Reform | EDSITEment

Lesson 1: On the Eve of War: North vs. South

Created July 17, 2010

This lesson will examine the economic, military and diplomatic strengths and weaknesses of the North and South on the eve of the Civil War. In making these comparisons students will use maps and read original documents to decide which side, if any, had an overall advantage at the start of the war.

Lesson 2: The Battles of the Civil War

Created July 17, 2010

Through the use of maps and original documents, this lesson will focus on the key battles of the Civil War, Gettysburg and Vicksburg and show how the battles contributed to its outcome. It will also examine the "total war" strategy of General Sherman, and the role of naval warfare in bringing about a Union victory.

Lesson 4: The Second Inaugural Address (1865)—Restoring the American Union

Photograph of Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural. Lincoln is at the very center of the picture surrounded by dignitaries.

The newly re-elected Abraham Lincoln sought to unite the American people by interpreting the waning conflict as a divine judgment upon both sides of the war. This lesson will examine Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address to determine how he sought to reunite a divided country through a providential interpretation of the Civil War.

Lesson 2: The First Inaugural Address (1861)—Defending the American Union

Photo of Lincoln’s first Inauguration, March 4, 1861. The Nation was on the brink of war.

Abraham Lincoln felt that the attempt of seven states to leave the American union peacefully was, in fact, a total violation of law and order. This lesson will examine Lincoln's First Inaugural Address to understand why he thought his duty as president required him to treat secession as an act of rebellion and not a legitimate legal or constitutional action by disgruntled states.

Lesson 3: The Gettysburg Address (1863)—Defining the American Union

Photo of Lincoln at Gettysburg dedication. Lincoln is highlighted in this image in the middle of the crowd at the dais.

This lesson will examine the most famous speech in American history to understand how Lincoln turned a perfunctory eulogy at a cemetery dedication into a concise and profound meditation on the meaning of the Civil War and American union.

Lesson 1: Fragment on the Constitution and Union (1861)—The Purpose of the American Union

Library of Congress image of 1860 campaign illustration of Republican nominee Abraham Lincoln

How did Abraham Lincoln understand the relationship between principles of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution? In this lesson students will examine Lincoln's "Fragment on the Constitution and Union" a brief but insightful reflection on the importance of the ideal of individual liberty to the constitutional structure and operation of the American union written in the last days of December 1860 when his election as president had brought the crisis of the American "house divided" to a head.

Lesson 4: The 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson: Issues in the Election of 1828 (and Beyond)

Daguerrotype of Andrew Jackson late in life.

How were party politics reflected in the campaign of 1828? What were the positions of the fledgling Democratic Party and its opposition?

Lesson 2: The 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson: Changes in Voting Participation

Did the increased right to vote translate into an increase in the percentage and totals of white males who actually voted? Students will look for connections between the candidacy of Andrew Jackson and trends in voter participation in the presidential election of 1828.

Lesson 3: The 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson: Territorial Expansion and the Shift of Power

By 1828, the United States had changed greatly, though it was still a young country. Instead of 13 states, there were 24, and enough territory to make quite a few more. What was the source of Andrew Jackson's popularity?

Lesson 1: 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson: Expansion of the Voting Base

John Quincy Adams defeated Andrew Jackson in 1824

Did changes in state constitutions tend to affect the voting population? In this lesson, students discuss the general trend in the first half of the 19th century to extend the right to vote to more white males.

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