Center for History Education
Civil War Weaponry and Medicine: A Disastrous Mismatch
Ironically, science was the reason why the Civil War was so deadly. Despite the use of medical practices now considered barbaric—such as conducting surgery with bare, dirty hands—developments in weaponry meant that more men died on and...
Middle Tennessee State University
Help Is on the Way: Civil War Women and Relief Work
The role women played in the Civil War, especially in relief efforts, is the focus of this seven-page resource. Groups examine primary source materials to determine how this work reflected and expanded the traditional roles women held in...
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
African-American Communities in the North Before the Civil War
Young scholars examine what life was like in free African-American communities before the Civil War. They analyze maps, identify elements of everyday life in these communities, explore various websites, and complete a chart.
Curated OER
I Served in the American Civil War
Students research soldier's lives in the American Civil War. They create a video about a soldier's life
Curated OER
The Civil War
Students, examine The Civil War, from a variety of perspectives and assignments. After taking notes, they can choose from creating a front page newspaper article describing the fall of Fort Sumter, discuss the pros and cons of fighting,...
American Battlefield Trust
Preserving the Memory
Civil War battlefields themselves are under siege by development and other forces. Using materials from the Battlefield Trust, individuals explore local areas that face threat and write letters to support their preservation. An...
Curated OER
A Soldier's View of the American Civil War
Study and research the American Civil War in this explanatory writing lesson plan. Middle schoolers complete six activities to learn about the American Civil War and soldiers' views of the war. The lesson plan includes several options to...
American Battlefield Trust
Life at War
It looks like a cracker, but hardtack was anything but. The staple of the Civil War soldier's diet is one of many aspects of military life that scholars consider using letters from soldiers back home and images from slavery. A PowerPoint...
Curated OER
Civil War Slang
Students explore the language of the Civil War time period. In this Civil War instructional activity, students work in groups to research the meanings of Civil War slang.
Curated OER
Civil War Essay Writing
Students, in groups of three, research a topic about the Civil War. They present thier research to the class in an orally.
Curated OER
Civil War Timeline
Seventh graders identify the major events before, during and after the Civil War. In groups, they use the events to create a timeline and research the figures and places involved in their specific event. They present their information to...
Curated OER
Civil War Scouting
Students complete a webquest that focuses on the basic causes and major events of the Civil War. They answer a series of questions each having an Internet link to a reading that provides clues for the answer.
Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program
Civil War on Sunday
Reading Mary Pope Osborne's Civil War on Sunday? Here's a packet crammed with activities, exercises, reading guides, and project suggestions. A must-have for your curriculum library.
American Battlefield Trust
Experiencing the Battle of Franklin
Scholars watch videos, study an animated map, and read a firsthand written account to explore the impact of the Battle of Franklin during the Civil War. Academics analyze images, complete worksheets, and create journal entries to...
Curated OER
The Red Badge of Courage: A New Kind of Realism
Is it possible to tell a true war story? Tim O’Brien says that fiction is for “getting at the truth when the truth isn’t sufficient for the truth.” To get at the truth about war, class members examine primary source materials from the...
American Battlefield Trust
The Home Front
Women and children played key roles during the Civil War, even if their voices are often lost in history. By studying letters and personal testimony from them, budding historians get a glimpse into the day-to-day life of civilians during...
Curated OER
Scouting Civil War Sites
Students evaluate websites after gathering information from various search engines. In this Civil War lesson, students browse the web and find strategies for rating websites. Students choose the best sites in their opinion...
Curated OER
An Internet Activity for The Introduction Of The Civil War
Learners research, using the Internet, specified Civil War battles in order to prepare an oral presentation for the class. They, in small groups, present using images and maps. They take a quiz on the subject matter and evaluate the web...
Curated OER
The Civil War
Learners 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...
Curated OER
The Civil War: On the Homefront
Eighth graders examine the role of Indiana soldiers in the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the war and then analyze letters written home by the...
Curated OER
Technologies of the Civil War
Fifth graders discover new and interesting technologies of the Civil War. In this Civil War portfolio of lessons, 5th graders analyze primary resources, develop new vocabulary, investigate websites, and create a time line of new...
Curated OER
The Civil War
Students are able to describe all of the Civil War terms. They are able to wonder why things happened. Students are able to tell that the United States used to be two countries.
Smithsonian Institution
Comparing Confederate and Union Soldiers
The Civil War, a war that divided a nation. Comparing and contrasting the Confederate and Union soldiers is not always an easy task, but the eighth of 15 resources makes it easy to teach the concepts. Exercises include watching videos in...