American Battlefield Trust
1861: The Country Goes to War
What was it like to know the Civil War was coming? Using a graphic timeline activity and excerpts of speeches from Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, learners consider the early days of the conflict. The resource includes prompts for...
Curated OER
Mystery State #10
In this mystery state worksheet, students answer five clues to identify the state in question. They then locate that state on a map.
Curated OER
Civil War Bingo
Students answer Civil War questions. In this Civil War United States history lesson, students copy Civil War vocabulary and phrases onto squares on a Bingo card. Students cover a Bingo square in response to each question asked by the...
Curated OER
Civil War Leaders
Fifth graders explore leaders of the Civil War. For this history lesson, 5th graders use picture puzzles, vocabulary, worksheets, WebQuest, a Venn Diagram and role play activities in order to learn who the Civil War leaders were, what...
Virginia History Series
Virginia History Series: Virginia State History Reconstruction to 1900 [Pdf]
Much of Virginia was devastated after the Civil War so a period of rebuilding commenced. Follow Reconstruction through the different plans, the effects on African-Americans and the South. This slideshow has pictures,charts, and maps to...
US Department of State
Office of the Historian: The Trent Affair, 1861
Find out about the diplomatic crisis between the United States and Great Britain at the beginning of the Civil War, why it was important to the North and South, and how it was resolved.
Rice University
Rice University: Papers of Jefferson Davis
Website presents a large collection of materials and documents from or about Jefferson Davis. Rice University has produced this site that provides many of his private letters and public speeches. Of particular interest is the chronology...
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
Cprr History Museum: Pacific Railroad Explorations and Surveys of 1853 54
Provides information and documents of Jefferson Davis, George McClellan and the War Department's Pacific Railroad explorations and surveys of 1853 to 1854.
Rice University
The Papers of Jefferson Davis: Andrew Jackson
This is a partial text of the eulogy delivered by Davis at Andrew Jackson's funeral on June 28, 1845.
Smithsonian Institution
Civil War@smithsonian: Leaders
This site has photographs and paintings of Civil War leaders, both political and military. Clicking on the arrow will take you through pictures and brief biographies of the leaders. From the National Portrait Gallery.
Civil War Home
Home of the American Civil War: Secession of the Southern States
Scroll through this article to "Secession in the Upper South" to find out what was happening in southern states that had not yet seceded before April, 1861, and what convinced these states to secede. From an article by William L. Barney...
Civil War Home
Home of the American Civil War: Lee's Letter to Jefferson Davis
Lee communicates the cutoff of supplies and the events which followed it, causing his surrender.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: James Gadsden, 1788 1858
Explore this short profile on the life of James Gadsden, who was instrumental in the purchasing of land from Mexico to build a southern railroad route to the Pacific.
Civil War Home
Home of the American Civil War: Jefferson Davis
A biographical profile of the President of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis (1808-1889). From "Confederate Military History."
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: Conflicting Personal Interests
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the efforts of Jefferson Davis and others to survey lands for the best route for a transcontinental railroad. It also discusses the...
Duke University
Special Collections Library: Rose O;neal Greenhow Papers
A fascinating look at the documents concerning Rose O'Neal Greenhow. Included are letters she wrote from prison.
Duke University
Duke University: Special Collections Library: Rose O'neal Greenhow
This article is about Rose Greenhow, her life, and the important roles women played in the war.
Other
American Primary Sources Challenge: Jefferson Davis' Inaugural Speech
A concise biography of Jefferson Davis' including details of his election as President of the Confederacy.
Other
Wofford Library: 150 Years Later: The Inauguration of Jefferson Davis
A blog review of Jefferson Davis' inauguration after being chosen President of the Confederacy.
Other
James's Liberty File Collection Index: Natural Law and Natural Rights
Natural law and natural rights follow from the nature of man and the world. We have the right to defend ourselves and our property, because of the kind of animals that we are. True law derives from this right, not from the arbitrary...
Library of Congress
Loc: Today in History: May 10: Jefferson Davis & "Wedding of the Rails"
Library of Congress presents primary source documents, essays, photos and maps of historical events on May 10th including a ceremony at Promontory Point, Utah for the meeting of the Union Pacific and Central railways and the capture of...
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.
American Battlefield Trust
American Battlefield Trust: Civil War Biography: Jefferson Davis
Biographical profile of Jefferson Davis.
Alabama Humanities Foundation
Encyclopedia of Alabama: Civil War in Alabama
The Civil War in Alabama destroyed much of the state, but one thing was achieved - strengthening the convictions of those who fought so hard to protect the Confederacy as portrayed in this synopsis.