the shoes he needed for his
troops?
o When the troops are offered a lesser wage than white soldiers, how
does Shaw gain the respect of the 54th? Was not taking this pay a
sacrifice?
Day 3
 Warm up 3: Recap movie from yesterday and clarify confusion. Encourage
students to ask clarifying questions.
 Watch movie chapters 17-25
o Why was making Rawlins an officer (Sgt. Major) so important? How
did this help begin to change history?
o What commonalities did you see between Sgt. Major Rawlins and Col.
Shaw during this time?
o What emotions might the children of the south have had seeing the
54th marching through their streets? How may this have changed their
views of their own destiny?
o Colonel Montgomery has different character traits than Colonel Shaw.
How are his ideals different that Shaw’s?
o Regarding the burning of the town, how did Colonel Montgomery force
Shaw to follow his orders? How did Shaw respond and why did Shaw
ultimately respond to these orders?
o Did Colonel Shaw make the right decision to fire upon the town? Is
there ever a good enough reason to perform an immoral act?
o Shaw realizes that the intent of the Union was to use the 54th, and all
African-American soldiers, as workers rather than fighters. How does
this influence the morale of the troops?
o What happens to some members of the 54th when they encounter
“white” soldiers marching to fight on the frontlines?
o Why does Trip talk about the “white man” with disdain? Why does
Thomas have such a different opinion of “whites” than Trip?
o Rawlins confronts Trip regarding his opinions. What does Rawlins say
to change the opinions of the 54th soldiers? How does he relate the
Union army of “white” to those of the 54th?
o How does Shaw finally get his regiment an assignment on the front
lines (James Island)? How does he make this happen?
o How does the 54th respond to this assignment? Did they rise to the
occasion?
o What style of warfare did they use during Civil War? What would have
been a more effective tactic?
o Thinking back to the beginning of the movie when the 54th were given
their weapons. Reflect on Col. Shaw’s reactions. Was this
foreshadowing? Why? Why not?
o Thomas saves Trip during this battle at James Island, SC. How does
this change their relationship? Why was this significant?
o Thomas asks Shaw not to send him home due to his injury, why?
What changes has Thomas gone through? What character traits does
he possess at this time?
o Shaw asks Trip to carry the flag in battle. Why this is considered an
honor? Why does Trip decline the opportunity?
Day 4
 Warm up 4: Recap movie from yesterday and clarify confusion. Encourage
students to ask clarifying questions.
 Watch Movie chapters 26 to end
o Trip goes through a major change throughout his experience as a
soldier. How has his personality changed? Was his anger in the
beginning justified? Why or Why not?
o Shaw asks Gen. Strong for the 54th to lead the attack on Ft. Wagner.
Why did he call this an honor? There is no cover for these soldiers.
o What does Shaw mean by “Strength of Heart”?
o What is the significance of the spiritual around the fire? Being the first
troop in, can you predict why these spirituals were so important?
Sharts speaking is a big step for his character. Why? How did Sharts
begin his journey within the 54th?
o Trip speaks during the spirituals. What does he reveal about himself?
Why is this important toward his transformation?
o What was the mood as the 54th began their preparations to lead the
attack on Ft Wagner?
o As the 54th is marching to the front of the soldiers, who does the 54th
encounter? Why was seeing the same soldiers significant? How did
these soldiers treat the 54th?
o Who steps up to carry the flag into battle? Why does Thomas agree to
do this?
o After Thomas falls, who picks up the flag? How has Trip’s character
changed from the beginning of the move?
o Typically, Officers did not lead their troop into battle on the front lines,
why did Shaw lead his troops? How does this reflect his strength as a
leader?
o Compare Shaw’s strength in the last scene to the first scene. How did
he change?
o Although Ft. Wagner was not taken by the Union troops, how did the
bravery of the 54th change the tide of the war?
Assessment:
Teacher will monitor understanding throughout discussion. Teacher can choose
one question and assign for homework.
Extensions:
Students will choose two characters and compare their behaviors, character
traits, and social interactions throughout the movie.
Character 1
Character 2
Behaviors
Behaviors
Character traits
Character traits
Social interactions
Social interactions