Grade Level: 9-12 
Lesson Length: 60 minutes
Learning Objectives:   The student will be able to identify the armament of the Union army at the beginning of the Civil War. The student will consider the preparedness of the Union and Confederate armies. The student compare and contrast prior knowledge about the Civil War to interpret historical documents. The student will be able to analyze and interpret a primary document

Colfer, Jessica

English

Jefferson Digital Commons

Thomas Jefferson University Jefferson Digital Commons Lesson Plans Teaching with Primary Sources Fall 2019 Arming of the U.S. Army During War 1861 Jessica Colfer Follow this and additional works at: https://jdc.jefferson.edu/historylessonplans  Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Military History Commons, and the United States History Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits you This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Jefferson Digital Commons. The Jefferson Digital Commons is a service of Thomas Jefferson University's Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). The Commons is a showcase for Jefferson books and journals, peer-reviewed scholarly publications, unique historical collections from the University archives, and teaching tools. The Jefferson Digital Commons allows researchers and interested readers anywhere in the world to learn about and keep up to date with Jefferson scholarship. This article has been accepted for inclusion in Lesson Plans by an authorized administrator of the Jefferson Digital Commons. For more information, please contact: JeffersonDigitalCommons@jefferson.edu. Thomas Jefferson University Archives and Special Collections  Lesson Plan: Student Notes of John Hill Brinton Arming of the U.S. Army During War 1861  Grade level:​ 9-12  Standards I.  Historical Analysis and Skill Development 8.1.12B A. Evaluate the interpretation of primary events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships. Materials  I. A copy of the excerpt from the lecture notes of John Hill Brinton (p. 61) (​https://jdc.jefferson.edu/medicalnotebooks/36/​) II. A copy of Abraham Lincoln’s July 4th, 186: July 4th Message to Congress. (​https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/july-4-1861-july-4th-message-congress​)  III. A copy of the Illinois’ First Response to the Civil War by Robert I. Girardi (​https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/jillistathistsoc.105.2-3.0167?casa_token=mseD182EgOEAAAAA:VtEK1ysXDxrxcCjevp4V3SAjwodJPDDcrhbrO5UP7j78otMD9MYsgAiT1ThRq38OWSpbkO_p5FC5gElzTYjzGYsAZJ_Zmg7MXbd1Y_5FktO7uQwnxON0dQ#metadata_info_tab_contents​) IV. A copy of the guidelines for participating in a Socratic Seminar discussion (see attached) V. The course textbook, such as the American Pageant. VI. Paper on which to write. VII. A writing utensil. VIII. A projector to display the selected excerpts and readings.  IX. A laptop or tablet to access materials and to project images. The Lesson​ 60 minutes  I. Learning Objectives  A. The student will be able to identify the armament of the Union army at the beginning of the Civil War. B. The student will consider the preparedness of the Union and Confederate armies.  C. The student compare and contrast prior knowledge about the Civil War to interpret historical documents.  D. The student will be able to analyze and interpret a primary document. II. Anticipatory Set ​10 min A. The students will have read Abraham Lincoln’s July 4, 1861: July 4th Message to Congress for homework the night before. (​https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/july-4-1861-july-4th-message-congress​) B. Students will be directed to open Chromebooks and use Google Docs to answer the following question on their reading. Questions will be projected onto Smart Board 1. In Abraham Licnoln’s July 4th Message to Congress he discusses the events and aftermath of the South’s secession from the Union after he was inducted into office on March 5th, 1861. In essay format, explain the preparedness and sustainability of the Union forts and army at the beginning of the Civil War. What was Lincoln asking Congress for? Do you think that the Union army is prepared to fight the War? Why or Why not?  2. The student’s response should be 2-3 paragraphs and include a thesis and supporting arguments.  C. The teacher will give the students approximately 8 minutes to answer the prompt. If the progression of the activity calls for it, the teacher may allow the students 10 minutes to complete the prompt.  D. The teacher should be circulating around the room to ensure that students are completing the task.  1. The teacher will be listening for the students to identify the fortifications of Fort Sumter. 2. The teacher will be listening for the students to identify if the North thought that they did not have enough supplies and ammunition to hold onto the fort. 3. The teacher will be listening for the students to state that some of the North’s best generals and soldiers resigned and joined the Confederate Army. 4. The teacher will be listening for the students to identify that Lincoln was asking Congress to increase the number of soldiers to 400,000 men and the budget to $400,000,000. III. Teaching and Modeling ​20 min A. The teacher will bring the class back together and recap some of the responses seen in Google Docs. B. The teacher will ask the students if they agree with other student’s responses and elaborate on their answers. 1. The teacher will be looking for students to explain that For Sumter did not have the provisions needed to win the battle. 2. The teacher will be listening for the students to discuss how the Union Army suffered losses after the South’s secession because of officer’s resigning to join the confederacy. 3. The teacher will be listening for the students to identify that Lincoln is asking Congress for funds to supply the Union army with more men and ammunition. 4. The teacher will be looking for students to explain Lincoln’s interpretation of the meaning of states’ rights.  C. The teacher will explain the advantages of the Union army. 1. The Union had a larger population than the South which increased the number of men in their army. a) The teacher will cite how the Federal government passed the Enrollment Act in March of 1863. The act instituted a military draft. 2. The Union had an industrial economy while the South relied on the agricultural production of cotton. a) The Union had access to more natural resources such as iron, gold, and coal which increased their ability to make weapons and transport their troops. b) The South relied on European countries need for cotton to support their economy during the war. c) England began to increase their own production of cotton which caused European nations to be less reliant on the Confederacy. 3. Majority of the financial institutions were in the Northern US which limited the ability of the South to borrow money to fight the war. IV. Guided Practice​ 25 min A. The teacher will divide the students into two groups and distribute an excerpt of the John Hill Brinton lecture notes about the Union distribution of ammunition in 1861. B. The students will analyze the document by answering the following questions. 1. The students will begin by making observations about the document. a) Who wrote it? b) Who received it? c) When is it from? 2. The students will then analyze the document to interpret what the author is attempting to convey. a) What is it talking about? b) Why did the author write it? Is there any evidence in the document that tells you why they wrote it? c) What was happening at the time of history that this document was created? 3. The students will then interpret the historical significance from the document. a) What did you find out from the document that you might not learn anywhere else? b) Can you use other historical evidence or information you learned in class to help you better interpret this document? 4. The teacher will be circulating throughout the room to check for student understanding.  a) The teacher will be listening for students to identify the distribution of guns to the different outfits of Union troops. b) The teacher will be listening for the students to identify that the Army of the Potomac received guns in July of 1861. (1) The army was established in July of 1861 as the principal Union defense in the Eastern theater. (2) The army was established after the defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run. (a) Confederate victory. V. I​ndependent Practice  A. The teacher upload the document, “Illinois First Response to Civil War,” on the students Blackboard or distribute copies in class. B. The students will read and analyze the document for homework. C. The students will complete a 1 page essay answering the following question. In their response they are to include a thesis statement. 1. Please, explain the Illinois volunteers response to the Union’s call to arms at the beginning of the Civil War. Who was expected to provide their uniforms and weapons? Did this cause confusion in battle? D. The teacher will be looking for the students to include how the militia uniforms that the soldiers were given were grey. E. The teacher will be looking for the student to include how the uniforms created confusion in battle. F. The teacher will be looking for the student to include how the state’s were expected to supply their own men, rather than the federal government. G. The teacher will collect the essays at the beginning of the next class. VI. Closure​ 5 min A. The teacher will have the students complete an exit ticket before they leave the classroom. 1. The students will answer the following questions: a) From what you learned today do you think that the Union Army was prepared for the war in 1861? Why or why not? b) Did you find anything we talked about today interesting? c) Is there something that you do not understand or need more clarification on?     

Arming of the U.S. Army During War 1861

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Arming of the U.S. Army During War 1861

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