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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Prison Camps

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders work with a partner to create a puppet show that demonstrates the condition of the prisoners in Andersonville, Georgia during the Civil War.
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Handout
Civil War Home

Home of the American Civil War: The Inhumanities of War

For Students 9th - 10th
An essay from "The Confederate Military History, Vol. 1" which explains why prisons for prisoners of war were constructed after the failure of the prisoner exchange program in 1863.
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Handout
Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press.

New Georgia Encyclopedia: History and Archaeology: Andersonville Prison

For Students 9th - 10th
Andersonville Prison was created in February, 1864 to relieve the overcrowding of Union prisoners in other nearby prisons. It closed a year later due to sanitation problems among others and had earned a reputation for inflicting...
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eBook
Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press.

New Georgia Encyclopedia: Ten Major Civil War Sites in Georgia

For Students 9th - 10th
Recounts the historic sites throughout Georgia that represent its significance in Civil War history. Sites include battlefields, forts, prisons, cemeteries, and museums.
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Handout
Other

Institute for Historical Review: The Civil War Concentration Camps

For Students 9th - 10th
In an article which examines the prisons of both the North and the South, Mark Weber explains the problems both sides encountered when dealing with prisoners of war and explores myths and truths surrounding the treatment of prisoners of...
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Unit Plan
University of Missouri

Famous Trials: Andersonville Prison (Henry Wirz) Trial (1865)

For Students 9th - 10th
This module discusses the trial of Henry Wirz, the Confederate commander who was in charge of Camp Sumter, otherwise known as Andersonville, were Union prisoners of war died at an alarming rate.
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Primary
Other

Images of the Civil War: Prisoners and Prisons

For Students 9th - 10th
Photos and brief descriptions of prison and prisoner scenes from the Civil War.
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Website
Other

Cartania: Civil War Reflections 1862 1865

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Harvey Hogue's adventures as a Union soldier in a Confederate prison camp, and his escape from the notorious Andersonville make interesting reading. Not exactly a primary source document, but stories from an actual participant in the...
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Website
Other

Ohio Historical Society: Civil War Prisoners' List

For Students 9th - 10th
The Ohio Historical Center provides a data base which gives the names, date imprisoned, and the prison for Ohio prisoners of war at Andersonville, and the prison at Salisbury, North Carolina.
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Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: Andersonville National Historic Site

For Students 9th - 10th
The official website of Andersonville National Historic Site, or Camp Sumter, "One of the largest of many Confederate military prisons." This park serves to honor all American prisoners of war. Be sure to click on Teaching with Historic...
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Henry Wirz

For Students 3rd - 8th
From the Library of Congress comes the story of the hanging of Henry Wirz, former commander of the terrible Confederate prison in Andersonville, GA.