United States History to 1877

Civil War and Reconstruction: 1860s to 1877

USI.9

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes, major events, and effects of the Civil War by

a) describing the cultural, economic, and constitutional issues that divided the nation;
b) explaining how the issues of states’ rights and slavery increased sectional tensions;
c) identifying on a map the states that seceded from the Union and those that remained in the Union;
d) describing the roles of Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, and Frederick Douglass in events leading to and during the war;
e) using maps to explain critical developments in the war, including major battles;
f) describing the effects of war from the perspectives of Union and Confederate soldiers (including black soldiers), women, and slaves.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Begin the unit with questions about where critical events of the Civil War took place, where the major battles were fought, and how location and topography influenced important developments in the war, including major battles.
Explain that location and topography were critical elements influencing important developments in the Civil War, including major battles.
Have students use their textbook and other resources to complete the Civil War Battles worksheet, which addresses the major battles of the Civil War and their historical significance. After students have completed the worksheet, review answers with students in a whole-group discussion. For a copy of the Civil War Battles worksheet, CLICK HERE.
Have students use the map from the completed worksheet and a desk atlas or textbook to indicate the location and date of each major battle. Encourage students to draw conclusions about the importance and significance of each battle based on its location on the map (e.g., the capture of Vicksburg by the Union effectively split the Confederacy in two and gave the Union control of the Mississippi River).
Review the following major battles and events:

The firing on Fort Sumter, S.C., began the war.
The first Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) was the first major battle.
The signing of the Emancipation Proclamation made "freeing the slaves" the new focus of the war. Many freed slaves joined the Union army.
The Battle of Vicksburg divided the South; the North controlled the Mississippi River.
The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the war; the North repelled Lee's invasion.
Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House in 1865 ended the war.

Review the influence of location and topography on critical developments in the war:

The Union blockade of southern ports (e.g., Savannah, Charleston, New Orleans)
Control of the Mississippi River (e.g., Vicksburg)
Battle locations influenced by the struggle to capture capital cities (e.g., Richmond; Washington, D.C.)
Control of the high ground (e.g., Gettysburg)

Have students research abd read about each of the Civil War events (Lincoln's election, Fort Sumter, First Battle of Bull Run, Gettysburg, Emancipation Proclamation, Vicksburg, and Surrender at Appomattox) in the order that they occurred.
Have students complete the Civil War Matrix worksheet of these key events. For a copy of the worksheet, CLICK HERE.
Break your class into small groups of three. Give each group a large piece of butcher board paper (at least three feet long). Have students create an accurate, illustrated time line of these events. They can include key facts as well.
Review the key people of the Civil War.
Explain to students that there were many heroes during the Civil War Era. Some of who fought in the war, and some of whom did not.
Give students a list of people famous during this era.
Also give students a list of "claims to fame" during the war.
Have students work in small groups to research which claims went with which famous person.
Go over as a whole class lesson.
Complete the Civil War People Notes. For a copy of the Civil War People notes, CLICK HERE.
Use graphic organizers available at http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm (Score Graphic Organizers), http://teacherresourcecatalog.pwnet.org/docs/Reading.pdf (Reading Strategies for Content Teachers) or http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/readquest/strat/ (ReadingQuest: Reading Strategies for Comprehension) to assist the students as they organize the following background information on the Civil War battles.
Use the following maps to review maps of the Civil War battles:
http://www.learner.org/biographyofamerica/prog10/maps/http://www.sonofthesouth.net/slavery/slave-maps/map-free-slave-states.htm http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/

WEB SITES

http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/warweb.html
American Civil War Home Page

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/civilwar/cwar.htm
Civil War for Kids

http://www.civil-war.net/
Civil War Home Page

http://www.historyplace.com/civilwar/index.html
A Nation Divided

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