Newspaper Narratives
Civil War (1861 - 1865)
History Background
The Civil War was the result of differences between the North and South and their growing divergence during the 19th Century. 
Among the main issues were expansion of slavery into the territories, the South's declining political power, states rights, and the retention of slavery.
In this lesson, students will research the Civil War and the events that led to it, then they will present an account of one battle of their choice. They will include key facts and the outcomes of the war. Also, they will use the PowerPoint slides and embedded newspaper links to access the online newspapers to research and find out more about what happened!
On April 12, 1861, the attack on Fort Sumter was the start of hostilities between Northern and Southern states. During the war, both Union and Confederate forces suffered immense losses. On April 7th, 1865, after five years of conflict, General Lee surrendered to General Grant at the Appomattox Court House bringing the fighting to an end. This signaled the beginning of the Reconstruction period where both sides worked together to rebuild and reintegrate into the Union. Students will use the Close Activity, Do the Math!, Crossword Puzzle, and Civil War songs, among other resources, to understand more about these time-changing events!
