Siteseen
Siteseen: Civil Conflict: Causes of the Civil War
Presents a list of 38 causes of the Civil War. This is broken up into timelines for 1793-1846 and 1846-1861, with some links to more information. Includes a 3-minute video about the life of Abraham Lincoln.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Open Course Ware: The Civil War and Reconstruction
University-level syllabus, reading suggestions, lecture notes, and quizzes for a course of the Civil War and Reconstruction.
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...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: America's History in the Making: Civil War, a Nation Divided
A wonderful resource using primary and secondary source materials to explore many facets of the Civil War from the war itself to its impact on the home front. Includes video and text downloads.
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]
Library of Congress
Loc: The Civil War: The Nation Moves Toward War
Examine the causes of the Civil War using primary source documents. This lesson plan gives background on the Civil War, includes a timeline, and a bibliography for further reading. Primary source documents include music, newspapers,...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: America in Class: The Enslaved and the Civil War
National Humanities Center lesson 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...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Expository Writing and the Civil War
This lesson is designed to help students strengthen their research and writing skills, while learning more about the Civil War, as they produce an expository paragraph. Students will glean information from an article about the causes of...
![Digital History: Why Do People Fight? The Causes of the Civil War [Pdf] Website](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Digital History: Why Do People Fight? The Causes of the Civil War [Pdf] Website")
Digital History
Digital History: Why Do People Fight? The Causes of the Civil War [Pdf]
Throughout the years since the end of the Civil War, historians have been weighing in on the causes of that terrible time in the history of the United States. Interpretations have changed over the generations. Read the questions that...
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.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Going to War!
In this 21st Century roleplay lesson plan, students use what they know about causes of the Civil War to have an educated discussion with another class. By utilizing Skype, students and teachers collaborate with one another in an engaging...
White House Historical Association
White House Historical Association: The Great Cause of Union
Information with lesson plan for grades 9-12 about Abraham Lincoln's presidency focuses on the decisions and political actions he had to make throughout the Civil War.
Kidport
Kidport Reference Library: The Civil War
Here is a summary of the factors that led to the Civil War. You can also link to pages with photos on battles, forts, communication, hospitals, and more.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: The Effects of the Civil War
Students will work in groups to research the causes of the Civil War, events during the war, and Reconstruction. They will compile their information into a multimedia presentation. They will use research to answer the essential question,...
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...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: Secession of the Southern States
This collection uses primary sources to explore the secession of southern states from the United States prior to the Civil War.
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.
Social Studies Help Center
Social Studies Help Center: What Caused the Beginning of the Civil War
Discusses what caused the Civil War, including a section on the political parties of the mid 1800's.
Other
Radford University: The Civil War for Fifth Graders
Covers many aspects of the Civil War, without too much text for Grade 5 students. Includes links to additional information and a few learning activities. (Note: Some links may no longer be working.)
CommonLit
Common Lit: War in Sudan
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
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.
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.
PBS
Pbs News Hour Extra: 150th Anniversary of the Civil War Fraught With Emotion
Article examines the emotions brought to light due to the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War and the deep cultural divisions that continue across the U.S. to this day. A classroom activity and student worksheet can provide good...