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Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

The Civil War

For Teachers 5th Standards
A unit covers many aspects of the Civil War. Over six weeks, fifth graders delve deep into the history of slavery, the Civil War—before, during, and after—Abraham Lincoln, women's contributions, the Emancipation Proclamation, and...
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eBook
Core Knowledge Foundation

The Civil War

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
A student reader shares information about the history of slavery, the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, women's contributions to the war, the Emancipation Proclamation, and reconstruction.
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Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

1861: The Country Goes to War

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
What was it like to know the Civil War was coming? Using a graphic timeline activity and excerpts of speeches from Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, learners consider the early days of the conflict. The resource includes prompts for...
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Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

African Americans in the United States Congress During Reconstruction

For Students 5th
The Civil Rights Act of 1866, which granted citizenship to all males in the U.S., resulted in the first African Americans to be elected to Congress. Class members research 11 of these men, the challenges they faced, and craft...
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Worksheet
MCHS Early US History

Ken Burn’s Civil War, Episode 1: The Cause

For Students 8th - 12th
Ken Burn's epic documentary miniseries The Civil War, broadcast in 1990, was the most-watched PBS program ever. A question sheet helps viewers keep track of events in the first episode of the documentary.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Mystery State #10

For Students 4th - 6th
In this mystery state instructional activity, learners answer five clues to identify the state in question. They then locate that state on a map.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Nation Divided

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders participate in various activities related to the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson students understand the events and feelings of people during the Civil War by studying primary sources, journal writing, readings, viewing...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Bingo

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students answer Civil War questions. For this Civil War United States history lesson, students copy Civil War vocabulary and phrases onto squares on a Bingo card. Students cover a Bingo square in response to each question asked by the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Leaders

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore leaders of the Civil War. In this history lesson, 5th graders use picture puzzles, vocabulary, worksheets, WebQuest, a Venn Diagram and role play activities in order to learn who the Civil War leaders were, what...
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PPT
Virginia History Series

Virginia History Series: Virginia State History Reconstruction to 1900 [Pdf]

For Students 6th - 8th
Much of Virginia was devastated after the Civil War so a period of rebuilding commenced. Follow Reconstruction through the different plans, the effects on African-Americans and the South. This slideshow has pictures,charts, and maps to...
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Handout
Other

Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy: Civil War Diplomacy

For Students 9th - 10th
An article by noted historian, Kinley Brauer, discusses the role of foreign policy for both the North and the South in the Civil War. An interesting, and often forgotten, aspect of the war.
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Handout
US Department of State

Office of the Historian: The Trent Affair, 1861

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out about the diplomatic crisis between the United States and Great Britain at the beginning of the Civil War, why it was important to the North and South, and how it was resolved.
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Website
Rice University

Rice University: Papers of Jefferson Davis

For Students 9th - 10th
Website presents a large collection of materials and documents from or about Jefferson Davis. Rice University has produced this site that provides many of his private letters and public speeches. Of particular interest is the chronology...
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Primary
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr History Museum: Pacific Railroad Explorations and Surveys of 1853 54

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides information and documents of Jefferson Davis, George McClellan and the War Department's Pacific Railroad explorations and surveys of 1853 to 1854.
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Primary
Rice University

The Papers of Jefferson Davis: Andrew Jackson

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a partial text of the eulogy delivered by Davis at Andrew Jackson's funeral on June 28, 1845.
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

Civil War@smithsonian: Leaders

For Students 9th - 10th
This site has photographs and paintings of Civil War leaders, both political and military. Clicking on the arrow will take you through pictures and brief biographies of the leaders. From the National Portrait Gallery.
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Handout
Civil War Home

Home of the American Civil War: Secession of the Southern States

For Students 9th - 10th
Scroll through this article to "Secession in the Upper South" to find out what was happening in southern states that had not yet seceded before April, 1861, and what convinced these states to secede. From an article by William L. Barney...
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Primary
Civil War Home

Home of the American Civil War: Lee's Letter to Jefferson Davis

For Students 9th - 10th
Lee communicates the cutoff of supplies and the events which followed it, causing his surrender.
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Website
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: Biographies: James Gadsden, 1788 1858

For Students 3rd - 8th
Explore this short profile on the life of James Gadsden, who was instrumental in the purchasing of land from Mexico to build a southern railroad route to the Pacific.
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Handout
Civil War Home

Home of the American Civil War: Jefferson Davis

For Students 9th - 10th
A biographical profile of the President of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis (1808-1889). From "Confederate Military History."
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: The Civil War Begins [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
The election of 1860 showed the deep divisions that split the country. With four candidates representing four very different approaches to the issue of slavery, the outcome resulted in the secession of South Carolina, followed eventually...
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Article
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: Conflicting Personal Interests

For Students 9th - 10th
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the efforts of Jefferson Davis and others to survey lands for the best route for a transcontinental railroad. It also discusses the...
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Primary
Duke University

Special Collections Library: Rose O;neal Greenhow Papers

For Students 9th - 10th
A fascinating look at the documents concerning Rose O'Neal Greenhow. Included are letters she wrote from prison.
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Handout
Duke University

Duke University: Special Collections Library: Rose O'neal Greenhow

For Students 9th - 10th
This article is about Rose Greenhow, her life, and the important roles women played in the war.