University of California
The Civil War: Secession of the South
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...
Curated OER
Secession: A Southern Perspective
Eighth graders determine how secession impacted South Carolina as well as the United States. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders examine selected primary and secondary sources in order to study the state's sovereignty and the...
Curated OER
United We Stand
Students recreate and simulate the secession of the South during the Civil War by having their class secede from the school. They write an essay comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences of everyday life before and after...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Alabama's Secession in 1861: Embraced with Joy and Great Confidence. Why?
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...
Curated OER
Looking for Lincoln During the Civil War
Eleventh graders examine the presidency of Lincoln. In this American History activity, 11th graders watch various videos on Lincoln and the Civil War. Students read and answer questions.
Humanities Texas
A President's Vision: Abraham Lincoln
Invite your learners to take a close look at Abraham Lincoln's presidency through analysis worksheets of several images and primary documents, presented on an educational poster entirely dedicated to this great United States...
Curated OER
A Light in the Storm
Examine the genre of historical fiction while reading A Light in the Storm. They extract events in chronological order to make a timeline. Then, they use information in the book important to the characters to create a presentation of an...
Syracuse University
Civil War
What was it like to enlist as a soldier in the Civil War? By using enlistment papers, young scholars consider this question. After they've looked at the primary source and discussed it, they create a short story of a fictional soldier to...
Curated OER
Look Out My Window. What Do You See?
Students explore William D. Huff's experience during Civil War as portrayed in his drawings, express empathy and demonstrate historical knowledge through creating their own artwork, and craft drawings and captions from perspectives of...
Curated OER
The Civil War Begins
Begin your unit on the Civil War with this informative PowerPoint that includes key elements leading to the war. This slideshow takes us from Abraham Lincoln to Fort Sumter. Each slide contains a corresponding graphic and clear fact.
Charlesbridge
Under the Freedom Tree: A Readers Theater
Susan VanHecke's Under the Freedom Tree is transformed into a 12-part readers theatre script appropriate for a performance by upper-elementary classes.
Curated OER
The Civil War: Up Close and Personal
Young scholars take an in depth look at different aspects of the Civil War. Using primary source documents, they discover that people who lived during the war are not so different from them. They read about the experience of a...
Curated OER
Civil War Diaries
Fifth graders examine excerpts from a diary of a Confederate soldier and his experiences in a Union prison camp. After receiving character cards, they write diary entries from the perspectives of their Civil War identity. As an...
Curated OER
Role Playing The Civil War
Students are divided into the Union and Confederacy of the Civil War and write a report and create recruitment posters for both sides. In this Civil War lesson plan, students then discuss each side and why they thought what they did.
Curated OER
Arrest of the Maryland Legislature
For this Civil War history worksheet, students read and discuss a selection regarding the arrest of the Maryland legislature.
Curated OER
King Andrew And His Critics
In this United States history learning exercise, middle schoolers utilize a word bank of 10 terms or phrases to answer 10 fill in the blank questions about the Andrew Jackson and his critics. A short answer question is included as well.
Curated OER
U. S. History Worksheet, #69
In this United States history instructional activity, learners utilize a word bank of 10 terms or phrases to answer 10 fill in the blank questions about the Civil War. A short answer question is posed to students as well.
Curated OER
First Inauguration Speech of Abraham Lincoln
Young scholars 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. Young scholars may write optionally write their...
CommonLit
Common Lit: The South Secedes
A learning module that begins with "The South Secedes" by USHistory.org, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free teacher...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The South Secedes
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.
Digital History
Digital History: Explorations: Why Did the South Secede?
Resource explores the states that withdrew from the Union at the beginning of the Civil War and why.
Other
American Civil War Homepage: Declaration of Causes of Seceding States
Included is "Declaration of Immediate Causes which Induce and Justify the Secession - from the Federal Union" of each state in the Lower South.
Yale University
The Avalon Project: Declaration of the State of Texas to Secede From the Union
Text of the causes which impel the State of Texas to secede from the Federal Union.
Other
American Revolution: Those Glorious "Principles of 1776": Confederate Perspective
This site explains the Southern perspective on the voluntary union of states and the justification for the South seceding from the Union.