Social Studies Standards8th Grade American History

Civil War

Laura Green, Sheena Striker, and Sarah Thomason

Table of Contents

• History

• People in Societies

• Geography

• Economics

• Government

• Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities

• Skills and Methods

History Activities• Historical Newspaper- Create

a newspaper that highlights what life was like at the beginning of the Civil War. Use online resources such a the ones below to find information on this topic. Include headings, bylines, pictures, photographs, and anything else you think will make your project better. The articles, pictures, etc. should be attached to poster-board to make a visual aid that you will share with the class.

• Use the site listed below to find requirements for your newspaper. Newspaper Project

• Do the first and last two bullets under required articles.

• The following websites can be used to find information.

• http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html

• www.history.com• www.google.com

History Activities Continued…

• After reading about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, write a letter or a diary entry as if you were a run away slave. Use the information that you learned to describe what life is like on the run, the people you meet, the places you start, etc. Be creative, but be accurate also.

• Timeline- First identify the terms, people, events, etc on the list provided. Then in groups discuss what you think was the most significant to least significant cause of the war. Rank them in this order. Then create a timeline with illustrations. Timeline should be in chronological order w/ rank next to event, person or term.

History Activities Continued

• Virtual Battle Field Tour-(Battle of Bull Run and Battle of Gettysburg)The students will take a virtual tour of the battlefield. The students will look at a picture of the battlefield and read a brief description of what happened at that location on the field. Objectives:1. The students will identify the Union and Confederate generals and other important people who were involved during the battle.2. The students will record 5 facts learned during the tour.3. The students will identify whether the battle was a Union or Confederate victory.

Virtual Tour Continued…• Battle of Antietam

1. View pictures of the battlefield just after the battle.Pictures 1Pictures 2

2. Read eyewitness accounts of the battle.Eyewitness

3. Read about the significance/outcome for each battle.Significance

• Battle of Gettysburg1. Take a virtual tour of the battlefield.Virtual Tour

2. View pictures of the battlefield just after the battle.After the Battle

3. Read eyewitness accounts of the battle. Eyewitness 2

4. Read about the significance/outcome for each battle.Outcome

History Activities Continued

• Lincoln’s role as President. Answer the questions given on the worksheet by using the following hyperlink.

• PBS Civil War

People in Society Activities

• Research one of the following people in 3 to 4 paragraphs.– Frederick Douglas,

William Lloyd Garrison, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman

– http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/activities_for_lesson_4.htm

• Listen to songs that were popular for the Northern and Southern militaries

• Compare and contrast the songs

• http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/activities_for_lesson_10.htm

People in Society Activities

• During the Civil War soldiers had to carry at least 40 pounds of equipment and personal items.

• Make a list of what you would carry as a Civil War soldier using the website below.

• http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/activities_for_lesson_11.htm

People in Society Activities

• In groups,read transcriptions of articles from two Augusta County (Virginia) newspapers to see how white Southerners defended the institution of slavery and summarize. – http://www.vcdh.virginia.edu/teaching/vclassroom/pro

slavewsht1.html– http://www.vcdh.virginia.edu/teaching/vclassroom/pro

slavewsht2.html– http://www.vcdh.virginia.edu/teaching/vclassroom/pro

slavewsht3.html

People in Society Activities

• Research Abraham Lincoln using the following websites or websites of your choice.

• Write a one page summary on the president and the Civil War

• Web site – Click on Abraham Lincoln

link

• Web site

Geography Activities

• By 1861 the United States was divided into Northern States and Southern States.The Northern States thought the people should not own slaves and the Southern States thought the people could own slaves.– On a map, identify the

Northern and Southern states. – Remember to make a map

legend– http://homepage.floodcity.net/

users/mastdog/statesmain.html

Geography Activities

• On a map, identify the major battle sites.– First Bull Run, Shiloh,

Seven Pines, Seven Days, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Frederickburg, Stone River, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Wilderness, Spotsylvania

– AmericanCivilWar.com

• Underground Railroad– Using the web site below,

draw the routes of the underground railroad.

– Underground railroad link

Geography Activities

• List the states and territories involved in the civil war– Differentiate the

Northern and Southern states.

– Map

• Geography crossword– Fill in the crossword

using the clues about states and battle sites.

– http://www.funtrivia.com/crossword/play.cfm?gid=318

Economic Activities•The Cotton Gin- Create a pamphlet advertising the new invention and its projected benefits

–http://inventors.about.com/od/cstartinventions/a/cotton_gin.htm

•Terms Crossword Puzzle-Create a crossword puzzle using the economics vocabulary then trade with a friend and solve their’s.

–http://www.puzzlemaker.com/

Economic Activities Cont.

• Create an argument (pros or cons) about the economics of slavery using your book, the library, & the websites like: http://www.fte.org/teachers/programs/history/lessons/lesson03.htm

• Create a chart comparing the economies of the North and South. What impact did they have on the outbreak and outcome of the war?– http://www.cwc.lsu.edu/inter-aspects/geo1.htm

Economic Activities Cont.

• Complete the simulation on tariffs and determine why the North desired tariffs and why the South despised them. If you lived back then, would you support tariffs? Do we have tariffs today? How do they impact the economy?– http://civilwar.bluegrass.net/secessioncrisis/pr

otectivetariffs.html

Government Activities

• Watch the DVD Causes of the Civil War and complete the worksheet about the ascent of the Republican Party, the Compromise of 1850, sectional polarization, and other political issues.

• http://catalog.socialstudies.com/c/product.html?record@TF13259+s@.jqtiz71OJT8M

Government Activities Cont.• Do the exercise on the Constitution. What does it

say about slavery, secession, nullification, and states’ rights? Did the South have a right to secede? – http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/warweb.html#crisis

• Reenact the Lincoln-Douglas debates. What are the key arguments? Who won the debate? What implications would it have? Click on the link to find information.

Government Activities Cont.

• Analyze the political cartoons from the Civil War Era and answer questions about them– http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/SCARTOONS/

cartoons.html

• Create a “pre-game (war)” analysis. Who are the key players in the lineup? What are their political advantages?– http://www.aboutfamouspeople.com/article1142.html

Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Activities

Use the websites listed below to explain the importance of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment Emancipation Proclam

ation 13th Amendment

• Use the web sites listed and explain the importance of the 14th Amendment.– http://www1.cuny.edu/

portal_ur/content/voting_cal/civil_war.html

– http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment14/#Scene_1

Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Activities

• Pretend that you are a newly freed slave. What are some of the actions that you have to take to get on your feet?

• What are some of your limitations?– Make a list and be

prepared to share with the class.

• Pretend that you are a Southern Plantation owner and your slaves have just been set free. What are some actions that you will take to help or not help the newly freed slaves?– Do you abide by the new

laws or not? Why?

Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Activities

• Watch a clip of Gangs of New York. If you were drafted how would you react? Think about how wealthy people could pay to get out of the draft. – Does this hurt the war cause? Is this

fair?– Can people still do this today?

– http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0217505/

Skills and Methods

• Pick a topic and find two primary and two secondary sources. How do they differ?– Which do you think

provides more accurate information?

– http://ec.hku.hk/acadgrammar/report/resProc/research.htm

• Write a 3 to 5 page paper on any Civil war topic of your choice.– Be sure to use proper

formatting.– Be sure to cite all sources.– Be sure it is well written

with few grammatical errors.

– http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/

Skills and Standards

• Create an E-portfolio.– Use 6 of the activities

of your choice in the portfolio.

– Be creative

• Create an outline of the chapter as a form of notes.– Use Roman numerals,

letters, and numbers– Use this site as a

reference• http://

www.auburnschools.org/ahs/mjones/handouts/howtooutline.htm

Skills and Methods

• Play a Jeopardy review game.– The class will break into two groups and send one player

forward per question.– Use the buzzer to ring in.– http://www.sps.k12.va.us/schools/btwes/Jeopardy/

JeopardyHomeEdition/PlayGame.html