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Primary
University of North Carolina

Documenting the South: Report on the Condition and Treatment of Prisoners of War

For Students 9th - 10th
The official report by a joint select committee of the Congress of the Confederate States of America investigating the treatment of prisoners of war in Confederate prisons. An interesting look at a primary source document reflecting the...
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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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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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Handout
Other

American Civil War: The Battle of Gettysburg: Prisoners of War: Fort Delaware

For Students 9th - 10th
A description of Fort Delaware, a fort used to house Confederate prisoners of war beginning with those from the Battle of Gettysburg. Read about the living conditions and the prevalence of disease among the prisoners.
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Lesson Plan
Texas State Historical Association

Texas State Historical Association: Department of Criminal Justice [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th - 8th
An activity guide where students refer to the Texas Almanac, which is free to download, for information needed to complete assigned tasks. For this lesson, they research Texas prisons to learn about the inmates there, their crimes and...
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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.