Was the Southern states' decision to secede from the Union protected by the United States Constitution? Eighth graders discuss the constitutionality of the South's justification for secession, particularly the secession of South...

Eighth graders determine how secession impacted South Carolina as well as the United States. In this American Civil War activity, 8th graders examine selected primary and secondary sources in order to study the state's sovereignty and...

Students analyze an interactive map of the Missouri Compromise to identify the regions and their relation to slavery. In this pre-civil war era lesson, students read primary source documents and research online to answer questions...

In this Civil War worksheet, students write a letter to the editor of a local Southern newspaper in 1960. The letter should feature Republican platform statements regarding the issue of secession.

If you are previewing the film Glory for your young historians, this packet may help you spark ideas for discussion and offer some interesting facts and quotations that may add to your presentation of this Civil War narrative. It...

Fifth graders participate in various activities related to the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson students understand the events and feelings of people during the Civil War by studying primary sources, journal writing, readings, viewing...

Fourth graders investigate the Civil War by researching the state of Virginia.  For this US History lesson, 4th graders identify Abraham Lincoln, James Chestnut and Fort Sumter, and discuss their roles in the start of the Civil...

In this American history worksheet, students learn about the American Civil War. They first read a 2 page explanation of the war and events that took place. Students then answer 9 questions pertaining to the information they just read....

Middle schoolers have to decide if they would continue the war from the Union's perspective and how would they go about doing it. Students need to read excerpts from the Congressional Globe to decide their argument. Finally, a poster...

Students read an annotated excerpt of Lincoln's speech. In this government lesson, students discuss questions related to the speech to identify Lincoln's ideas to preserve the Union. Students may write optionally write their responses to...

Full text of the declaration adopted by South Carolina as justification for its secession from the Union.

Article with primary source secession resolutions from three states including, South Carolina, Virginia and Mississippi. Each declaring intent to secede from the Union and outlining reasons for doing so.

South Carolina was the first to secede upon the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Read about the secession of more states, the election of a president of the new Confederate States of America, and a last ditch effort to save the union.

Where the American Civil War started, with the secession of South Carolina from the Union.

[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart describes events leading to secession, including John Brown's Raid, Lincoln's election, and South Carolina's break with the Union. It also includes information on the first states to...

A fascinating look at the "chess game" that involved Fort Sumter, a United States military installation in Charleston Harbor off the coast of South Carolina. Read about the moves by various leaders to keep or take the fort without...

Included is "Declaration of Immediate Causes which Induce and Justify the Secession - from the Federal Union" of each state in the Lower South.

This is a large site from American Treasures covering primary source documents from the early 1800s through the Civil War and on to Western Expansion.

The election of 1860 showed the deep divisions that split the country. With four candidates representing four very different approaches to the issue of slavery, the outcome resulted in the secession of South Carolina, followed eventually...

A map showing the secession of the Confederate States from the Union, from the secession of South Carolina (December 20, 1860) to the secession of Tennessee (June 8, 1861). The map is color-coded to show the Federal States and territory...

David F. Jamison (1810-1864) was one of the founders of the Citadel and was elected president of the South Carolina secession convention in 1860.

Brief biography of Robert Anderson, commander of Fort Sumter when it was captured in April, 1861.

Home of Robert Barnwell Rhett, an extreme secessionist politician, a leading fire-eater at the Nashville Convention of 1850, which failed to endorse his aim of secession.