More than 600,000 Americans gave their lives for their country in the Civil War (1861-1865); more than any other war in our history. Although the North prevailed over the South, the grief and bitterness caused by the violence healed very slowly. Learn more at these fine sites. [Editor's Note: An updated version of this topic can be found here: The Civil War]
Africans in America is a PBS multi-part history of slavery in America, and is my pick of the day. Each part consists of a narrative, a resource list and a teacher's guide. The Civil War (covering 1831 to 1865) is the forth and final part of the series. Upper elementary and middle-school students will find the narrative has sufficient depth for them. High school students (and adults) will enjoy the depth of the resource list that includes modern commentary in addition to historical primary sources.
Step back in time, and try to imagine yourself a soldier in the Civil War. Where do you sleep? How do you pass the time? What personal items did you bring from home? Camp Life reveals the daily life of both Union and Confederate soldiers with an online exhibition of common everyday items. Learn what a "housewife" is, and why infantrymen were only issued half a tent. By focusing on these simple, useful items, the Gettysburg National Military Park gives us unique insight into the life of a Civil War soldier.
Last year, the students in Mrs. Huber's class at Pocantico Hills School in Sleepy Hollow, New York studied the Civil War, and then created a fabulous Web site summarizing everything they learned. The best clicks for elementary-age students are the illustrated Timeline, The Emancipation Proclamation, Uniforms, and the Biographies of Civil War Leaders.
The History Place presents the Civil War as an illustrated time line from Lincoln's election (November 6, 1860) to the ratification of the thirteenth amendment and the official end to American slavery (December 6, 1865.) Sometimes shorter is sweeter, and this single page synopsis hits the high points, and is an easy place to get key Civil War dates for school reports. Click on the underlined links or thumbnails to view the photographs.
The Time of the Lincolns is a companion Web site to the PBS television special Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided. It is a rich site for middle and high-schoolers that explores not just the Civil War, but also women's rights, slavery, abolition, politics and the growth of the industrial economy. Best clicks are the primary sources, such as newspaper excerpts, letters and diaries; and the Technology Gallery that features the "new technologies that brought about sweeping changes in the nation's economy" such as the Whitney cotton gin and the steam engine. The teacher's guide includes lesson plans in history, economics, geography, and civics.
The following links are either new discoveries or sites that didn't make it into my newspaper column because of space constraints. Enjoy!
Beyond Face Value: Depictions of Slavery on Confederate CurrencyThe Civil War (Thinkquest) | Letters from an Iowa Soldier in the Civil WarValley of the Shadow |
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