Download Civil War-Lincoln`s Actions

PROJECT TEACH
-LESSON PLAN OUTLINETEACHER: Dave Armstrong
SCHOOL DISTRICT: Corry
LESSON SUBJECT: Civil War-Lincoln’s Actions
GRADE LEVEL: 8
TEACHING TIME: 1 ½-2 BLOCKS
LESSON OBJECTIVES
BIG IDEAS: How did Lincoln’s actions, at the time of the Civil War, influence the nation and the
Constitution?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: Did Lincoln have popular support for his actions relating to the;
A. suspension of habeas corpus, B. issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and C. the
election of 1864?
What else influenced public opinion on these actions?
PA STATE STANDARDS: 8.3 A-Identify and analyze political contributions of individuals and
groups.
8.3 B-Identify and Analyze documents
STUDENTS WILL KNOW…
Facts concerning the three topics.
How public opinion is influenced and by whom.
How incomplete knowledge of an event can lead
to inaccurate opinions and wrongful actions.
When did Lincoln get popular support, when did
he not get it and why.
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO…
Determine what factors influenced Lincoln’s
decisions.
Discriminate between popular decisions and
those made for the good of the nation.
Describe what happened and why in each event.
PROCEDURAL SUMMARY
MATERIALS: Text-for additional facts if needed.
Handout readings
Copies of Lincoln’s inaugural speech-1861 from Lincoln’s Speeches and Writings
ANTICIPATORY SET: Introductory discussion of our present president. Evaluate some possible
reasons for his popularity-or lack thereof.
ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Relate back to previous lessons on
A.-Constitutional Amendments
B.-The Dred Scott case
C.-The election of 1860
D.-How to do a political cartoon
PROCEDURE:
I.
Divide into groups of 3-4
a. Each is assigned a section and completes that reading and questions with teacher
assistance
II.
Each group presents the details of the event and their evaluation of the results.
a. Class discussion as needed
III.
Class evaluation of Lincoln to answer these questions.
a. Why was he often not popular/
b. What alternative methods might he have used?
c. How might he have violated Constitutional procedure and why do you think nothing
was done about it if he did?
d. What comparisons can you make between these and recent events?
CLOSURE ACTIVITY: Add these events to our historical time line in class and answer how each
event helped the north win the war.
Essential Question-How was Lincoln viewed in his own time?
Use 3 time lines to show;
A. the issue of Habeas Corpus
B. the issue of emancipation
C. the election of 1864
Allow separate groups to evaluate each and answer the question of what individuals or groups
supported Lincoln and what individuals or groups did not support him? In addition each reading
will have definitions for terms within the time line.
Excerpts were compiled from information from the following books.
McPherson, James. Battle Cry of Freedom. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Lincoln Speeches and Writings. Literary Classics of the United States, Inc.: 1989.
Then as a class compile a list combining answers from all three and answer the following.
A. Overall did Lincoln have strong or weak support? Suggest reasons for the answer.
B. How was public opinion influenced by the direction of the war?
C. Should public opinion be the factor to decide if presidential actions are right or
wrong?
D. What other questions do you have that would improve your knowledge of the
situation?
Habeas Corpus
3/4/61-In his inaugural address Lincoln states his desire to preserve the Union. Read the excerpt
provided.
4//12/61-Fort Sumter is fired upon. Stephen Douglas says, “Everyman must be for the United
States or against it. There can be no neutrals”.
4/19/61-A riot in pro-secessionist Baltimore, Maryland with Massachusetts regiments leads to 4
soldiers and 12 civilians dieing. F. S. Key’s grandson and others are arrested and imprisoned at
Ft. McHenry.
4/27/61- Lincoln issues a suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus
5/61- Chief Justice Roger Taney (remember Dred Scott?) issues an opinion calling for Lincoln to
release the prisoners saying the Constitution does not give him the right to suspend habeas
corpus. (see Article 1 section 9) Congress is given that power but Lincoln has used it without
Congressional votes. Lincoln refuses to obey saying it was
his duty to suppress rebellion in time of war to enable U.S. laws to be carried out in the south.
Republican newspapers denounce Taney as pro-slavery.
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Emancipation
3/4/61- Read the Inaugural Address. Also note that Lincoln allows slave states that stay in the
Union to keep their slaves. He supports an attack on Bull Run, with mainly 90 day volunteers,
as a way to defeat southern secessionists while not destroying the south’s economy or social
system.
7/21/1861-Union forces overran at Manassas (Bull Run). Both sides the war lasting more than
90 days. Horace Greeley of the New York Times calls it Black Monday and suggests ending the
war on the south’s terms
8/61-Lincoln states that we are fighting to restore the Union. Frederick Douglass responds with,
“To fight against slaveholders, without fighting against slavery, is but a half-hearted
effort……war for the destruction of liberty must be met with a war for the destruction of slavery.
1861-1862-Rebel forces win many victories in the east. The thrill of war wears off as Lincoln
tires to get a general who attacks and chases. People begin to talk of letting the south go.
9/17/62-Union forces get a victory at the battle of Antietam. Lincoln decides this is a good time
to issue the Emancipation Proclamation saying the Union could no longer play a game where it
stakes all and its enemy stakes nothing. Ulysses Grant agrees but McClellan, a Democrat who is
relieved of command after Antietam, disapproves.
1/1/63-The Emancipation goes into effect for all states still in rebellion. Border states are still
allowed to keep their slaves at this time.
Public opinion and the Election of 1864
3/4/1861-Lincoln states his desire to preserve the Union in his Inaugural Address. Read the
excerpt from that speech.
7/18/1862-Losing the war and needing to fill vacancies to fill loses due to deaths, deserters and
the end of enlistments Lincoln signs the first draft law in U.S history. Riots by copperheads
follow in many places by. Many of these democrats are immigrants or “butternuts” from the
Midwest.
12/13/1862-In his first battle since becoming commander of the Army of the Potomac Ambrose
Burnside proves he was right when he said he was probably not the man for the job as
commander of the Army of the Potomac. Burnside charges his army up a fortified hill at
Fredericksburg and is annihilated. Lincoln is called ignorant, self willed and incompetent.
5/25/63-Lincoln has copperhead and future presidential opponent Clement Vallandigham
arrested for disloyalty and banished to the south. Lincoln calls him an agitator who induces
young boys to desert. Vallandigham gains support from Ohio democrats.
6/27/63-Licoln relieves Joseph Hooker of command and the next day put George G. Meade in as
the sixth head of the Army of the Potomac.
7/63-The Union wins three major victories. First was Gettysburg, which stops Lee’s advance
into the north, Vicksburg which gives the Union control of the Mississippi River and
Chattanooga which gives them an open route into Georgia. As news of this reaches Washington
the town enjoys a glorious Fourth of July. Confederate agents headed to DC to negotiate peace
terms turn around and return to Richmond.
8/24/1864-The war is now continuing into its fourth year. Peace democrats complain of the
number of men Grant losses despite victories and former general George McClellan, who had
been popular with the men, says, If elected I will call an armistice…and insist on every means to
secure peace without further bloodshed.
11/64-Aided by victories at Atlanta , Wincester and Fisher’s Hill Lincoln wins the election. He
carries all but three states and gets 78% of the soldier vote. Why? The soldiers liked McClellan
but not VP candidate Clement Vallandigham. In addition one soldier said, “We want peace but
an honorable one.” No one wanted four years of effort to end without victory.