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This is the curriculum my site's department has used since before I started in the district. It's got an excellent balance of content and modifications for various types of learners. That said, over the last 3 years, I've worked on tweaking the structure of the different lessons I've used to fit the needs of my learners in the moment. I imagine I will continue to improve on them throughout my career as long as I continue to utilize this resource.

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The Civil War was a critical watershed in U.S. History, when the meaning of freedom for Americans and the meaning of union for the nation changed forever. This unit of study focuses on the events leading to the war, the perspectives of those who fought in or lived through the war, and the effects of the war on individual citizens and the nation.

More specifically, this unit addresses the causes of the Civil War, the perspectives of Northerners, Southerners, and abolitionists, and the critical battles of the war. This unit also provides detailed instructions to support student analysis of a number of relevant primary sources, including five of Abraham Lincoln's speeches, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the South Carolina Ordinance of Secession. The unit concludes as it begins with a focus on an engaging and historically significant question: Was the Civil War a War for Freedom?

In addition to teaching students about the Civil War, this unit teaches students how to read, write, and think historically, analyze historical evidence from primary and secondary sources, and make interpretations. Students will practice Common Core reading and writing skills, especially identifying the perspective or point of view of a source, integrating information from visual and written sources, identifying evidence from sources, and using that evidence to support an interpretation.

Drawing on new historical scholarship about the most contentious time in American history, students consider: Was the Civil War a War for Freedom?

Unit Introduction

The Road to War (Lesson #1: Slavery; States' Rights; Sectional Differences)

Secession (Lesson #2: Election of 1860; Philosophical Justification of Secession; Constitutional Requirements of Secession)

Strategies and Battles (Lesson #3: Advantages of the Confederacy and the Union; Military Strategies; Selected Battles (Fort Sumter, Bull Run, Monitor vs. Merrimack, Fort Donelson, Shenandoah, Shiloh, Antietam, Vicksburg, Fort Wagner, Gettysburg, Sherman's March to the Sea, & Appomattox))

Perspective (Lesson #4: Analyzing Perspective; Views of Northern and Southern Groups; Perspectives of Historical Figures)

Lincoln's Speeches (Lesson #5: Review of the Declaration of Independence; Address to the Illinois Republican Convention (the "House Divided" Speech), the First and Second Inaugural Addresses; The Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address

Emancipation (Lesson #6: Slaves Seek Freedom; Emancipation Proclamation)

Effects of the Civil War (Lesson #7: Effects of the War on Different Populations; Massive Death and Destruction Caused by the War; Long-term Consequences of the War)

Final Assessment (Lesson #8: Perspectives of Historical Figures; Assessing the Civil War as a War for Freedom)

The Civil War was made possible by the generous support of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund and History Channel, in addition to California History-Social Science Project/ California Subject Matter Project funding.
Copyright
All History Blueprint materials are Copyrighted by the Regents of the University of California, Davis Campus. These materials, however, are designed for K12 educational purposes, and as such, teachers have the right to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format. This use is predicated on the assumption that educators will give appropriate credit, provide a link to our site ( http://chssp.ucdavis.edu), and indicate if any changes were made. Educators may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the University or the California or the California History-Social Science Project endorses said teacher, school, or related organization. Finally, educators or any members of the public may not apply any legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from accessing the materials or doing anything that this agreement permits.

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The Civil War was a critical watershed in U.S. History, when the meaning of freedom for Americans and the meaning of union for the nation changed forever. This unit of study focuses on the events leading to the war, the perspectives of those who fought in or lived through the war, and the effects of the war on individual citizens and the nation.

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Image

Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary

The Battle of Gettysburg was fought between July 1 and July 3, 1863. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the United States Civil War, with over 51,000 casualties-soldiers killed, injured, or otherwise lost to action-combined. Around 3,100 U.S. troops were killed, while 3,900 Confederates died. The U.S. victory there marked the turning point of the war.

President Lincoln was asked to deliver a message at the dedication of the Gettysburg Civil War Cemetery on November 19, 1863. The featured speaker for the occasion was Edward Everett, a former dean of Harvard University, and one of the most famous orators of his day. He spoke for two hours. Then Lincoln delivered his message; it took two minutes.

Lincoln tied the current struggle to the days of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, speaking of the principles that the nation was conceived in: liberty and the proposition that all men are created equal. Moreover, he tied both to the abolition of slavery-a new birth of freedom-and the maintenance of representative government.

Despite (or perhaps because of) its brevity, since the speech was delivered, it has come to be recognized as one of the most powerful statements in the English language and, in fact, one of the most important expressions of freedom and liberty in any language. Indeed, Everett immediately afterward wrote to Lincoln that "I wish that I could flatter myself that I had come as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes."
"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live.

It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate-we cannot hallow-this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion-that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

ending or wiping out of something, usually referring to the ending of slavery.

Credits

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Director

Tyson Brown, National Geographic Society

Author

National Geographic Society

Production Managers

Gina Borgia, National Geographic Society
Jeanna Sullivan, National Geographic Society

Program Specialists

Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society
Margot Willis, National Geographic Society

Producer

Clint Parks

Last Updated

March 26, 2020

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National Geographic Society

Clint Parks

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Image Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary The Battle of Gettysburg was fought between July 1 and July 3, 1863. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the United States Civil War, with over 51,000 casualties-soldiers killed, injured, or otherwise lost to action-combined. Around 3,100 U.S. troops were killed, while 3,900 Confederates died.

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An archive of racial segregation laws, could be helpful when covering Reconstruction.

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Race & Place: An African American Community

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This is an archive about the racial segregation laws, or the ‘Jim Crow’ laws from the late 1880s until the mid-twentieth century. Also contains photos,letters,two regional census’ and a flash map of the town of Charlottesville.

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About 1600 resources surrounding African American History to ensure its inclusion in US History classes.

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Black Freedom Struggle in the United States:

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Introducing the Black Freedom Struggle Website | ProQuest

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The Black Freedom Struggle website is freely available to students, educators and patrons. This curated selection of primary sources is designed for teaching and learning about the struggles and triumphs of Black Americans. Developed with input from Black history scholars and advisors, its easily discoverable materials are ideal for assignments and special projects focused on U.S.

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An in-depth explanation of and interview with Rosa Parks. Many students have heard of her but know nothing beyond the fact that she wouldn't sit in the back of a bus. This investigation would be a great way to have students practice summarizing skills and understand the gravity of what Rosa Parks did and how it impacted the country.

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On Thursday evening December 1, 1955, after a long day of work as a seamstress for a Montgomery, Alabama, department store, Rosa Parks boards a city bus to go home.

Tired as she is, Mrs. Parks walks past the first few — mostly empty — rows of seats marked "Whites Only." It's against the law for an African American like her to sit in these seats. She finally settles for a spot in the middle of the bus. Black people are allowed to sit in this section as long as no white person is standing. Though Rosa Parks hates the segregation laws, and has been fighting for civil rights at the NAACP for more than 10 years, until today she has never been one to break rules.

The bus continues along its route. After several more stops the bus is full. The driver notices that all the seats in the "Whites Only" section are now taken, and that more white people have just climbed aboard. He orders the people in Mrs. Parks's row to move to the back of the bus, where there are no open seats. No one budges at first. But when the driver barks at the black passengers a second time, they all get up. . . except for Rosa Parks.

QUESTIONS FOR ROSA PARKS
Was Rosa Parks nervous standing her ground? Find out from Mrs. Parks herself! She explains how she felt on the bus that day in her interview.

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Rosa Parks Refuses to Give Up Her Seat | How Rosa Parks Fought for Civil Rights | Scholastic.com

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On Thursday evening December 1, 1955, after a long day of work as a seamstress for a Montgomery, Alabama, department store, Rosa Parks boards a city bus to go home. Tired as she is, Mrs. Parks walks past the first few - mostly empty - rows of seats marked "Whites Only."

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Another collection of Primary Sources broken down by time period and topic to help include the oppressed perspective in discussion of historical events. Both collections also include more recent documents as the fight for Civil Rights has continued.

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Library Guides: History : African American: Primary Sources

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A research guide to primary and secondary sources for African American history.

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A selection of primary sources that have had a hand in shaping African American History. These could be helpful as entrance tickets to get students thinking, introductions or artifacts to drive home the reality of the history being discussed, and/or a starting point for students wanting to learn more about the African American experience in US History. This is also helpful for teachers to include throughout US History curriculum as it presents an additional perspective to all events being discussed. It helps to keep the minority groups at the front of the conversation as well as those who wrote the accounts in textbooks.

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The following are documents which have contributed to the shaping of African American history. These documents are a starting point for additional research and discussions that help further our understanding of the history of people of African ancestry in the United States.

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This video would need to be an EdPuzzle in order to break up the speaker as he talks fairly quickly. EdPuzzle would allow me to insert notes to clarify things the speaker mentions off-hand as well as questions to check for understanding as the video progressed. This does express the overall reactions different countries had to the Civil War though and "zooms out" our lens in 8th grade history to consider the impact US History has had on the rest of the world as well.

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How did the World React to the American Civil War? (Short Animated Documentary)

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Just one example of the music section of this website. Discussing the music of the Civil War is a great way to analyze another use of language and discuss why there are so few primary sources from the enslaved perspective. How music impacted the course of the war and the role it played not only demonstrates an aspect of the time period's culture, but also reminds us that most of the written accounts we have are from a white perspective.

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On the surface, Follow the Drinkin' Gourd is a song about the hollowed out gourd used as a water dipper. According to legend, the song is escape instructions and a map enabling fleeing slaves to make their way north from Mobile, Alabama along the banks of the Tennessee River to the Ohio River and freedom!

As slave lore tells it, the North Star played a key role in helping slaves to find their way-a beacon to true north and freedom. Escaping slaves could find it by locating the Big Dipper, a well-recognized asterism most visible in the night sky in late winter and spring. As the name implies, its shape resembles a dipping ladle, or drinking gourd. From the gourd's outline, the North Star could be found by extending a straight line five times the distance from the outermost star of the bowl.

For millenia, celestial wayfinding knowledge-navigating by observing the stars and other night sky patterns-passed from generation to generation. For people that did not know how to read or write, "reading" the night sky provided important clues for survival. This information helped people to find their way without getting lost. Many former slaves, including historical figures like Harriet Tubman, used the celestial gourd, or dipper, to guide them on their journey north. The Big Dipper and North Star were referenced in many slave narratives and songs. Follow the Drinking Gourd was a popular African American folksong composed decades after the War and based on these anecdotes that memorialized the significance of these stars.

Follow the Drinking Gourd
When the sun come back,
and the firs' quail call,
Then the time is come.
Foller the drinkin gou'd.
Foller the drinking gou'd,
Foller the drinking gou'd;
For the old man say,
"Foller the drinkin gou'd."
The riva ends a-tween two hills,
Foller the drinkin' gou'd;
Nuther riva on the other side
Follers the drinkin gou'd.
Wha the little riva
Meet the grea' big un,
The old man waits -
Foller the drinkin' gou'd.

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On the surface, Follow the Drinkin' Gourd is a song about the hollowed out gourd used as a water dipper. According to legend, the song is escape instructions and a map enabling fleeing slaves to make their way north from Mobile, Alabama along the banks of the Tennessee River to the Ohio River and freedom!

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An excellent video with continuous and consistent visuals. This video not only details the Missouri Compromise, but the continued tension and conflict that eventually lead to Southern Secession and the Civil War. The youtuber speaks slowly and in common terms so he is much easier to follow than CrashCourse US History and other channels we use.

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A PBS video on how the one book had such a major impact on people's views of slavery.

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American Experience
Clip: Season 25 Episode 12 | 2m 4s |

Uncle Tom's Cabin was published in 1852 and changed American opinions on slavery. Uncle Tom's Cabin reached a vast audience, and made millions of Americans see slavery, for the first time, through the eyes of its victims.

Aired: 01/08/13

Rating: NR

Problems Playing Video? Report a Problem |

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American Experience | The Book that Made the War | Season 25 | Episode 12

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American Experience Clip: Season 25 Episode 12 | 2m 4s | Uncle Tom's Cabin was published in 1852 and changed American opinions on slavery. Uncle Tom's Cabin reached a vast audience, and made millions of Americans see slavery, for the first time, through the eyes of its victims. Aired: 01/08/13 Rating: NR Problems Playing Video?

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A lesson on Uncle Tom's Cabin and the events at Harper's Ferry to be adapted. This comparison is a great way to structure understanding the perspective of white abolitionists leading up to and during the Civil War.

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A simple picture book that would allow for more students in a given class to follow the story. This book could be an excellent read-aloud to introduce a lesson on the Emancipation Proclamation.

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A runaway slave during the Civil War, Hope's father returns after the Emancipation Proclamation as a member of the U.S. Colored Troops

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This film is often shown in 8th grade History classes as a representation of the different views people held during the Civil War. From abolitionists, to racist and/or slave-owning Union military, educated free blacks, to former enslaved populations now fighting for freedom, this film demonstrates the experiences in an unforgettable way that allows students of all language proficiencies to access it. This film is based on the letters and writings of Denzel Washington's character, Trip, and is an excellent example of the oppressed perspective.

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Glory: Directed by Edward Zwick. With Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman. Robert Gould Shaw leads the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices from both his own Union Army, and the Confederates.

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Students can use the search function to find books on the historical figure from the Civil War that they've chosen for their Biography project. There are books at varying levels and helpful filters to target the specific needs of each student's project.

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First time here? Start here!
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"Every child has an amazing body that is all their own! Each one is a unique shape, size, and color and has a unique mix of parts, identities, and expressions. Every Body is a Rainbow: A Kid's Guide to Bodies Across the Gender Spectrum celebrates the vast rainbow of bodies and identities-from non-binary, to intersex, to multiple genders and expressions-and shows readers that everybody is beautifully diverse and has value. This book is for kids and families of ALL genders, abilities, and expressions who want to understand themselves and learn more about the amazing bodies across the gender spectrum!" -- publisher

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Search Our Database of Nearly 2,000 Diverse Picture Books | Diverse BookFinder

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Whether it's a book on activism, adoption, families, or holidays, our database has a range of books searchable by title, group, category or content. Use our search engine to find the new favorite read for your child.