Life During the Civil War
For theme two of your Civil War Documentary project, we will explore the lives of many different individuals throughout the American Civil War. From soldiers to civilians, privileged white aristocrats to impoverished black farmers, we will use primary and secondary sources to delve deep into daily life during the turbulent years of the war.
Step One: Identify Research Questions
Check out your documentary instructions.
The Emancipation Proclamation: p. 528-530
African Americans' Lives: p. 531
Opposition to the War: p. 532
2. You may also use the hyperlinks below to view testimony and photographs to find the information you need.
Civilian Life - How were civilians' lives affected by the war?
What role did black men and women play in the war effort? Did these roles change the perspectives white Americans had regarding black persons?
Step Three: Organize your Research and Write Your Script
Step One: Identify Research Questions
Check out your documentary instructions.
- Decide which slides you and your partner will research.
- What information do you need to find to help you?
- What questions can you ask yourself to help focus your questions?
- Record your questions on lined sheets of paper
- Use Mr. Kawel's print resources and your textbook to research each area with your partner. Pages 514-15, 528-531, and 532-534 will be a great help.
The Emancipation Proclamation: p. 528-530
African Americans' Lives: p. 531
Opposition to the War: p. 532
2. You may also use the hyperlinks below to view testimony and photographs to find the information you need.
Civilian Life - How were civilians' lives affected by the war?
- The Family's Life
- Life During the War: A Photography Gallery
- Civilians During the War: A Photography Gallery
- Women in the War from History.com
- The Soldier's Life
- A Soldier's Food
- Andersonville Prison Historic Site
- Andersonville Prison by the Civil War Trust
- Other Civil War Prisons and Testimony
- Andersonville Prison from History.com
- Civil War Correspondence #1 - In the Field
- Civil War Correspondence #2 - In the Field
- Civil War Correspondence #3 - In the Field
- Civil War Correspondence #4 - Love Letters
- Lincoln's Critics: The Copperheads
- Copperheads
- Lincoln and the Copperheads from The New York Times
- Illinois Copperheads from Northern Illinois University Libraries
What role did black men and women play in the war effort? Did these roles change the perspectives white Americans had regarding black persons?
- The Emancipation Proclamation, Union Strategy, and Lincoln's Views on Slavery
- 54th Mass from History.com
- Fort Wagner and the 54th Massachusetts from the Civil War Trust
- 54th Mass by the Massachusetts' Historical Society
- 54th Mass in the National Archives
- Black Women in the War from Ms. Magazine
- Women in the War from History.com
- Black Women and the Civil War from the Women's in Military Service Memorial
- Unsung Heroes of the Civil War from Pennsylvania Civil War
- Contraband Camps
- Contraband Camps from the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture
- Contraband Camps from the North Carolina History Project
- Contraband Camps from Vanderbilt University Libraries, MTSU Walker Library, and the MTSU Center for Historic Preservation
- The Forgotten: Contraband Camps from The National Trust for Historic Preservation
Step Three: Organize your Research and Write Your Script
- Collect your research on line sheets of paper
- Organize your research into a short narrative to add to your theme two scripts