Curated OER
History of Miss America
Students make a time-lines of of decades using images from Miss America. In this history lesson, students looks at the country's beauty pageant and how it changes the lives of women in America. Students debate issues such as size...
Virginia Historical Society
Virginia Historical Society: An American Turning Point: Civil War in Virginia
An exhibition that commemorated the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. While slavery caused the war, the war was not begun to free the slaves, but to determine whether the Confederate States of America would be allowed to break...
Read Works
Read Works: The American Civil War
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about some of the causes of the American Civil War. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
CPALMS
Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: What Caused the Civil War?
A tutorial that looks at the main causes of the American Civil War. A PDF file of the tutorial is available.
Cosmo Learning
Cosmo Learning: The Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1845 1877
In this course Professor David Blight explores the causes, course, and consequences of the American Civil War, from the 1840s to 1877 through twenty-seven video lectures. The primary goal of the course is to understand the multiple...
Yale University
Yale University: Open Yale Courses: Civil War and Reconstruction, 1845 77
Twenty-seven university-level lectures on the causes, course, and consequences of the American Civil War. Available in audio, video, or text format.
CommonLit
Common Lit: Causes of the American Civil War
A learning module that begins with "Causes of the American Civil War" by Mike Kubic, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through...
Other
Pennsylvania Heritage Society: Pennsylvania Civil War 150
The sidebar of this site reads "Understand the War Through People Then and Now." That is the mission of the site, and when you click on each word or phrase, you open up a world of information about the Civil War. Compiled resources help...
American Battlefield Trust
American Battlefield Trust: Civil War: Animated Map: Fort Sumter
Animated map tells the story of the events that led up to the first shots of the Civil War fired at Fort Sumter. [7:31]
Virginia Historical Society
Virginia Historical Society: The Portent: John Brown's Raid in American Memory
Online companion of an exhibition mounted in 2009 to commemorate the anniversary of John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry examines Brown's role as a catalyst of the American Civil War.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Impact of Dred Scott: The Road to Civil War
After the Dred Scott decision by the US Supreme Court, the friction between the North and South over slavery escalated, and the North began to fear that they might not be able to prevent slavery from spreading into their states. The Dred...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Text Sets: The Civil War
This is a collection of 29 Grade-Leveled texts (6-12)on the topic The Civil War. The American Civil War lasted for only 5 years but divided the country along bitter lines as the North fought to keep southern states from seceding from the...
The History Cat
The History Cat: Countdown to Civil War
Describes the events leading up to the start of the American Civil War. Looks at clashes between pro- and anti-slavery groups, the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the fight over California, the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act,...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: America in Class: The Enslaved and the Civil War
National Humanities Center lesson plan on how enslaved African Americans in the South undermined the Southern cause during the Civil War. Lesson contents includes primary sources material, strategies for text analysis, vocabulary, and...
History of American Wars
History of American Wars: What Caused the Civil War?
A timeline from the 17th to the 19th century showing the evolution of the slavery issue in the United States, leading eventually to the Civil War.
American Battlefield Trust
American Battlefield Trust: Civil War: Trigger Events of the Civil War
A list with descriptions of the major events that led up to the outbreak of the Civil War.
Books in the Classroom
Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site: Civil War in Children's Literature
This page from Carol Hurst's Children's Literature offers book reviews and planning help for an upper elementary unit on the Civil War. Includes information on books for teachers, books for students, easy-purchase links, and links to...
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Freedom: A History of Us: A War to End Slavery Webisode 6
A wonderful, interactive site covering many aspects of the Civil War. See photographs, primary sources, and find interesting tidbits about the war. Included are links to lesson plans, teacher guides, resources, activities, and tools.
Other
American Civil War Homepage: Declaration of Causes of Seceding States
Included is "Declaration of Immediate Causes which Induce and Justify the Secession - from the Federal Union" of each state in the Lower South.
Civil War Home
Home of the American Civil War: The Kansas Nebraska Act
Provides information on the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the consequences of its passing. From "The Civil War and Reconstruction" by Randall and McDonald.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: The American Abolitionist Movement
A collection that uses primary sources to explore the American Abolitionist Movement.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Black Lost Cause. Colored Service in Confederate Army
This well-researched extensive essay by Peter Stam looks at the issue of the number of African Americans serving in the Confederate Army as soldiers. By examining information from many historians, some of whom turn out to be unreliable,...
Civil War Home
Home of the American Civil War: Lee's Letter to Jefferson Davis
Lee communicates the cutoff of supplies and the events which followed it, causing his surrender.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Opb American History Interactive: Evaluating Evidence
Use this interactive lesson to practice evaluating evidence from primary sources in order to draw conclusions about a historical event. In this particular case, the event is the Civil War. The challenge is to decide for yourself which of...