Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

1861: The Country Goes to War

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
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...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Mystery State #10

For Students 4th - 6th
In this mystery state worksheet, students answer five clues to identify the state in question. They then locate that state on a map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Bingo

For Teachers 4th - 6th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Leaders

For Teachers 5th
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...
PPT
Virginia History Series

Virginia History Series: Virginia State History Reconstruction to 1900 [Pdf]

For Students 6th - 8th
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...
Handout
US Department of State

Office of the Historian: The Trent Affair, 1861

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Website
Rice University

Rice University: Papers of Jefferson Davis

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Primary
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Cprr History Museum: Pacific Railroad Explorations and Surveys of 1853 54

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides information and documents of Jefferson Davis, George McClellan and the War Department's Pacific Railroad explorations and surveys of 1853 to 1854.
Primary
Rice University

The Papers of Jefferson Davis: Andrew Jackson

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a partial text of the eulogy delivered by Davis at Andrew Jackson's funeral on June 28, 1845.
Website
Smithsonian Institution

Civil War@smithsonian: Leaders

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Handout
Civil War Home

Home of the American Civil War: Secession of the Southern States

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Primary
Civil War Home

Home of the American Civil War: Lee's Letter to Jefferson Davis

For Students 9th - 10th
Lee communicates the cutoff of supplies and the events which followed it, causing his surrender.
Website
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: Biographies: James Gadsden, 1788 1858

For Students 3rd - 8th
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.
Handout
Civil War Home

Home of the American Civil War: Jefferson Davis

For Students 9th - 10th
A biographical profile of the President of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis (1808-1889). From "Confederate Military History."
Article
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: Conflicting Personal Interests

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Primary
Duke University

Special Collections Library: Rose O;neal Greenhow Papers

For Students 9th - 10th
A fascinating look at the documents concerning Rose O'Neal Greenhow. Included are letters she wrote from prison.
Handout
Duke University

Duke University: Special Collections Library: Rose O'neal Greenhow

For Students 9th - 10th
This article is about Rose Greenhow, her life, and the important roles women played in the war.
Article
Other

American Primary Sources Challenge: Jefferson Davis' Inaugural Speech

For Students 9th - 10th
A concise biography of Jefferson Davis' including details of his election as President of the Confederacy.
Article
Other

Wofford Library: 150 Years Later: The Inauguration of Jefferson Davis

For Students 9th - 10th
A blog review of Jefferson Davis' inauguration after being chosen President of the Confederacy.
Primary
Other

James's Liberty File Collection Index: Natural Law and Natural Rights

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: Today in History: May 10: Jefferson Davis & "Wedding of the Rails"

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The South Secedes

For Students 5th - 8th
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.
Handout
American Battlefield Trust

American Battlefield Trust: Civil War Biography: Jefferson Davis

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical profile of Jefferson Davis.
Handout
Alabama Humanities Foundation

Encyclopedia of Alabama: Civil War in Alabama

For Students 9th - 10th
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.