Social Studies - United States History I
Lesson Plans

U.S. I Strand 7: THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION

(Ca. 1820-1877)

Trends that started with the earliest colonization of America grew into sectional conflicts, and by the election of Lincoln in 1860 the nation was on the brink of civil war. The war had a profound impact on American society and American identity. Events leading to the war and the heavy toll of the war created a severely fractured America. The period of Reconstruction started the process of mending, but created new controversies as concepts of equality, democracy, and citizenship were redefined. The Civil War era and Reconstruction are important aspects of U.S. history, essential to understanding modern America, including race relations and inequality.

Possible Guiding Questions to Consider:

• Why were efforts at compromise unsuccessful immediately prior to the Civil War?
• What caused a growing number of people in the North to be opposed to slavery?
• Was it necessary and worthwhile to wage a war to preserve the Union?
• What does it take for a brother to take up arms against a brother?
• What forces made Reconstruction so difficult?
• Why does the Civil War remain such a defining event for American identity?
• Why does Lincoln reference ideas in the Declaration of Independence when referring to the Civil War?
• What is the proper way to memorialize controversial events and people?

U.S. I Standard 7.2:

Students will use evidence to interpret the factors that were most significant in shaping the course of the war and the Union victory, such as the leadership of Lincoln, Grant, and Lee; the role of industry; demographics; and military strategies.

• 6 Primary Sources from the American Civil War
  This Lesson plan uses 6 primary sources to teach students about the American Civil War and its impact on American Society.
• Antietam 360: Natural and Man-made Features Lesson Plan
  This lesson plan examines the events of the Bloodiest day in American History and helps students to understand the complexities of the event. Students will use the American Battlefield Trust Antietam 360 Virtual Tour to study certain moments of the battle and analyze how the natural and man-made environment affected the maneuvers, strategies, and tactics used during the battle as well as how these factors impacted the outcome of the battle.
• Civil War Prisoners: The Civil War in 4 Minutes
  This video gives an overview of prisons during the American Civil War and how prisoners were treated. This resource is great for helping students understand the ordinary experience instead of only focusing on the generals and presidents of the time.
• The Civil War Animated Map: Video and Lesson Plan
  This lesson plan utilizes a video and question guide to help students understand the Civil War. The video breaks down the Civil war into short animated clips to help students understand the events of the American Civil War, and students learn by responding to a set of questions.

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http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Robert  Austin and see the Social Studies website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer  Throndsen.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.