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Encountering History:
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
Constructing an historical account
1. How was the battle fought?
2. What factors led to the ending?
3. Can blame for the Union defeat be affixed?
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
Constructing An Historical Account
1. Supporting Student Success
A. Very Complex Task--Higher Order Thinking (HOT)
B. Encouraging Success
1. Break task down into manageable pieces
2. Scaffold: Help think without thinking for them
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
The Historical Context
April 1861:
July 1861:
Oct. 1861:
Fort Sumter
First Bull Run (Manassas)
Ball’s Bluff
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
I.
Gathering Evidence: Reenact the Battle
A.
Battle Group Roles
1. Group Leader (Battle Orders)
2. Geographers
3. Sequencer
4. Recorder
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
I.
Gathering Evidence: Reenact the Battle
Roles
1. Group Leader
2. Geographers
A
Ben
Jared
3.
4.
Jackie
Matthew
Sequencer
Recorder
B
Bethany
Francie
Brittany
Blake
Haley
C
Paige
Matt
Derek
Lindsey
Felicia
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
I.
Gathering Evidence: Reenact the Battle
The Union Chain of Command
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
II.
New Evidence: Document Analysis
Document
#25 Lindsey, Felicia
#26 Paige, Matt, Derek
#27 Bethany, Francie, Brittany
#28 Blake, Haley, Matthew
#29 Ben, Jared, Jackie
Complete Worksheet G in preparation for next class
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
I. Battle Reenactment
A. Fight Battle
- Individual Roles
-Group Product
-WHOLE CLASS DEBRIEF
B. Synthesis & Hypothesis Formation
II. New Evidence: Letter Analysis
A. Individual decoding
** Guiding Questions
(Historical Thinking)
-WHOLE CLASS DEBRIEF
** Data Retrieval Chart
( Simple -> Complex)
** Guiding Questions
(Weigh sources)
B. Expert Groups Synthesize
(Hypothesis Testing)
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
Lesson Sequence: Day 2
1. Review battle outcome factors and hypotheses
2. Expert group synthesis of new evidence
3. Report findings to class
4. Weigh sources
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
Constructing an historical account
1. How was the battle fought?
2. What factors led to the ending?
3. Can blame for the Union defeat be affixed?
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
Lesson Sequence
Review battle outcome factors and hypotheses
1.
McClellan orders slight demonstration. Stone sends Philbrick across the
river to scout & report.
2. Philbrick mistakenly reports small enemy camp. Stone orders Devens to
attack camp at daybreak. One company on cliffs to cover return.
3. Baker is ordered to push the enemy if he can keep them in front. If they are
pushed Stone will send Gorman in on the flank. Baker is to report frequently.
4. Devens finds Philbrick made a mistake. Advances to within a mile of Leesburg
& awaits further orders.
5. Baker is given discretion for advancing or retreating. He spends morning trying
to get cannon across. He sends no orders to Devens. Hearing cries, he decides
to reinforce rather than retreat.
6. Weapons are inferior.
7. Transportation across river is inadequate.
8. Field commander, Baker is killed.
9. Gorman never put into action.
10. No cover for retreating troops.
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
Lesson Sequence
Hypothesis Testing: Analysis of New Evidence
1. Who wrote the letter? To whom? Why?
2. What does the writer give as causes for Union defeat?
3. Does the writer ascribe the results to good Confederate
leadership, poor Union leadership, other causes?
4. Is anyone explicitly or implicitly blamed?
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
II.
New Evidence: Document Analysis
Document
#25 Lindsey, Felicia
#26 Paige, Matt, Derek
#27 Bethany, Francie, Brittany
#28 Blake, Haley, Matthew
#29 Ben, Jared, Jackie
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
Lesson Sequence
Hypothesis Testing: Analysis of New Evidence
1. Who wrote the letter? To whom? Why?
2. What does the writer give as causes for Union defeat?
3. Does the writer ascribe the results to good Confederate
leadership, poor Union leadership, other causes?
4. Is anyone explicitly or implicitly blamed?
Whole Class Synthesis: Groups Report Analysis
McClellan
1. Commander of Army of
the Potomac
2. Did not contemplate an
attack or a crossing in force
3. Poor leadership
Stone
Baker/Young
Commanding Field Gene ral Part of Baker's staff
Evans
Confed. Field Commander
Baker:
-made bad decision to cross
all of the men
-Took hr. to load boat
-Neglected to lead
-Brought cavalry back
before scouted
-failed to send orde rs to
advance troops
-set no boa t passage ord er
-chose bad position for
landing
-moved men from
defensive position
Poor leadership
-Heroism & gallantry of s.
soldiers
-N. position discovered
from prisoner of war
-Transportation was bad
-Confusion on field after
Baker's death
-Poor position
-Hard to move artil lery
-Rebels had good supplies
Lack of leadership;
leadership not available
4. Implies surprise at
Explicitly states Baker is to None
Stone's misinterpretation of blame
his orders
Good confed. leadership
None
Hinks
19th Mass Vols. Took
command at crossing
-No competent officer at
crossing
-Transport not adequate for
either attack or retreat
-Land ing poorly chosen
-Crossing po int should be
different
-Poor position
poor leadership; lack of
leadership
Stone: choosing site;
transport
Baker: choosing crossing
point; no officer at crossing
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
I. Battle Reenactment
A. Fight Battle
- Individual Roles
-Group Product
-WHOLE CLASS DEBRIEF
B. Synthesis & Hypothesis Formation
II. New Evidence: Letter Analysis
A. Individual decoding
** Guiding Questions
(Historical Thinking)
-WHOLE CLASS DEBRIEF
** Data Retrieval Chart
( Simple -> Complex)
** Guiding Questions
(Weigh sources)
B. Expert Groups Synthesize
(Hypothesis Testing)
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
Analysis of Battle Reports
** Weigh Sources
A. What is the bias of each writer?
WHOLE CLASS DEBRIEF
B. Who is most credible? Least credible?
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
III. Synthesis of Evidence
** Reorganize for
Meaning
A. Conceptual Grouping: Establish Categories of
Factors
-Individual Accountability
WHOLE CLASS DEBRIEF
B. Individual Organizing & Evaluation of Evidence
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
Synthesis: Factors in the Battle’s Outcome
Communi cation
Information
Supply
Speed
Judgme nt
Orga nization
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
III. Synthesis of Evidence
** Reorganize for
Meaning
A. Conceptual Grouping: Establish Categories of
Factors
-Individual Accountability
WHOLE CLASS DEBRIEF
B. Individual Organizing & Evaluation of Evidence
IV. Generalizations
A. Evaluate the Battle
-Individual Accountability
WHOLE CLASS DEBRIEF
B. Closure: Extend to Big Ideas
1. Implications for other Civil War Battles
2. Implications for other wars
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
The outcome
1. Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War
2. Stone charged with disloyalty
a. Served 189 days in prison
b. Released and fought in Louisiana
c. Carried disgrace after the war
d. Went to Egypt; Chief of Staff until 1880
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
•
Was the outcome of the investigation justified?
•
How might the outcome have influenced other
events in the war?
McClellan to his wife: “I don’t want to end up like Stone.”
•
Do the events of Ball’s Bluff raise a persistent issue that
might have implications for other wars?
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
Ball’s Bluff and Persistent Issues
•
Should military or political leaders play the primary role
in prosecuting a war?
•
Other instances when this question has arisen?
Discussion Groups: History
Ben: Sarah, John, Kristen
Dylan: Morgan, Christal
Tommy: Celeste, Hunter
Leah: Matthew, Melanie
Teaching History
I.
HOW SHOULD HISTORY BE PRESENTED TO 6-12 STUDENTS?
* What is History good for? Why teach History?
Teaching History
I.
HOW SHOULD HISTORY BE PRESENTED TO 6-12 STUDENTS?
* What is History good for? Why teach History?
Citizenship: How can history help?
•
Historical Perspective: How did we get this way?
•
Apply lessons from the past to today?
•
Promote identity with community/nation?
Teaching History
I.
HOW SHOULD HISTORY BE PRESENTED TO 6-12 STUDENTS?
* What is History good for? Why teach History?
Citizenship: How can history help?
•
Patriotism?
Teaching History
I.
HOW SHOULD HISTORY BE PRESENTED TO 6-12 STUDENTS?
* What is History good for? Why teach History?
Citizenship: How can history help?
•
Patriotism?
We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts,
foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation
that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market
is a nation that is afraid of its people.
John F. Kennedy
Teaching History
I.
HOW SHOULD HISTORY BE PRESENTED TO 6-12 STUDENTS?
* What is History good for? Why teach History?
Citizenship: How can history help?
•
Historical Perspective: How did we get this way?
•
Apply past to present problems
•
Develop critical thinking skills
•
Reflective Patriotism
* Whose Story is told?
Teaching History: Whose Story is Told?
A Five-Minute History of America:
Indigenous people lived here in tribal groups. The Europeans arrived in the
Americas and . . .
Teaching History: Whose Story is Told?
•
U.S.:
•
World: Western Civilization Synthesis
Progressive Synthesis
Whose Story is Told?
Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt
shall always glorify the hunter.
African proverb
•
Habit of Mind
Truth is tentative:
Perspective determines what we see
and the conclusions we draw
Teaching History
HOW SHOULD HISTORY BE PRESENTED TO 6-12 STUDENTS?
* What is History good for? Why teach History?
Citizenship: How can history help?
•
Reflective Patriotism?
•
Historical Perspective: How did we get this way?
•
Apply lessons from the past to today?
* Whose Story is told?
Teaching History
•
DO 6-12 STUDENTS NEED EXPERIENCES WITH THE
HISTORICAL METHOD?
Teaching History
I.
DO 6-12 STUDENTS NEED EXPERIENCES WITH THE
HISTORICAL METHOD?
Develop Habits of Mind: Reflective Skepticism
•
Tentativity of knowledge
•
Demand evidence to support factual claims
•
Weigh claims for trustworthiness
View History as a tool for understanding the world
Should we make moral judgments about the past?
Should we make moral judgments about the past?
“History is a screen upon which we project our vision of the future.”
Becker
Should we make moral judgments about the past?
“History is a screen upon which we project our vision of the future.”
Becker
“The past is not dead. In fact, it’s not even past.”
Faulkner
A History of History