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Chronological Reasoning and Causation

New York Family in the Civil War

Student View

About this Activity

  1. Load Civil War Muster Roll Abstract for Elijah Penny of the 4th Heavy Artillery in Main Image Viewer
  2. Load Civil War Muster Roll Abstract for Archibald Penny in Main Image Viewer
  3. Load Civil War Muster Roll Abstract for Alfred Penny in Main Image Viewer
  4. Load Letter from Elijah Penny to his wife; July 6, 1862 in Main Image Viewer
  5. Load Letter from Elijah Penny to his wife; July 6, 1862 in Main Image Viewer
  6. Load Letter from Elijah Penny to his wife; July 18, 1862 in Main Image Viewer
  7. Load Letter from Elijah Penny to his wife; July 18, 1862 in Main Image Viewer
  8. Load Letter from Alfred Penny to his brother; December 8, 1861 in Main Image Viewer
  9. Load Letter from Alfred Penny to his brother; December 8, 1861 in Main Image Viewer
  10. Load Letter from Alfred Penny to his brother; December 8, 1861 in Main Image Viewer
  11. Load 24 Weeks on the Potomac in Main Image Viewer

Suggested Teaching Instructions

Objectives (Students will be able to):

• Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.

• Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.

• Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text.

• Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.

• Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.

• Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events.

• Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

• Use local resources to examine the role of your community in the Civil War and local attitudes toward it.

• Use primary sources such as diaries, letters, songs, and photographs to study personalities and issues involved in the Civil War.

• To describe the relationships between people and environments and the connections between people and places

Essential Questions:

• How were individual soldiers and their families affected by the Civil War?

• Why did individuals volunteer for service during the Civil War?

• What were the experiences of local soldiers in the Civil War?

• How do first-hand accounts of soldiers and their families provide a better understanding of the course of the Civil War and its consequences?

Assessment:

• The informative essay serves as the final assessment for this case study. A rubric is provided as an assessment tool.

• It is recommended that the teacher provide feedback on both the Soldier Biography Form and the Letter Analysis Form in preparation for writing the essay.

Before beginning this case study, students should have been taught the following:

1. Causes of the Civil War

2. North/South Comparison at Start of War

3. Early Strategies

4. Chronology of the Civil War

*A student-generated timeline is extremely beneficial throughout this case study. A timeline template with key dates is provided with this case study. Students should complete the timeline prior to the case study. Students will need to reference this timeline as they complete the different stages of this project.

Students will need the content knowledge presented in the above topics in order to successfully complete the case study.

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