Welcome to Before and After the Civil War
This unit will meet California State Standards for 8th Grade Social Studies
8.10 Students analyze the multiple causes, key events, and complex consequences of the Civil War.
- Compare the conflicting interpretations of state and federal authority as emphasized in the speeches and writings of statesmen such as Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun.
- Trace the boundaries constituting the North and the South, the geographical differences between the two regions, and the differences between agrarians and industrialists.
- Identify the constitutional issues posed by the doctrine of nullification and secession and the earliest origins of that doctrine.
- Discuss Abraham Lincoln's presidency and his significant writings and speeches and their relationship to the Declaration of Independence, such as his "House Divided" speech (1858), Gettysburg Address (1863), Emancipation Proclamation (1863), and inaugural addresses (1861 and 1865).
- Study the views and lives of leaders (e.g., Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee) and soldiers on both sides of the war, including those of black soldiers and regiments.
- Describe critical developments and events in the war, including the major battles, geographical advantages and obstacles, technological advances, and General Lee's surrender at Appomattox.
- Explain how the war affected combatants, civilians, the physical environment, and future warfare.
Essential Unit Questions
The unit will focus on answering the following questions:
- "What were the causes of the Civil War?"
- "What historical documents were signed in order to keep the country from entering the war?"
- "Who were Abolitionist?"
- "Which states were part of the Confederacy?"
- "What was the Dred Scott Decision?"
- "What were the Lincoln-Douglas Debates?"
- "How did Lincoln winning the presidency effect the anti-slavery?"
Big Ideas
The unit will focus on following main ideas:
- The country was divided on slavery
- New political leadership
- The causes and effects of the Civil War
- Fugitive Slave Act
- New Territories
- Brother against Brother
- Uncle Tom's Cabin
Assessment
- Analysis of the national debating about slavery
- Evaluate the leaders and geographical factors that lead to the outcome of the war
- Written evidence explaining the contrasting differences between the North and South before and after the war.