From December 20, 1860 to June 8, 1861, eleven states seceded from the Union. Alabama seceded on January 11, 1861. Why did so many white Alabamians want to secede? Why did they believe the South could win the war? These are the essential...

It was the single bloodiest day in Civil War history. Now, class members have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of soldiers who fought in the Battle of Antietam using an interactive website. Supplemental resources include...

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...

What sunk the Sultana? Scholars become investigators to uncover the facts behind the 1865 sinking just after the end of the Civil War. Through group work, videos, and primary documents, they research and analyze why 1,800 men died....

The transition between rebellion to reunification was not smooth after the Civil War. Young historians compare primary and secondary source documents in a study of the Reconstruction era in Virginia, noting the rights that were not...

The tenant farming and sharecropping systems that developed in the South after the Civil War, the reasons for their development, and the eventual decline of these systems are the focus of this two-day plan.

The benefits and drawbacks of convict leasing following the Civil War are the focus of a lesson that asks groups to examine primary source materials to gain an understanding of the program before individuals decide whether they...

Abraham Lincoln's words carried American democracy through one of its most tenuous and violent moments in the nation's short history. Explore an interactive timeline that places events of the 19th century in the context of Lincoln's...

Students research and discuss the societal changes during the Civil War as it relates to various parts of southern society. In this southern society during the civil war lesson, students examine what life was like for slaves during the...

Fifth graders become familiar with the events of Reconstruction and the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. In this reconstruction instructional activity, 5th graders work in pairs where each student  creates a building with blocks and...

Students learn about the Underground Railroad. In this Civil War and slavery lesson, students discuss how successful slaves would be moving around at night, learn the secret vocabulary used for escape routes and review background about...

Fourth graders study history though the exploration of artifacts. In this Civil War lesson, 4th graders examine artifacts such as sweet grass basket, spinning top, photos on tin, cast iron kettle, china"bone plate," bonnet, wooden carved...

Fifth graders appreciate the scope of a Civil War battle. They will see the perspectives of soldiers from both the North and the South.

Students explore Civil War and Gettysburg Address using primary sources.

Students use their knowledge about the Civil War to prepare and participate in a battle reenactment.

Students investigate call and response singing.  In this fine arts and U.S. history lesson, students listen to several call and response songs that were sung by African-American slaves during the period before the Civil War. ...

Students evaluate Lincoln's impact on American History. In this Civil War instructional activity, students view a film clip of writings about Lincoln. Students take notes and compare how the writings define his legacy. Students write...

In this American Civil War worksheet, students examine a Eastman Johnson painting titled "A Ride for Liberty," and then respond to 2 short answer questions based on their analysis of the painting.

Though too short to be an adequate presentation, the solitary map in these slides would be a good visual aid to a lecture about Southern secession before and during the Civil War. The color coded states on the map make a good timeline...

With a map on the military reconstruction in the post-Civil War South, and an interesting graphic comparing the size of Alaska to the continental United States, this presentation could be a good (albeit short) supplement to a class...

Historical accounts of various events have proven to differ depending on the point of view of the person documenting the event. Learners read and analyze two first person accounts of acts of slave resistance seen at a southern...

Students write creative accounts of the Battle at Rivers Bridge after studying historic accounts and looking at images in this series of activities.

For this American Civil War worksheet, learners read assigned textbook pages about the causes of the war and then respond to 35 short answer questions about how the war began.

Learners demonstrate their reading comprehension skills, including reading strategies, inference, literal meaning, and critical analysis.