Pose the question to your historians: who really freed the slaves? They critically assess various arguments, using primary sources as evidence. In small groups, scholars jigsaw 5 primary source documents (linked), and fill out an...

Eleventh graders participate in a drill activity in which they review the political, social and economic causes of the Civil War. Individually, they complete a Civil War pretest in which they test their misconceptions about the war. They...

Students, in groups of three, research a topic about the Civil War. They present thier research to the class in an orally.

Use this cross-curricular history lesson plan to work on your students' informational writing skills. After listening to songs and stories related to Sultana, they engage in a several activities to boost their understanding of slavery...

A unit covers many aspects of the Civil War. Over six weeks, fifth graders delve deep into the history of slavery, the Civil War—before, during, and after—Abraham Lincoln, women's contributions, the Emancipation Proclamation, and...

Introduce your class to some of the most important events and people of the Civil War. This American history PowerPoint includes information about the most important battles and gets into the period of Reconstruction after the war ended....

Eighth graders explore the Civil War, and people and events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and his funeral procession.

Should land be redistributed to former slaves after the Civil War? This essential question guides a instructional activity on the Reconstruction Era, as learners analyze primary sources (linked), recording responses on a worksheet...

Students gain historical background on the Civil War era from textbooks, encyclopedias, or supplemental material. Assign at least two photographs for each student to analyze using the Photograph Analysis Worksheet which is imbedded in...

Provide learners with an excellent resource focused on the Cold War Era. Starting in 1945 and going all the way to 1991, the Cold War Era included major historical events, such as the Berlin Wall, Warsaw Pact, the Korean War, and the...

As part of a study of the Civil War, class members conduct a WebQuest to create a timeline of battles fought by the 10th Alabama Infantry Regimen. They then use Google Earth to pinpoint these battles of the Civil War on a map of Alabama.

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...

Students inquire about slang language used during the Civil War. In this writing lesson, students recieve a handout of slang words used by soldiers. Students view pictures of Civil War to get a visual idea of what it was like to be at...

In this online interactive U.S. history worksheet, learners respond to 9 short answer and essay questions about 19th century America. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive worksheet.

Primary source analysis is a great way to bring history to life. Learners examine a series of personal inventories taken from Southern white males who died during the Civil War era. They analyze the documents to determine the social and...

A reading of a New York Times review of the movie Beloved launches research into how the Civil War affected the lives of people living during this period. Creative thinkers select a person from an included list of historical figures and...

Young scholars explore the events of Reconstruction after the Civil War.  In this US History lesson, students complete several activities and worksheets that reinforce challenges and social upheaval experienced in the South after...

What do a photo of Abraham Lincoln, a map for the Battle of Antietam, and the Dred Scott decision all have in common? Learners consider the broader question as they examine documents related to civil rights during the Civil War and...

A student reader shares information about the history of slavery, the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, women's contributions to the war, the Emancipation Proclamation, and reconstruction.

Students complete a unit of lessons about the heroes of the Civil War Era. In this Civil War lesson, students complete a 13 lesson unit about the Civil War and its heroes.

Learners use primary sources to see how Maryland was a divided state during the time leading up to the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson plan, students go over vocabulary, and look at maps that show the division of opinions of people...

Learners will compare and contrast two songs from the Civil War era, one from the North and one from the South. They'll write a comparative essay on their songs, and then compare their essays and songs with others in their small groups....

Students explore the Civil War and the many emotions that emerged during this era. The teacher arranges students in groups of families and prepares them to simulate typical responses during this era. The Civil War and Gettysburg is...

Students explore the Civil War. Using computer technology, they create informational flash cards about the Civil War. Students use artwork to depict Civil War activities. They examine topics such as battles, leaders, tactics, prisoner of...