American Civil War Buffs:

[Leslie]

Originally posted by eskimo2
Two folks who know more than I said to drop it.  If I put it back in, what should I drop from the list?

I'm not a historian, but Champion Hill (not Champion's Hill) is right up there with Gettysburg far as importance goes.  The three events you added are surrounded with controversy, and may be too complex for eighth graders.  Are you going to discuss individual events in detail or just list them?  For instance, I'm of the understanding John Brown was not all that important far as the Abolitionist Movement goes.  Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin was much more important.  It could be said this book was one of the events that started the Abolitionist Movement, and was one of the causes of the War.

Be that as it may, battles are pretty straight forward, non controversial subjects, while some other events necessitate arguments from both sides of view to round out a discussion.  Since you teach at a Catholic school, there may be some room for thoughtful discussion even with eighth graders, so long as controversial subjects are recognized as such, along with the opposing viewpoints.  This requires research to do properly.  Fort Pillow massacre might have been a massacre, and many of those massacred were Negro Union soldiers, but it is important to remember that Negroes served as Confederate soldiers also.  So it is one sided to say they were killed because of their race.  Most likely they were killed in the frenzy of the moment along with the white soldiers.  Nathan Bedford Forrest was no one to fool around with and I propose he would not be discriminatory when it came to killing.

You can't mention Andersonville without mentioning Elmira.  There are some who say Wirtz did not receive a fair trial.  So I guess you see my point about presenting both sides.  

That said, I would present the order of secession of the states as one event.  This would not mess up the time line too much and would leave room to include Champion Hill.




Les

[Masherbrum]

Agree again.

[Saxman]

Does it have to be individual events, or would campaigns work? The entire Vicksburg Campaign involved a number of battles in your list and you could free up a lot of space if you list the "Vicksburg Campaign" and cover all the engagements involved as one subject.

You're really doing a major disservice omitting the Civil War in Missouri. It was probably the most complex part of the war because of the politics and characters involved. "Bloody" Bill Anderson, Quantrill's Raiders, the Youngers, Frank and Jesse James, secessionists and Unionists walking up and shooting each other down in cold blood on their own doorsteps, a legally elected government seceding from the Union, only to be forcibly removed by Union sympathizers (the state itself was largely Southern in loyalty, unlike Maryland which was predominantly Unionist). The entire state was at war with ITSELF in a way that no other territory either North, South or Border was.

[E25280]

Unless you have something in there I don't recognize (which is entirely possible), the siege of Richmond should be covered IMO.  In addition to the great importance of the city it involved, it had many of the pre-cursors to strategies used in WWI (trench warfare, seige mortars, etc.).  Something like the "Battle of the Crater" might be a good jumping off point since it was a direct result of trying to break the impasse.

P.S. I agree with Sax.  The Civil War is described as a war of brother against brother.  That was especially true in Missouri.  Exploring that dynamic would be beneficial IMO.

[eskimo2]

Originally posted by Leslie
I'm not a historian, but Champion Hill (not Champion's Hill) is right up there with Gettysburg far as importance goes.  The three events you added are surrounded with controversy, and may be too complex for eighth graders.  Are you going to discuss individual events in detail or just list them?  For instance, I'm of the understanding John Brown was not all that important far as the Abolitionist Movement goes.  Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin was much more important.  It could be said this book was one of the events that started the Abolitionist Movement, and was one of the causes of the War.

Be that as it may, battles are pretty straight forward, non controversial subjects, while some other events necessitate arguments from both sides of view to round out a discussion.  Since you teach at a Catholic school, there may be some room for thoughtful discussion even with eighth graders, so long as controversial subjects are recognized as such, along with the opposing viewpoints.  This requires research to do properly.  Fort Pillow massacre might have been a massacre, and many of those massacred were Negro Union soldiers, but it is important to remember that Negroes served as Confederate soldiers also.  So it is one sided to say they were killed because of their race.  Most likely they were killed in the frenzy of the moment along with the white soldiers.  Nathan Bedford Forrest was no one to fool around with and I propose he would not be discriminatory when it came to killing.

You can't mention Andersonville without mentioning Elmira.  There are some who say Wirtz did not receive a fair trial.  So I guess you see my point about presenting both sides.  

That said, I would present the order of secession of the states as one event.  This would not mess up the time line too much and would leave room to include Champion Hill.




Les

Here’s what we are doing:
First of all, I teach technology/computers, but try to tie other subjects into technology whenever I can.  I was looking for a way to incorporate video editing into my curriculum.  I also believe that the eighth grade studies the Civil War at the end of the year when the curriculum becomes rushed because the standards cover more than can possibly be taught.  Since they don’t spend much time on it, I might as well touch on it.  So, my 41 eighth graders are now Civil War television field reporters.  They will each report, produce and edit a one minute clip on their topic as if the battle/event had just concluded.  They will have to include pictures of generals, maps, titles etc.  They will really only touch on the basic of the battle/event.  After they all have finished, I’ll string them together into a single 41 minute film and we’ll be able to watch it in one class session.

I’m for combining the secession of the states into one report and adding Champion Hill; thanks!

[Leslie]

That should be very interesting Eskimo.  Good luck!


Les

[68ROX]

Possibles missing from your list:


Naval Battle of Mobile Bay
Battle of Brices Crossroads
Tennessee Campaign under John Bell Hood
The Invention of the Submarine (Confederate)
Battle of the Ironclads
The Red River Campaign
The Battle of Pine Bluff
The Issue of States Rights
The Issue of Slavery
William Tecuhmseh Sherman
The Union Naval Blockade (and Blockade Runners)
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation
Calvary Warfare, Compare-Contrast Forrest & Custer
Native American Participation (Leave Battle of Pea Ridge on the list)
Issue of Foreign Non-Intervention
Confederate Spying (Via Canada & New York City)



Also:

How new technology made a difference:

Morse Code & Telegraphy
Submarines
Iron (Armored) Ships
Air Baloons
Repeating Rifles
Gattiling Gun
Canned Food




68ROX

[Saxman]

Rox: The Battle of Hampton Roads is on the list, which is the first Battle of the Ironclads, so he has that covered.

However I still think he shouldn't leave the Civil War in Missouri off the list. There may not have had armies 80,000-strong involved, but it was the only state whose legally elected government ACTUALLY voted to secede and join the Confederacy, but the federal government stepped in and forcibly removed them to keep them in the Union (Maryland was under martial law before it could even be voted on, Delaware was staunchly pro-Union, and Kentucky started neutral but the elected government joined the Union after Confederate forces captured one of its cities). Third in number of battles after Virginia (1) and Tennessee (2) and probably the nastiest and most personally vicious the war got.

[lasersailor184]

Originally posted by eskimo2
Please help me with this; I need a list of the 41 most important battles and events of the American Civil War.  I�m not a Civil War buff, but here is my list so far.  Which four things should I pull from the list?  If you think something critical is missing, please state it AND also tell which 5 of the 41 events bellow should be pulled.  (I have 41 eighth grade students.)

**************************

First six Southern States Secede, Kansas admitted to the Union
Jefferson Davis inaugurated & Texas secedes
Lincoln inaugurated; Special Senate Session convenes.
Bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter
Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina & Tennessee secede
Battle of 1st Bull Run
Battle of Wilson's Creek
Battle of Fort Henry
Battle of Fort Donelson
Battle of Pea Ridge
Battle of Hampton Roads (Naval)
Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Fair Oaks
Battles of the Seven Days
Battle of 2nd Bull Run
Battle of South Mountain
Battle of Antietam
Emancipation Proclamation issued
Battle of Corinth
Battle of Perryville
Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Murfreesboro
Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Champion's Hill
Battle of Vicksburg
Battle of Gettysburg
New York City draft riots
Battle of Chickamauga
Battle of Chattanooga
Lincoln appoints Grant general-in-chief of Union Armies
Battle of The Wilderness
Battle of Spotsylvania
Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of Petersburg
Battle of The Kearsarge vs. The Alabama
Battle of Kenesaw Mountain
Battle of Atlanta
Battle of Mobile Bay
March to the Sea (to December 21) begins from Atlanta
Battle of Cedar Creek
Battle of Franklin
Battle of Fort McAllister
Battle of Nashville
Battles of Appomattox, Lee surrenders
Lincoln is shot, dies

You're forgetting the complete timeline from the constitution to the secession.  Without them, your list is quite worthless and without context.

[DiabloTX]

I need a list of the 41 most important battles and events of the American Civil War.

Originally posted by lasersailor184
You're forgetting the complete timeline from the constitution to the secession.  Without them, your list is quite worthless and without context.

I think that would be out of the scope of his assignment.  But you do have a point.

[eskimo2]

Originally posted by 68ROX
Possibles missing from your list:


Naval Battle of Mobile Bay
Battle of Brices Crossroads
Tennessee Campaign under John Bell Hood
The Invention of the Submarine (Confederate)
Battle of the Ironclads
The Red River Campaign
The Battle of Pine Bluff
The Issue of States Rights
The Issue of Slavery
William Tecuhmseh Sherman
The Union Naval Blockade (and Blockade Runners)
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation
Calvary Warfare, Compare-Contrast Forrest & Custer
Native American Participation (Leave Battle of Pea Ridge on the list)
Issue of Foreign Non-Intervention
Confederate Spying (Via Canada & New York City)



Also:

How new technology made a difference:

Morse Code & Telegraphy
Submarines
Iron (Armored) Ships
Air Baloons
Repeating Rifles
Gattiling Gun
Canned Food




68ROX

I presented the assignment today; the kids seem genuinely interested.  One of my requirements is that the reporters must wear period-like clothing and film in a period-like (or indistinguishable) setting.  Some of the girls were looking at women’s clothing and hairstyles before they researched their topics.  The boys loved that they could wear fake beards and moustaches.  

I think that while this topic is still hot I might compile another list; I have 45 seventh graders who could do this project next year, but I’d like to give them fresh topics (they’ll likely see this year’s reports before we start).  

I like many of these topics; some may be difficult to fit into the news report format.

[texasmom]

 Thumbs up on the creativity.  My own 8th grader is completely interested in history (at the moment), due entirely to one of his teachers who really lets history come to life through their projects.

[68ROX]

As a sub, a few years back, I taught a LOT of History.

History is one of those subjects that if you teach it by the books, with stale dates & names...you lose the kids.

If you make EVERYTHING they hear relevant to THEM TODAY, and how it effects them NOW...they really pay attention.

You've brought history to life for them, and they realize that since it effects them direclty NOW...they absorb more.

That, and the very first day after taking attendance I re-enter the room, slap an noisy object on the floor (scaring them almost out of their seats) and claim the room for King Louis of FRANCE....get's their attention QUICK!  


68ROX

[Saxman]

The important thing is to ENJOY what you teach. A good friend of mine never had teachers that really seemed to enjoy actually teaching history, and as a result she's never had much of an interest in it to this day.

It makes a BIG difference when you have a teacher that actually loves the subject they're teaching.

[gunnss]

Actually what might work is to have double or more topics next time and have the students draw randomly for them. If you have topics you really want covered just weight them in or fix the draw. (Grin)

On a side note my railroad club has built a lesson guide for Railroad history, set up with lesson plans for K-12. Let me know if you want it, we still have the file on our HD. The lesson plan is weighted for NM but that is easy to adjust for you area.
Regards,
Kevin

http://www.nmslrhs.org/