the civil war study guide

Hopkins Center Outreach & Arts Education • hop.dartmouth.edu/outreach • 603.646.2010

Welcome to the hoPA performance needs an audience, so be prepared to play your part!

THEATER ETIQUETTEWhen entering the Hopkins Center, show consideration for all those sharing the building by remaining quiet and respectful in common areas.

Be aware and use quiet voices. Remember that live theater differs greatly from watching television or movies or attending a sporting event. Live performers can hear and see you and are easily distracted by any talking or moving around in the audience. Even the smallest sounds can be heard throughout the theater, so it’s best to be quiet so that everyone can enjoy the performance.

Applause is the best way to show your enthusiasm and appreciation!

Important things to remember: Backpacks, food, drink, and gum are not allowed in the theater. Please turn off all cell phones and note that recording the performance or taking any photos is strictly prohibited. Hats off! It is respectful to remove hats during your time in the theater.

INFORMATION FOR TEACHERSBe prepared and arrive early. You should arrive at the theater 30 to 45 minutes before the show. Allow for travel time, parking, and trips to the restroom. You should be in your seat at least 15 minutes before the performance begins.

Have a head count. On the day of the performance be sure to have an accurate head count of students, chaperones, and teachers.

Staying for lunch? Please call 603.646.2010 one week in advance of the show to make a reservation for lunch. The day of the show, bring lunches in marked boxes and give them to a Hop staff member. Lunches will be ready for you after the show in Alumni Hall.

Photo Policy. The Hopkins Center may take photographs during the performance for use on our website or on promotional materials. If you or your students do not wish to be photographed, please see a Hop staff member.

The Show Must Go On! We do not cancel events due to inclement weather. Performances will only be canceled if the artist is unable to reach the theater. Schools will be notified by phone if the performance has been cancelled. We do not issue refunds for weather-related cancellations; please feel free to fill empty seats with other school or community members.

This study guide was created for you by the Outreach & Arts Education team. To download copies of this study guide, see additional resources for this event, or view past study guides, please visit: www.hop.dartmouth.edu/outreach. The Hopkins Center gratefully acknowledges Theatre-works/USA for granting permission to adapt and excerpt portions of their study guide, and Gregory C. Schwartz, Chief of Interpreta-tion and Visitor Services at Saint Gaudens National Historic Site, for contributing a portion of this guide.

ENjOy THE SHOw!

Hopkins Center Outreach Department: Stephanie Pacheco, outreach manager Mary Gaetz, outreach coordinator Erin Smith, outreach Assistant

the hopkins center outreach & Arts Education department embodies the Hop’s mission to “ignite and sustain a passion for the arts.” It provides Dartmouth, the community and beyond rare personal contact with artists and a broad context for the performing arts. Unveiling the creative process of extraordinarily diverse artists, six Outreach programs touch more than 22,000 lives each year.

DID yOU KNOw?• The Hopkins Center opened in 1962.

• The Hopkins Center was designed by Wallace Harrison, architect of Lincoln Center and the United Nations Building in New York City.

• Spaulding Auditorium houses one of the largest pipe organs in New Hampshire. Can you find it?


THE STORyThe American Civil War (1861-1865) was a defining event in United States history, one that tore apart the country and pitted brother against brother. The losses on both sides were staggering, greater than all other American wars combined; the ultimate gain was also great and made the United States a stronger and wiser nation.

The Civil War has a cast of five talented actors playing multiple roles. The show delivers the key elements of this epic war: its causes, conflicts, major battles and leaders, and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. Through the lives of a few “ordinary” people, representing both Union and Confederate sides, we have a sense of the war as a whole. Our main focus is on five individuals: Jackie, a high-spirited girl from Mississippi; two Georgian boys – Will, who is white, and Zak, who is a slave in Will’s household; and a young couple from Ireland, Johnny and Kathleen, whose loyalties are with the North. Inevitably, these lives will cross.

The magic of The Civil War is that, despite its deeply serious underpinnings, the show is full of humor, wit, inventive staging and delightful dances and songs, many of which are from the 1860s. The story and performances provide information on important topics based in historical fact that are still relevant today and lend themselves to detailed discussion. The American Civil War was a transformative part of U.S. history. Knowing and understanding this event is essential whether you are from the north, south or another country.

CAST OF CHARACTERS(In order of appearance)Abe, a narrator Cap, a Confederate captainJackie, a girl from MississippiGus, a Confederate soldierWill, a white boy Pat, an Irish Union soldierZak, a young slave in Will’s house Mike, an Irish Union soldierJohnny Malone, an Irish Union soldier General McDowellKathleen, Johnny’s wife Recruiter for the Union“Sarge,” a Union sergeant General McClellanCyrus, Jackie’s brother General BurnsideAbraham Lincoln General HookerWill’s Father Cook for the UnionGeneral Meade

Quotable Civil warThe Civil War was the greatest event in American History . . . where paradoxically, in order to become one, we had to tear ourselves in two.

— NH filmmaker Ken Burns

Synonyms for the Civil war: War of Northern AggressionWar Between the StatesAmerican Civil WarWar for Southern

IndependenceWar of the RebellionFreedom WarWar of Secession

Synonyms for North:UnionBlueYanks/YankeesFederalsArmy of the PotomacUnited States Army (US)

Synonyms for South: confederateGrayRebs/RebelsDixieArmy of the Confederate

States of America (CSA)Army of Northern Virginia

Clockwise from top: Soldiers with women and children in a camp; the Fighting 69th by Mort Künstler; The

Emancipation Proclamation


CONTExTUAl BACKGROUND wHy wAR?In the early 19th century the southern states and northern states had formed their own identities. The South’s lifestyle relied on plantations and agriculture while the Northern states were focused on cities and industry. This led to conflicting attitudes about economics as well as social order, as the plantations of the South relied heavily on slave labor to produce the goods that then went to the North to be utilized in factories. In addi-tion, many Americans had been divided on the issue of states’ right—letting states govern themselves without federal government interfer-ence—since the days of the American Revolution. The agrarian South desired less federal government involvement than the industrialized North. At the center of this debate was slavery. Owning slaves was a state issue, but with the addition of new states and a growing move-ment towards abolition, the federal government began to get more involved. This angered states’ rights advocates and pushed the North-ern states and Southern states in different philosophical directions as both sought to protect what was important to them and their families.

IN THE BEGINNINGBecause of his anti-slavery sentiments, when Abraham Lincoln became President in 1860 seven states immediately seceded from the Union—Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina would soon follow. These states together would form the Confederate States of America (CSA) under President Jefferson Davis. An army of militia and

volunteers was raised, with former U.S. Army officers and soldiers joining the Southern cause. Lincoln refused to accept the secession, saying he would not abolish slavery in their states but they needed to rejoin the United States, either on their own or by force if necessary. They responded by seizing federal military forts in the South, including Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War would be fired in the early morning on April 12, 1861.

Jefferson Davis, President, Confederate States of America


CONTExTUAl BACKGROUND: THE BATTlESThe events of The Civil War performance take place during 1861 to 1865; the setting progresses from a Mississippi town and New York City, to various battle sites: Manassas, Virginia; Antietam (“Bull Run”), Maryland; Fredericksburg, Virginia; Chancellorsville, Virginia; and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

MANASSASOn July 21, 1861, the Union and Confederate armies clashed for the first time at the First Battle of Bull Run. Bull Run is the name of the stream the Union had to cross before they would be able to take a vital railroad junction at Manassas, Virginia. Due to the combination of the Union army’s inexperienced volunteers and the timely arrival of General Thomas J. Jackson’s Confederate brigade, victory went to the South—the first of the war. General Jackson also received a new nickname—“Stonewall.” Manassas was a wake-up call for the North, revealing that the South was serious and determined: the war was not going to be over as quickly as predicted by those in Washington, D.C.

ANTIETAMOn September 17, 1862, General Robert E. Lee decided to make a stand and confront the Union army in their own territory at Antietam, a creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland. The Union army had a new general, George McClellan, who had been brought in to better prepare troops for battle. In the end, Antietam was declared a Union victory, though 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after this twelve hour battle making this the bloodiest day in American history. Clara Barton, famous for founding the American Red Cross, was present tending to the wounded and the sick. Because he was slow to act during the battle, President Lincoln removed George McClellan and replaced him with Ambrose Burnsides.

Quotable Civil warIt is a classical maxim that it is sweet and becoming to die for one's country; but whoever has seen the horrors of a battle-field feels that it is far sweeter to live for it.

— John S. Mosby

General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson (CSA)

General Robert E. Lee (CSA) General George McClellan (US)

General Irvin McDowell (US)

Did you Know? Congressmen and their wives drove out in carriages to the battleground to watch the “show” at Bull Run; they even brought picnic baskets along with them.


FREDERICKSBURG

General Burnsides’ first battle as commander of the Army of the Potomac had the troops waiting for pontoon bridges to be built to cross the Rappahannock River in Virginia to get to Fredericks-burg where the Confederate Army waited. Once over the river, the Union had lost any element of surprise and the Confederate Army had dug in behind a stone wall that they were easily able to defend. The Union troops kept charging the wall, as brigade after brigade of soldiers fell. Though they were repeatedly unsuccessful in the charges, Burnsides had determined to give orders to keep fighting the next day. Eventually his subordinates convinced Burnsides to withdraw the troops back over the river, ending the engagement.

CHANCEllORSvIllE

Joe Hooker replaced General Burnsides to lead this battle just north of Fredericksburg. Robert E. Lee executed his most daring and successful battle plan of the entire war, but Stonewall Jackson was injured by friendly fire, which led to amputation of his left arm and eventual death from pneumonia. When Lee learned Jackson was injured he wrote to him saying, “Could I have directed events, I would have chosen for the good of the country to be disabled in your stead.” The Confederacy came away from Fredericksburg victorious, but with loss of life that outweighed the gains for General Lee.

GETTySBURG

Just prior to this battle beginning, George Meade replaced General Hooker. This three day battle became the major turning point for the war, handing a hard fought victory to the Union and further depleting the already worn down Confederate forces. It was during Gettysburg that the Union Army gained the advantage, and they would keep that advantage all the way through to the end of the fighting, which would go on for another 22 months and over 80 battles. The Civil War ended with General Lee surrendering to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 7, 1865. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated a week later at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C.

CONTExTUAl BACKGROUND (cont.)

General Ambrose Burnsides (US)

General Joe Hooker (US)

General George Meade (US)

General Ulysses S. Grant (US)


The Civil War features characters from very different walks of life all coming together as part of this conflict. Slaves and owners, women and men, old and young, immigrants and U.S.- born—all were fighting for what they believed in.

SlAvERy AND THE wARWhen he first took office, Lincoln declared that he would not abolish slavery in the states that had it and that he would uphold the Fugitive Slave law, despite having run his campaign on an anti-slavery platform. Though Lincoln insisted that the war was about keeping the Union together, it became clear in the first year of the war that decisive action was needed on the question of slavery. After the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln issued his intent to pass a law to emancipate the slaves unless the Confederacy surrendered. When they failed to do so, the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863. This law freed slaves in the South, though most slaves were not immediately aware of their newfound freedom. It also opened the door to allow black men to join the Union Army. Though the Emancipation Proclamation did not have the power to end slavery, it paved the way for it to be officially abolished in December 1865 when Congress ratified the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

THE FIGHTING 69THThe 69th New York State Volunteer Regiment was founded during the American Revolution and built up in the 1850s when a group of Irish citizens joined and it was accepted into the New York State Militia. After seeing ninety days of battle in the first days of the Civil War, the 69th returned to New York, was reorganized and became known as “The Irish Brigade.” This group of soldiers fought in many decisive

Civil War battles including Antietam, Gettysburg and Fredericksburg. They had a reputation for fighting hard but did not acquire their moniker until General Lee, spotting their signature green flags across the battle-field at one of the Seven Days battles is said to have commented “Ah yes, that fighting 69th.” At the battle of Antietam, the Irish Bri-gade lost half their men to death or serious injury in a matter of a few hours as they confronted the confederates who had dug in along a sunken road that would later be known as “Bloody Lane.”

CONTExTUAl BACKGROUND: THE CHARACTERS

Henry Louis Stephens, untitled watercolor (c. 1863) of a man reading a newspaper with headline

“Presidential Proclamation / Slavery”

Monument to the Irish Brigade at Antietam

Did you Know? the Fugitive Slave law passed in 1850 and re-

quired citizens to assist in the recovery of runaway

(fugitive) slaves. It denied the fugitive’s right to a trial

by jury instead paying a special commissioner to

release ($5) or return ($10) the alleged fugitive. This resulted in many African

Americans, both escaped slaves and freeborn, being captured and returned to

the South.

the Seven Days battles spanned seven days in the

summer of 1862. The Federal Army was poised to

take Richmond, VA but Robert E. Lee and the

Confederate Army went on the offensive, driving the

Union Army under George McClellan out of the region.


CONTExTUAl BACKGROUND (cont.)DRUMMER BOySAs fathers and older brothers were volunteering for the army, young boys were looking for a way to contribute to the war effort. Boys under the age of 18 were not old enough to be given a weapon and fight, but they were old enough to become a drummer. Drummers were an important part of the Civil War as they used their drums to communicate important information to the troops, which were often spread out across the battlefield. The drum’s cadence was used to convey orders such as “attack” or “retreat.” When the drums were not needed, the drummer boys helped tend to the wounded men on the field, including carrying the stretchers with injured men off of the battlefield.

Despite their age, many drummer boys went on to have distinguished army careers. Johnny Clem joined the Union Army when he was 9 years old as a drummer boy. He was promoted all the way up to brigadier general. A dedicat-ed soldier, he retired from the army and lived to be 85 years old. Julian Scoot was a drummer boy from Johnson, VT. He was just 16 when he was awarded the Medal of Honor for rescuing soldiers during battle. He would later become an artist and paint “The Battle of Cedar Creek” which now hangs on the second floor of the Vermont State House in Montpelier. See the painting here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/auvet/2598341569/lightbox/.

FEMAlES IN THE CIvIl wARThe Civil War was fought by thousands of men and boys on both sides. But what did all the women and girls do during the war? Some stayed at home to run farms and raise children. They also helped the war effort by knitting socks or making bandages. Other women went to war with their husbands, brothers or beaus rather than stay at home. While traveling with the Army or Navy, the women pro-vided services like laundry and food preparation. They also treated the wounded on and off the battlefield. Some women were spies, telegra-phers or scouts. Women would disguise themselves as men and fight; some fought without a disguise. Women joined the military as a way to bring excitement into their lives and to support their beliefs about their country. one thing that distinguished all the women of the Civil War is that, unlike their male counterparts who were often in the Army due to conscription, they were all 100% volunteers.

“The Sanitary Commission” 1864 Artist Thomas Nast’s tribute to

Civil War Women

Quotable Civil warWhat could I do but go with them, or work for them and my country? The patriot blood of my father was warm in my veins.

— American Red Cross Founder Clara Barton

Johnny Clem, drummer boy


lOCAl CONNECTION: SAINT-GAUDENS NATIONAl HISTORIC SITETHE MASSACHUSETTS 54TH REGIMENTIn 1863, after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, President Lincoln agreed to recruit African American men into the army, though in segregated regiments led by white officers. The first of these raised in the north was the Massachusetts 54th Regiment led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw of Boston, the son of staunch abolitionists. At the time, though, there was widespread prejudice and belief among many in the army and government that African Americans would make poor soldiers and not be able to bear up in battle.

In July, the regiment was sent to South Carolina where an assault was planned on Fort Wagner guarding Charleston harbor. Shaw asked to have 54th Regiment lead the attack and the chance for the men to prove themselves the equal of white soldiers. Of the 600 men in the attack that day, there were 285 casualties, and Col. Shaw was killed, but the men never wavered in the battle and demonstrated great courage and determination. As a result of their actions, other black regiments were formed, and by the end of the war 10% of the union army was made up of African Americans.

DAvID GlASGOw FARRAGUTDavid Glasgow Farragut was born in Tennessee, the son of a Spanish immigrant. Through the sponsorship of a family friend, a naval commander, David joined the navy at age ten as a midshipman which is the lowest officer rank, in essence, an officer in training. Within two years the country was at war with England and Farragut was serving on the Essex, a warship that was involved in several naval battles. Remarkably, at age 12, he was given command for a time, of a captured British ship. He served in the Navy for over 50 years and was a Union Civil War hero, especially renowned for his victory at Mobile Bay in Alabama. In 1866, he was the first person raised to the rank of admiral of the United States Navy.

AUGUSTUS SAINT-GAUDENSSculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) immortalized Col. Shaw and the 54th regiment in his stirring Shaw Memorial on Boston Common. The monument depicts Shaw and his men marching past the State House on their way to South Carolina, Shaw erect on his horse, the soldiers marching alongside. Saint Gaudens’ Farragut Monument was unveiled in Madison Square Park in New York City in 1881.

Saint-Gaudens sculpted other public monuments commemorating Union Civil War heroes, including Abraham Lincoln, General William Tecumseh Sherman, and General John Logan, the creator of Memorial Day. All of the sculptures incorporate allegorical figures and symbols to give emphasis to the person and events.

Visit Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, N.H. to see both the Shaw Memorial and Farragut Monument. The site also features the studios, home and gardens of Saint Gaudens where over 100 of his artworks are exhibited, from heroic public monuments, to portrait reliefs, to the gold coins he designed. The site is actively involved with educating students in the region and offers many chances for students to learn more about his Civil War sculptures, the process of creating sculpture, and the classical design elements used in Saint-Gaudens’ home and artwork. Admiral Farragut Monument,

Madison Park, New York City

The Shaw Memorial at Saint Gaudens National Historic Site


PRE-PERFORMANCE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ACTIvITIES• The Civil War is a musical which is fitting, as music was an important part of soldiers’ lives. Soldiers on both

sides often sang and played instruments to remind them of home, bolster their spirits and take their minds off the horrors of battle. Music was also used on the battlefield to keep soldiers motivated and on task. In small groups, research the origins and content of the Civil War songs at the links below. Discuss the effect each song may have had on soldiers who were singing or listening to it. What are the differences between the songs Northern soldiers sang and those of the South? What would your relationship to music be with no access to recorded or digital music?

Northern Songs:• “Battle Cry of Freedom” http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-the-homefront/culture/music/battle-cry-of-

freedom/battle-cry-of-freedom.html• “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp” http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-the-homefront/culture/music/tramp-tramp-

tramp/tramp-tramp-tramp.html• “Battle Hymn of the Republic” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VsE9T4Sr30• “The Fighting 69th” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md1zmgmew6A

Southern Songs:• “Dixie” http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-the-homefront/culture/music/dixie/dixie.html• “Bonnie Blue Flag” http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-the-homefront/culture/music/bonnie-blue-flag/

bonnie-blue-flag.html• “Maryland, My Maryland” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IYjvCv8g2E• “Eating Goober Peas” http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-the-homefront/culture/music/eatin-goober-

peas/eatin-goober-peas.html

Songs Shared by the North and the South:• “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-the-homefront/culture/music/

when-johnny-comes-marching-home-again/when-johnny-comes-marching.html• “Lorena” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i1s8FKoku8

• much of The Civil War is about conflict: between states, between armies, between families, between individu-als. In your own lives, what do you know about conflict? What does conflict feel like and how do you usually handle it (you might have more than one strategy)? Do your methods usually succeed? Why or why not?

• Symbols are important in any war, especially to represent honor and inspire courage in the troops. Many soldiers took comfort in symbols like the American or Confederate flag, or other flags created to represent a group of soldiers. For example, the Fighting 69th had their own flag that reminded them of their Irish heritage, of which they were proud. Other soldiers had a personal belonging that served to inspire and comfort them. This could be a Bible, a photo of a loved one, a tin cup from home, or a button off a piece of clothing. During The Civil War look for the marble and the hat. What are some examples of familiar symbols, for example, the American flag? What kinds of things do they communicate? What symbols mean something to you?

lEARNING ACTIvITIESIT’S A SIGN (GRADES 3-6):Working in groups, think of symbols that reflect your ideology, specifically symbols that represent ideas that are important to you and the world around you. Create drawings of your symbols and write a brief explanation of what the symbol represents. Compile your symbols into a flag and present it to the rest of the class and discuss. Do the symbols you used mean the same thing to others in the class?


lEARNING ACTIvITIES (cont).O CAPTAIN, My CAPTAIN (GRADES 3-6):Walt Whitman was a great poet who wrote during the Civil War. His work was heavily influenced by his experi-ences during the war, especially his time spent nursing the wounded in Union hospitals. Introduce students to Whitman’s poetry through silent reading and reading aloud. A good portion of his work can be accessed online at http://www.whitmanarchive.org/, including“To The States,” “As I Ponder’d In Silence,” “I Hear America Sing-ing,” “For You O Democracy,” “Beat! Beat! Drums!,” “Long, Too Long America,” and “Hush’d Be the Camps Today.” Discuss Whitman’s interpretation of the events around him and how he uses language to convey both facts and feelings. Have students write their own poetry about their experiences with and feelings about war. Inspiration can come from the Civil War or any war. Poems can be in the style of Whitman or another style, like haiku or free verse. If students prefer, they could pen lyrics as if they were a Civil War soldier.

Extender: Students re-write the lyrics to a Civil War era song to bring its relevancy into the present. Are there any words or phrases that remain relevant?

HUP, TwO, THREE, FOUR (GRADES 4-8): Imagine you are a Civil War soldier getting ready for your first major battle. You may be “on the road” for several months — sometimes marching over twenty miles/day, perhaps fighting several major battles with the enemy. The army has issued you a U.S. Model 1861 “Springfield” Rifle-Musket, bayonet, belt, bayonet scabbard, cap box, cartridge box, haversack and canteen. These weigh 13 pounds. In addition, you will be expected to carry five pounds of ammunition. From the list below, decide what else you will take with you on your marches and how much it will weigh.

weight of Item (x) Quantity (=) Total weight

How much are you going to carry? If you would like, use a scale, backpack and books as weights to load your total weight into a backpack. Walk around the room to see what it would feel like to be a common soldier on the march. (Imagine marching 20 miles with that weight on your shoulders.) Compare with class to see what each person felt was most important to bring. What items would you give up if the pack was too heavy for you to carry?

DIGITAl GEOGRAPHy—PAST AND PRESENT (GRADES 5-9):Compare and contrast battlefield maps from the Civil War with the landscape of the battlefields today. Go to http://www.civilwar.org/maps/maps-listings.html?map_type=historical to view period maps for Antietam, Gettysburg and Bull Run (Manassas). Open a second window on your computer and download Google Earth http://www.google.com/earth/index.html. Once the program is up and running, type the name of the battlefield into the search box. Google Earth will zoom into the location of the battle. Use the zoom function to adjust your view to resemble that of the historical map. Note the locations of landmarks, e.g. the Dunker Church and cornfields at Antietam. What areas have been preserved? What areas have changed and how? How have landscapes for warfare in general changed since the 1860s? In what scenario would a modern-day USA fight a war on battlefields like these?

Pants 1 lb. ________ ________Forage cap 1/2 lb. _______ _______Shirt 1/2 lb. ________ ________Jacket 3 lbs. ________ ________Socks 1/2 lb. (pair) _______ _______Shoes 2 lbs. ________ ________Cup 1/4 lb. ________ ________Utensils 1/4 lb. ________ ________

Cooking Pan 1 lb. ________ _______Canteen 4 lbs. ________ _______Soap 1/4 lb. ________ ________Shaving razor 1/4 lb. ______ ______Comb 1/8 lb. ________ ________Blanket 3 lbs. ________ ________Candle 1/4 lb. ________ ________Playing Cards 1/8 lb. ______ ______

Bible 1/2 lb. ________ ________Stationery 1/4 lb. ________ ________Tent 12 lbs. ________ ________Knife 1/4 lb. ________ ________Coat 4 lbs. ________ ________Rifle, cartridges, etc. required by Army + 18 lbs.

TOTAL WEIGHT ________________


lEARNING ACTIvITIES (cont.)THE COST OF SlAvERy (GRADES 6-9): Use the auction notice at right to discuss the economics of the South. Use the consumer price index and conversion formula at http://www.minneapolisfed.org/community_educa-tion/teacher/calc/hist1800.cfm to determine the 2012 price of the slaves. What modern items would be purchased for this amount of money? How were slaves integral to life in the South in ways they were not in the North? Were there economic benefits to freeing the slaves? How does modern society apply a monetary value to humans and their worth/work? What are the modern conflicts over economic growth and equal opportunities in the workplace?

POST PERFORMANCE DISCUSSION• How has watching The Civil War

developed your prior knowledge about the events surrounding this war? Has it introduced new knowledge and ideas? Did anything surprise you? Was anything unclear? Discuss with your classmates.

• A play is like a mirror. What do you see of yourself when you look into the “mirror” of The Civil War? Do you identify with any of the characters? How? How does seeing yourself through this musical make you feel connected to other people? To your state? To your country? Have students select a character from the show. Divide them up into groups based on what character they chose and have then discuss why the identify with that particular character. Have each group create a list of the character traits with which they identified.

• What symbols did you see in The Civil War? How were they presented and what information did they communicate to you about the story of The Civil War or the war in general (hint: did you see the hat and marble)?

• What do you see as strengths among the people on both the North and the South? What are some of their weaknesses? What are your best qualities and how do you use them? And—let’s be fair—what are qualities that you need to improve?


SOURCESThe Civil War Trust: www.civilwar.org

National Park Service: www.nps.gov

PBS: www.pbs.org/thecivilwar/, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2951.html

The 69th NYSV Historical Association: http://www.69thnysv.org/

Reeder, Carolyn. “Drummer boys played important roles in the Civil War, and some became soldiers” KidsPost The Washington Post online February 21, 2012 11/27/2012

Larson, C. Kay. “Women at War” Disunion Opinionator The New York Times online 5 August 2012 Retrieved 28 November 2012

ADDITIONAl RESOURCES Go to http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/ or http://www.flowofhistory.

org/ (VT and NH) for Civil War curriculum and lesson plansCivil war Historical Fiction Reading list:

Iron Thunder: The Battle Between the Monitor and the Merrimac: a Civil War Novel by Avi

When Will This Cruel War Be Over?: The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson by Barry Denenberg

A Light in the Storm: The Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin by Karen HesseRifles for Waite by Harold Keith

Civil War on Sunday by Mary Pope OsborneThe Code of the Drum by L.L. Owens

Meet Addy: An American Girl by Connie Rose PorterCivil War Days by Ellen Weiss

The Drummer Boy of Vicksburg by G. Clifton Wisler

vOCABUlARyAbolition: the act of officially ending a law, regulation or practice; the official ending of the practice of slavery

Admiral: the highest ranking officer in the Navy

Agrarian: relating to land, especially its ownership and cultivation

Allergorical: expressing something through the use of characters and events as symbols that express a deeper, often spiritual, meaning

Assassinate: to kill someone, especially a political leader or other public figure, by a sudden violent attack

Beau: a boyfriend or male admirer

Cadence: the beat of something, such as a dance or march, that follows a set rhythm

Conscription: the obligatory enrollment of citizens in the armed forces; predecessor to the draft

Dug in/Dig in: the act of a soldier or group of soldiers locating an area on the battlefield where they can stay and easily fire on the enemy without needing to move

Economics: the study of the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services

Emancipate: to free somebody from slavery, serfdom or other such forms of bondage; to free from restrictions or conventions

Engagement: a hostile encounter involving military forces; a battle

Ideology: a system of beliefs, values and ideas forming the basis of a social, economic or political way of thinking

Immortalized: made famous for a very long time, espe-cially in art, music or books

Maxim: a general rule, principle or truth

Militia: a group of soldiers who are not professionals or part of a regular army

Moniker: nickname

Musical: a play or movie that uses singing, music and dancing to develop story and characters

Philosophical: based on a set of basic principles, beliefs or aims underlying somebody’s practice or conduct

Pontoon: a floating structure used to support a bridge, especially one installed for temporary use

Rank: in the military, an official title that indicates level of importance and responsibility

Regulars: a group of soldiers who make up the main army

Seceded: made a formal withdrawal of membership from an organization, state or alliance

Staunch: showing loyalty, dependability and enthusiasm

Subordinates: lower in rank or status; secondary in importance

volunteer: to enlist voluntarily for military service

the civil war study guide

Documents