Civil War

The American Civil War

5th Grade Georgia Performance Standards on the Civil War

Georgia Standard SS5H1 The student will explain the causes, major events and consequences of the Civil War.
a. Identify Uncle Tom's Cabin and John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry and explain how each of these events was related to the Civil War.
b. Discuss how the issue of states' rights and slavery increased tensions between the North and South.

Why did the south secede form the North and attempt to become their own country?

c. Identify major battles and campaigns: Fort Sumter, Gettysburg, the Atlanta Campaign, Sherman's March to the Sea and Appomattox Court House.
d. Describe the roles of Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
e. Describe the effects of the war on the North and South.

Terrific Additional Resources:
Mr.Nussbaum.com is a terrific site for kids to learn more about the Civil War. Also visit, The Civil War for 5th Graders.
You can also see a short movie giving an overview of the Civil War on BrainPop.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

This classic book, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe made the horrors of slavery come alive to its readers. The book was originally published in 1853. When Abraham Lincoln met Ms. Stowe he said, "So you're the little lady who started this big war." Uncle Tom's Cabin was one of the many causes of the Civil War, because it outraged people about the horrors of slavery. You can click here to access an abbrieviated version of the story. The story contains a lot of dialect and racial references, which we will talk about in class. You can also click here to access an .MP3 file, which will read the story to you (this version cuts out much of the dialect).

John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry

John Brown took a different route to ending slavery then Harriet Beecher Stowe. He wanted action. His plan was to raid a military armory at Harper's Ferry in Virginia, and then take the weapons and give them to slaves, so they could fight for their freedom. He and his whole raiding party were captured. He was convicted of treason and hanged on December 2, 1859. At first people thought he was crazy, but it got people talking about the horrors of slavery. For more details about John Brown's Raid click here. There was an old folk song which Civil war soldiers sang about John Brown, which eventually became part of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." To learn more about the song and hear it sung, click here.

Fort Sumter--The Beginning of the Civil War

Fort Sumter, in South Carolina, was where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. Click here see an animated video/map of the Battle of Fort Sumter.

The Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the Civil War. The confederates had won a series of battles and were fighting in Pennsylvania, northern territory, for the only time in the war. If they had won the Battle of Gettysburg and continued advancing, the war may have ended very differently. See an animated version of the Battle of Gettysburg here.

The Atlanta Campaign

General Sherman conducted a military campaign straight down into the heart of the south. His goal was to destroy southern morale and end the war. The website linked here will provide all the details you could want in an animated version of the Battle of Atlanta.

Sherman's March to the Sea

After destroying Atlanta, General Sherman continued to march his army from Atlanta, all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. His purpose was to destroy everything in his path, including homes and farms. He hoped that if they did enough destruction, then the south would no longer want to continue the war. His march concluded in December of 1864. By April of 1865, the South surrendered. To view an animation and learn more about Sherman's March click here.

The End of the War--Appomattox

After Sherman's long march to the sea, crippled the south's ability to continue fighting, Robert E. Lee finally surrendered at Appomattox Court House, following a series of battles. To see animation of the final battles of the war leading up to Appomattox click here.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was elected as president in 1860. This upset the south because Lincoln was anti-slavery, and they did not want a president who openly opposed slavery. This became one of the final events that led to the southern states seceding from the USA.
In 1863 Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation freeing all slaves. This event helped prevent the French or British from helping the south. The south refused to free their slaves and the French and British, who had been supportive of the south in trying to gain their independence, were completely opposed to slavery.
Lincoln, was assassinated on April 15, 1865, only 6 days after the war ended.
Click here for a website with everything you could ever want to know about Lincoln. Beware, it is very overwhelming.

Ullysses S. Grant

Grant became the leader of the Union Army part way through the Civil War and was important to the Union victory. Following the Civil War he became the 18th president of the United States. For more info about Grant, click here.

Robert E. Lee

Abraham Lincoln asked Robert E. Lee to lead the Union Army. Even though Lee did not particularly like slavery, he felt that he had to be loyal to his home state of Virginia, which was was seceding. Lee became the head of the Confederate Army and a key advisor to Jefferson Davis. Lee surrendered to U.S. Grant on April 9, 1865, ending the Civil War. I have linked a site with basic information about Lee and a more advanced website.

Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson

Stonewall Jackson was one of the key confederate Generals who was remembered for his bravery, as his nickname indicates. Jackson died of a wound he received at the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1864. When he died General Lee said, "I know not how to replace him." For additional info about Stonewall, click here.

Jefferson Davis

Davis was elected president of the Confederate States of America in 1861 and remained the president throughout the Civil War. Click here, for additional info about Davis.