Download Civil War Perspectives Short Story: Review the following excerpts

Civil War Perspectives Short Story: Review the following excerpts from each of the identified
perspectives (Women, African-Americans, Soldiers, Slaves, Children).
 Review the information below describing each perspective group during the Civil War
 Complete the Explicit vs. Implicit – Civil War Perspectives Graphic Organizer for each perspective
group.
WOMEN
“Women during the 19th century filled a specific role in society. In this time period, historians called women’s
place in society the “cult of domesticity.” Acceptable tasks for women often if not always confined them to the
house. Historian Barbara Welters referred to a woman of this time period as the “hostage of the home.” From an
early age females learned to cook, clean, sew and raise children, domestic duties that gave women a supposed
elevated position in society. The cardinal virtues of true women were seen as piety, purity, submissiveness and
domesticity.”
“There were many women playing important roles in the Civil War, including nurses, spies, soldiers, abolitionists,
civil rights advocates and promoters of women’s suffrage. Most women were engaged in supplying the troops
with food, clothing, medical supplies, and even money through fundraising.”
Source Citation: "Women In The Civil War." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online RSS.
N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015.
AFRICAN AMERICANS
“African-Americans served in the in the Civil War on both the Union and Confederate side. In the Union army,
over 179,000 African American men served in over 160 units, as well as more serving in the Navy and in support
positions. This number comprised of both northern free African Americans and runaway slaves from the South
who enlisted to fight. In the Confederacy, African-Americans were still slaves and they served mostly in labor
positions. By 1865, the South allowed slaves to enlist but very few actually did.”
“Blacks on both sides of the war served in relief roles, for example, working as nurses, cooks, and blacksmiths.
The South refused to arm blacks but used them to build fortifications and perform camp duties; many Northern
officers refused to believe black troops would fight, and so they were often assigned to non-combat duties or
placed in the rear guarding railroads and bridges. Blacks also served as spies and scouts to the Union Army,
providing valuable information about Confederate forces, plans, and familiar terrain.”
“Black Union soldiers did not receive equal pay or equal treatment. They were paid $10 a month, with $3
deducted from that pay for clothing—white soldiers received $13 a month with no clothing deduction—until
June 1864, when Congress granted retroactive equal pay.”
Source Citation: "African Americans In The Civil War." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History
Online RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015.
SOLDIERS
“About 2.75 million soldiers fought in the Civil War — 2 million for the North and 750,000 for the South.
The Average Soldier
According to historian Bell I. Wiley, who pioneered the study of the Civil War common soldier, the average Yank
or Reb was a ‘white, native-born, farmer, protestant, single, between 18 and 29.’ He stood about 5 feet 8 inches
tall and weighed about 143 pounds. Most soldiers were between the ages of 18 and 39 with an average age just
under 26.”
“The Odds Against Them
Of every 1,000 Feder-als, 112 were wounded; 150 of every 1,000 Confederates were hit. A Yankee stood a 1 in 8
chance of dying due to illness and a 1 in 18 chance of dying in battle. A Rebel faced a 1 in 5 chance of succumbing
to disease and a 1 in 8 chance of dying in combat.”
Source Citation: "Civil War Soldiers." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online RSS. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015.
SLAVES
“Virginia had the largest population of enslaved African Americans of any state in the Confederacy, and those
slaves responded to the American Civil War (1861–1865) in a variety of ways. Some volunteered to assist the
Confederate war effort, while many others were forced to support the Confederacy, working on farms and in
factories and households throughout Virginia. Thousands escaped to the Union army's lines, earning their
freedom and forcing the United States to develop a uniform policy regarding emancipation. Others remained on
their home plantations and farms but took advantage of the war to gain some measure of autonomy for their
families. Slaves' wartime actions most often exhibited their strong desire for freedom, and even those who chose
not to escape frequently welcomed the Union army as liberators.”
Source Citation: "Slavery During the Civil War." Slavery During the Civil War. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015.
“…during the Civil War many slaves fled their owners as soon as they could, heading north or wherever "behind
Union lines" took them. Many others could not leave or would not leave without their families, often convinced
that the Yankees were their enemies, too. And, finally, many were loyal to their slaveholders, defending them
and their property from raiding Yankees while simultaneously yearning for a Union victory—a dual loyalty
unfathomable to most slaveholders, and aptly expressed by Martin Jackson, who accompanied his slaveholder in
the First Texas Cavalry: "I wanted [the Yankees] to win and lick us Southerners, but I hoped they was going to do
it without wiping out our company." Here we read selections to illustrate the range of attitude and experience
during the war, excerpted from 19th- and 20th-century narratives of formerly enslaved African Americans.”
Source Citation: "Slave Life during the Civil War, Emancipation of Enslaved African Americans, African American
Identity: Vol. I, 1500-1865, Primary Resources in U.S. History and Literature, Toolbox Library, National Humanities
Center." Slave Life during the Civil War, Emancipation of Enslaved African Americans, African American Identity:
Vol. I, 1500-1865, Primary Resources in U.S. History and Literature, Toolbox Library, National Humanities Center.
N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015.
CHILDREN
“Children were an active, enthusiastic, and critical part of Civil War society. They comprised a much bigger
portion of the US population in 1860 than in the 21st century, with persons under age 19 making up nearly half of
the population (compared to less than 25% today). Children played an important role on the home front
supporting the war effort, and many soldiers on both sides invoked the future of their children as to why the war
should be fought and won at any cost. A number of children took up arms with their elders and served as
enlisted soldiers or regimental musicians. While we don't know how many children enlisted during the Civil War,
we do know that around 48 soldiers who were under the age of 18 won the Congressional Medal of Honor for
their bravery and service.”
“In these few months” wrote twelve year old Celine Fremaux of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, “my childhood had
slipped away from me. Necessity, human obligations, family pride and patriotism had taken entire possession of
my little emaciated body.” Children on the Civil War home front encountered trials, hardships, and violence that
forced them to grow up quickly amidst a nation at war with itself.”
“I told [my sister] I had to go down town,” wrote Elisha Stockwell of Wisconsin, recalling his hasty enlistment at
the age of 15 “She said, 'Hurry back, for dinner will soon be ready.' But I didn’t get back for two years.”
Role of Boys in the War:
“Once enlisted, the boys would perform a number of important functions within a regiment. Some were regular,
enlisted soldiers, but others would become musicians, mounted couriers or runners, hospital attendants, guards,
orderlies, chaplain assistants, water carriers, or barbers. At sea, they would serve as cabin boys, galley helpers,
and powder boys.”
Source Citation: Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015.
Explicit vs. Implicit Graphic Organizer – Civil War Perspectives
Perspective Explicit: How was each group viewed in American
Implicit: What does the quote imply? What can you
Group:
society in the 1860s? Give a description and write guess about each group based on the info/quote?
at least one exact quote.
Women
AfricanAmericans
Soldiers
Slaves
Children
Evidence: How do you know? What
clues did you use from the text?
(list words/phrases)
Civil War Perspectives Short Story
Name:_________________________________
o Write a short story about the Civil War including characters and experiences that each of these
groups of people may have been a part of in the 1860s immediately before, during and just after
the Civil War (1860-1865).
o Be creative! Your story must be at least 3 paragraphs in length and your storyline must include
something happening with each type of person identified in the perspectives activity (Women,
African-Americans, Soldiers, Slaves, Children).
o You can create fictional characters and/or use real people in your story.
o Keep it based in reality and draw from the notes and discussions we have had about the realities
of the Civil War.
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(Story Title – Be creative!)
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(add notebook paper if you need more space – or you may type your short story)
Civil War Perspective Fictional Short Story Grading Rubric
CATEGORY
Setting
Exceptional (10-8)
Many vivid, descriptive
words are used to tell
when and where the
story took place.
Good (7-6)
Some vivid, descriptive
words are used to tell
the audience when
and where the story
took place.
Fair (5-4)
The reader can figure
out when and where
the story took place,
but the author didn't
supply much detail.
Poor (3-0)
The reader has
trouble figuring out
when and where the
story took place.
Perspectives
The 5 perspectives are
included. Most readers
could recognize the
perspectives of
characters accurately.
There is an appropriate
amount of dialogue to
bring the characters to
life and it is always clear
which character is
speaking.
The story is very well
organized. One idea or
scene follows another
in a logical sequence
with clear transitions.
3 or fewer
perspectives are
included. The reader
can tell very little
about the
perspectives.
There is not quite
enough dialogue in
this story, but it is
always clear which
character is speaking.
Story is missing most
of perspectives and
has very little, if any
detail.
Dialogue
Less than 5 of the
perspectives are
included. Most
readers would have
some idea for the
perspective included.
There is too much
dialogue in this story,
but it is always clear
which character is
speaking.
The story is pretty well
organized. One idea or
scene may seem out
of place. Clear
transitions are used.
The story is a little
hard to follow. The
transitions are
sometimes not clear.
Ideas and scenes
seem to be
randomly arranged.
Organization
It is not clear which
character is
speaking.
Creativity
The story contains
many creative details
and/or descriptions that
contribute to the
reader's enjoyment and
understanding of the
Civil War time period.
The author has really
used his/her
imagination.
The story contains a
few creative details
and/or descriptions
that contribute to the
reader's enjoyment
and has some relevant
connections to the
Civil War time period.
The author has used
his/her imagination.
The story contains a
few creative details
and/or descriptions,
but they distract from
the story and may not
be related to the Civil
War time period. The
author has tried to use
his/her imagination.
There is little
evidence of
creativity in the
story. The author
does not seem to
have used much
imagination. The
story is unrelated to
the Civil War time
period.
Mechanics
The story contains no
errors in grammar,
usage, or mechanics.
The story contains
few minor errors in
grammar, usage, or
mechanics.
The story contains
many and/or serious
errors in grammar,
usage, or mechanics;
may interfere with
reading.
The story contains
so many errors in
grammar, usage,
and mechanics
that errors block
reading.
Grade/Comments:
_____/60