Lin and Don Donn
Lin and Don Donn: u.s. History Lessons: Civil War
This personal site provides a wealth of ideas regarding the Civil War Era. Look for lesson ideas about the events leading up to the war, the Civil War, the Underground Railroad, and the Reconstruction Era.
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Hazardous Business: The Railroads Come to Texas: Railroad Regulation
Read about regulations that kept the early Texas railroad system safe, and check out an "Inspection report for the Houston & Great Northern, 1871." Also, learn how the Civil War affected the railroad and how it was rebuilt following...
Other
Images of the Civil War: Railroads
This TreasureNet.com site has many pictures of railroads and locomotives and includes descriptions of the pictures.
Digital Public Library of America
Dpla: Building the First Transcontinental Railroad
This exhibition explores the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad and its impact on American westward expansion.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Petersburg National Battlefield: Weldon Railroad
A day-by-day look at Grant's attempt to cut off rail supplies to Lee in Petersburg by capturing the Weldon Railroad. From the National Park Service.
State Library of North Carolina
N Cpedia: Railroads
A five-part article on the history of the railroad in North Carolina. Looks at the first rail companies and the start of the North Carolina Railroad, how the Civil War and its aftermath affected rail transportation, the growth of...
The History Cat
The History Cat: Lincoln's High Tech War
Describes the weaponry used during the Civil War, and some of the innovative technology that the Union's military forces employed. These included the minie ball, rifles, underwater torpedoes, the use of hot air balloons, and improved...
Kidport
Kidport Reference Library: Transportation During the Civil War
Here are photographs and short descriptions of the horses, wagons, bridges, railroads, and steamboats used for transportation in the Civil War.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Railroad, the Gilded and the Gritty: America, 1870 1912
A speech and an engraving that illustrate how the railroad helped to unite the country after the Civil War.
Curated OER
National Park Service: James Buchanan Eads 1820 1887 [Pdf]
A biography James Buchanan Eads (1820-1887) and the story of his attempts to tame the mighty Mississippi River with science and technology during and after the Civil War.
Read Works
Read Works: Transcontinental Railroads: Compressing Time and Space
[Free Registration/Login Required] Abridged from the full text located at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, this passage provides information about the development of the transcontinental railroad. Paired texts, a text...
Council for Economic Education
Econ Ed Link: What Happened to Railroads?
Between the Civil War and World War II, railroads were one of the nation's most important businesses and an integral part of people's lives. For this lesson, students assume the role of detectives investigating why the rail companies...
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Hazardous Business: The Railroads Come to Texas
What made transportation in early Texas so difficult? What were the road conditions like? This article talks about land and water transportation in Texas in the years leading up to and after the Civil War. Also, check out photos and...
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: The Railroads Come to Texas: Land/water Transportation in Early Texas
What made transportation in early Texas so difficult? What were the road conditions like? This article talks about land and water transportation in Texas in the years leading up to and after the Civil War. Also, check out photos and...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Northern Homefront
The military-industrial complex thrived in the North during the Civil War, but read about how inflation affected the ordinary worker. See how the role of women expanded to fill in for men who were away fighting. Women also had an impact...
Curated OER
Etc: United States Civil War, 1861 1865
A map of the eastern United Stated during the American Civil War (1861-1865). The map is color-coded to show the Union States, and the Secession States of the Confederacy. The map shows major cities and towns, railroads, rivers, and...
Curated OER
Etc: Gulf Campaigns of the Civil War, 1863 1865
A map of the Gulf Coast from the Mississippi Delta to Pensacola showing the area of the Gulf Campaigns during the Civil War, from 1863 to 1865. The map shows rivers, coastal features, the 100 foot elevation contour, railroads, forts, and...
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: Civil War, 1861 1865
A series of maps showing important campaigns and regions of the American Civil War (1861-1865). The maps show important cities and towns, railroads and campaign routes, terrain and coastal features, and rivers. The maps include (1)...
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: The Civil War, 1861 1865
A map of the southeastern part of the United States showing important sites of the Civil War (1861-1865). The map shows major cities, railroads, rivers, and terrain of the region. An inset map shows northeastern Virginia, with forts and...
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Texas Joins the Battle: Schedule of Houston and Texas Central Railway, 1879
See what cities were connected via the Houston and Central Texas Railway after the Civil War by looking at this railway schedule from November 7, 1879. This series of primary source documents details the growth of interconnectivity of...
Curated OER
National Park Service: Stones River National Battlefield: Battle of Stones River
A very detailed description of the Battle of Stones River, a must-win for the Union Army. Find day-by-day battle maps, information about the carnage over the several days of fighting, and discover the importance of capturing the...
Curated OER
National Park Service: The Death Knell of the Confederacy
Part of the website for the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, this site details the final battles at Appomattox Station and Appomattox Court House. Pictures and a map included.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Harriet Tubman
Learn more about the runaway slave named "the Moses of her people." Harriet Tubman's life was dedicated to helping others. Read more about her adventures during the Civil War and her continuing bravery.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Binding the Nation by Rail
Read about the explosive growth of railroad track across the United States after the Civil War. Find out about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, the men who made fortunes from the railroads, and the first American regulatory...