Did you know that many women were Confederate spies during the Civil War? The resource focuses particularly on the important role women played for both the Union and Confederacy. It uses exercises such as a discussion, video, analyzing...

North and South: two opposite directions and two opposite economic and social systems in time of the Civil War. Pupils peruse census websites and primary source photographs to understand what life was like for the everyday person before...

Why would Robert E. Lee order Pickett's Charge, an action that changed the course of the Civil War? Geographer and historian Anne Knowles uses digital technology to explain what she thinks is the missing piece in trying to understand...

Peek back in time and learn about the North and South of the American Civil War. Discussed in full are the causes, effects, major battles, and agreements that made Civil War history. Period technology, social changes, and the ultimate...

Upper elementary and middle school learners engage in this awesome lesson plan on the Civil War. In it, they watch streamed video, perform Internet research, engage in hands-on activities, and use their geography skills to locate...

Did Lincoln know that victory for the Union was imminent? According to this video, which discusses the end of the Civil War (including a great anecdote about a historic coincidence between the beginning and end of the war), many...

Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin has generated controversy since its publication in 1852. Here is a set of 12 primary sources that capture the controversies of the times while adding dimension and depth to any study of the novel.

Vivandieres and cantinieres, nurses and soldiers, loyalists and unionists. A primary source set provides young historians an opportunity to investigate the many roles women played in the United States Civil War. 

The reading of a contextual essay launches a study of Black Americans who served in Congress from 1870 through 1887. Young historians identify the African Americans who served during this period, investigate the ways they won national...

Revolution and counterrevolution. Protest and counter-protest. Collaborators and bystanders. The focus of the fifth resource in the Reconstruction Era and Fragility of Democracy series is on the political violence that followed Radical...

The Battle of Secessionville was a Confederate victory that helped save Charleston. Academics learn about the Civil War battle of Secessionville that resulted in a win for the Confederacy and protected the town of Charleston from the...

In 1863 life forever changed for African American slaves when the Emancipation Proclamation was announced. An interesting video clip shows two actors reading excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation and a letter by a slave named Annie...

Take a look at where it all began: Fort Sumter. Individuals learn about the history of Fort Sumter, the location of the first battle of the Civil War. Fort Sumter was also important to the defense of the Confederate city of Charleston....

The capture of Morris Island was one of many Northern attempts to capture Fort Sumter. Budding historians learn about the Northern Army's efforts to invade Charleston by taking Morris Island, which was part of Fort Sumter. An informative...

The Northern Army finally takes Fort Sumter during the Siege of Charleston! The resource explains the Siege of Charleston and the ultimate victory of the North. Academics learn about the Northern assault on the Fort that left it in ruins...

Discover why Fort Sumter was an important strategic defense for the Confederate Army. An informative resource highlights the Confederates' efforts to rebuild Fort Sumter after the initial attack by the Northern Army. Scholars also learn...

What is a hero? What is character? Using biographies of figures during the Civil War, both famous and lesser known, scholars consider these questions. After brainstorming what they think makes a hero, they examine the lives of those who...

An engaging video details the Battle of Gettysburg. Civil War reenactors roleplay the confederacy and union fighting each other while President Lincoln monitors the situation. A narrator and several interviews share the dramatic...

Should we remove historical Confederate monuments? Teach scholars both sides to the story using a resource that includes a class discussion, reading materials from two prominent figures on both sides of the argument, and an assessment...

Fort Sumter, the site of the Civil War's first battle, taught the Union and the Confederacy an important lesson: they would both need to take stronger steps than anticipated if they wanted to win the war. History pupils read about the...