Civil War Primary Source Presentation

As a way to deepen our understanding of the Civil War, we will examine five key primary source documents. Our study of these documents will be guided by five separate groups of students. Each group will: (1.) present the historical background on these documents, (2.) provide a close reading guide, and (3.) lead a Harkness discussion of the document and the role it played in shaping American identity during the Civil War.

The five documents are (along with key historical background events):

  • Lincoln’s First InauguralAddress:The Eve of the War
  • The Election of 1860 and fracturing of political parties
  • Secession
  • Lincoln’s initial hopes for unity
  • The Emancipation Proclamation:The War Begins in Earnest
  • Bull Run
  • Northern and southern strategies
  • Battle of Antietam
  • Role of the Border States
  • The Gettysburg Address:The Turning Point
  • Battle of Vicksburg
  • Battle of Gettysburg
  • 1863 as the turning point in the war
  • Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address:The Dawning of Inevitability
  • Sherman’s March
  • Growing Southern desperation and the inevitability of the War’s end
  • The Election of 1864
  • Appomattox
  • The Reconstruction Amendments:What Happens Next?
  • Lincoln’s Assassination
  • 13th, 14th 15th amendments
  • Radical Republicanism
  • “Reconstruction”(reintegrating the south politically and socially into the United States) and the southern response

Your presentation will include three different elements, each highlighting a different aspect of this document.

I. Visual Presentation: Establishing Context—You will create avisual presentation – a powerpoint, a series of posters, or other visual demonstration—that presents the historical background surrounding document. Your presentation will answer questions such as:

What led to this document? How is it a part of this historical moment? What are the events taking place in the war at this time that relate to this document? Your visual presentation should not only list and explain these events, but should also lead the class to understanding what the document’s practical political and social goals were as they relate the to these concrete events from history. Consult the key questions we have prepared for your group. Be sure each of these questions is answered thoroughly in your presentation.

II. Annotated Document / Close Reading Handout: Enhancing Comprehension—You will also prepare a close readingguide of this document, so that your readers may better understand the document. The close reading will include two parts.

First, you will turn in an “annotated” or “reader’s guide” version of the document. Your annotations shouldclarifydifficult words, historical figures or events, and any historically specific language or ideas that cloud the meaning of the document for modern readers. This version should be annotated to include footnotes, a glossary, and/or a vocabulary key. Second, you will attach a one-page handout thatoutlinessome of the key ideas and highlights important passages.

III. Harkness Dicsussion: Meaning, Themes, Causes and Effects–Lastly, your group will prepare and lead a Harkness Discussion on the document and its place in the Civil War and American history. You will prepare a list of at least ten discussion questions that should lead that class to understand the document’s main ideas, themes, and role in America’s evolving identity. Your aim should be to write questions that guide the class to understand not only what the document says, but what its subtext is, how it affected the course of the war and the future of the county. What changes did it make to America’s cultural identity? You will also prepare extended answers to these questions, which you will turn into Mr. Nekrosius.

Annotated Bibliography – In addition to these three parts of your presentation, your group will also prepare an annotated bibliography which includes—at minimum-- four sources: two print sources, two online sources. This does not include the primary source document you are studying.

PRESENTATION DATES:

April 24: First Inaugural Address

April 28: Emancipation Proclamation

May 1: Gettysburg Address

May 5: Second Inaugural Address

May 8: The 13th Amendment