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...

Young historians consider the cause and effects of the Emancipation Proclamation. They use handouts, response sheets, and class discussion to build an opinion about the subject after viewing the PBS documentary Abraham and Mary Lincoln:...

Complete with territory maps, photos, and interesting anecdotes, this video covers the major events of American History, roughly from 1754 to 1865. Plymouth and Jamestown are mentioned in the beginning of the video, but the speaker...

Did Lincoln free the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation? What were motivations behind issuing the document? How does the Civil War and the way we remember it still shape the world today? Delve into these questions with a video...

Did the Emancipation Proclamation free all slaves during the Civil War? Why was it written, and what were its immediate and long-term effects? After reading primary source materials, constructing political maps representing information...

The end of the American Civil War was marked with many battles. Covered here are the who, what, when, and where of nine major battles that led to the ending of the war. Also discussed are the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation...

Students research the U.S. holiday Juneteenth and examine the historical elements that contributed to the delayed announcement of the emancipation of slaves in Texas. They recreate a facsimile of the Emancipation Proclamation with the...

Middle schoolers examine how various segments of the American population viewed the Emancipation Proclamation. They read the Emancipation Proclamation, analyze key terms and statements in the document, and participate in a debate.

Why would an African-American slave fight in the Civil War? Read and analyze primary source documents to understand the ex-slave perspective on fighting in the Union Army. Everything to complete this instructional activity is included.

Can't travel to Richmond for your Civil War unit? This plan creates an authentic experience, using primary sources and the essential question: Over What Was the Civil War Fought? Historians examine the Appomattox Marker, the site of Gen....

Discuss the history of slavery by analyzing historic photography depicting slavery. Learners write fictional stories based on these photographs. This is a creative and motivating way to launch a discussion of these topics. 

Start your class on the Emancipation Proclamation. The entire text of the Proclamation is included here along with two questions to answer. Space is provided to allow pupils to write their responses right on the page. Use this as a quick...

Help your learners truly understand the Emancipation Proclamation by asking them the put it into their own words. After reading the document out loud to the class, and briefly discussing the legal language, split your class into small...

Did you know the Emancipation Proclamation didn't free all of the slaves? What other facts are you cloudy on regarding the Civil War? Watch this teacher's quick, ten-minute account on the Civil War. While no visual aids, graphs, or maps...

Explore how the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation affected everyday individuals in the Civil War era. Learners are given the opportunity to read and evaluate primary and secondary source material, and then to compose a writing...

Middle schoolers read one of the most important documents in our nation's history: The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. After everyone reads the proclamation, they set out to write a "You Were There" type of report on it. They pretend...

Students consider the impact of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation For this U.S. Constitution lesson, students read a narrative regarding the move by Lincoln to officially end slavery. Students take notes on the case and respond to...

Students read the Emancipation Proclamation and investigate steps that led to its signing. They read and discuss period news articles from both sides of the argument and create portfolios of documentation supporting both sides.

A good outline to a larger project, these slides pose questions about Abraham Lincoln's views, motives, and politics surrounding the Emancipation Proclamation. The discussion questions and key points are helpful in the context of a...

Intended for use with atlases, this presentation details the causes and effects of the Civil War. It includes historical pictures of battles and discussion points about the technology which emerged during (and for) the war. The final...

Students explore the historical importance of the Emancipation Proclamation. For this United States History lesson, students use the internet to research the specific events that were centered around the Emancipation Proclamation, then...

Sixth graders play a game.  In this Civil War lesson plan, 6th graders discuss the beginnings of the Civil War and define vocabulary words associated with the war such as abolitionist and Emancipation Proclamation.  Students play a game...

Students use primary documents to analyze the events surrounding black soldiers joining the Union Army. In this content area reading lesson, students view multiple primary documents, analyzing and answering questions about them.

Students discover what it was like to cross into freedom. In this slavery instructional activity, students read the "Emancipation Proclamation," and letters written by Abraham Lincoln and John Washington (a former slave). Students...