Was the Civil War a War for Freedom?

You will form your interpretations from two points of view, your own and your historical figures, and
support your interpretations with evidence from primary and secondary sources. Focusing on the views
of individual Americans not only reminds us of the complexity of public opinion; it offers an opportunity
to explore the impact of perspective upon individual actions, beliefs, and history itself.
You will examine one historical figure from the period in-depth, comparing that figure to others from
the time, and discussing how perspective can affect the interpretation of historical events.

Purpose

To understand:
o How the war affected people in the North and the South.
o How individual Americans made significant contributions to the war effort.

You will focus closely on the life of one historical figure.

You will learn about them through primary sources (things written by and about the person at the
time of the Civil War) and secondary sources (the biography).

As you read:
You should consider how your assigned Civil War historical figure would answer the
question: Was the Civil War a War for Freedom?
Louisa May Alcott
Frederick Douglass
Robert Smalls
Michael F. Rinker
Oliver Wilcox North

Ella Gertrude Clanton Thomas

Harriet A. Jacobs
George Templeton Strong
Charles Berry, Senior

Jefferson Davis
Robert E. Lee
Clinton Hatcher
John P. Wilson
Susie King Taylor

In the primary source text, you will not find the perspective of the author stated clearly in any one
sentence. You have to find his or her perspective between the lines.
To analyze the perspective of the creator of a source (an author, an artist, etc.), look for this information:
Nationality/Regional Identity
Class

Date or time period

Gender
Race

Adapted from History Blueprint, The Civil War Unit, Lesson #4 and #8

Historical Context:
What were the important events
going on at the time? How was
this person affected by those
events?

Perspectives of Majority Groups in 1860

Northern and Western whites

Abolitionists

Not for abolition

Republicans against expansion of slavery to
west
Free labor and free soil
Racist
Freedom means no economic competition from
slave labor

Southern blacks

Southern whites

Mainly slaves
Freedom means end to slavery, social equality &
economic freedom

North and West

Minority group
Considered radical
White and black
Slavery as a moral issue
Freedom means freedom for all slaves

Wanted to keep slavery

Majority did not own slaves
Worried about North
Angry at being told what to do
Freedom means right to keep their property
(slaves) and way of life

Analyzing Perspective
Perspective (point of view)

More than opinion

Entire worldview of a person
The way that person sees the world
How he or she is affect by the historical context

How do people get their perspective?

Life experiences
People around them family, friends,
neighbors, people on TV
Certain differences help form perspective
Time
Location
Language
Disabilities
Race
Class
Gender

It is natural to us to see the world through our own perspective, and hard for us to imagine different
perspectives.
Perspective also comes from personal values and beliefs.
Effect of Perspective on Individuals
Guides our understanding of the world
Tells us what is important to us
Means we are all biased
When historians analyze primary and secondary sources to collect evidence about the past, they pay
careful attention to the perspective of the creator of those sources.

Adapted from History Blueprint, The Civil War Unit, Lesson #4 and #8

Activity I: Civil War Historical Figure Activity Sheet

Historical Figure: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Part I: Investigating the Secondary Source
Date of Birth: _______________________________________________ Sex: ______________________ Race: _______________________________
Status: free or slave? _____________________ Residence: ________________________________________________________________________
What did this person do during the Civil War?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Supported which side during the Civil War? _________________________________________________________________________________
Background Information (Ideas include: family, education, military training, hobbies, political party affiliation, and
religion):

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Part II: Read the primary sources and fill in this information
List the three most important main ideas from the primary sources. Rewrite these main ideas in your own words.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Adapted from History Blueprint, The Civil War Unit, Lesson #4 and #8

What was the perspective of your historical figure? (If these details arent available, write unknown):
Regional Identity: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date or time period: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Race: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Class: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Gender: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Historical Context: When was the primary source written? ________________________________________________________________
What was happening around your historical figure at that time? (If your primary source was written after the end
of the war in 1865, write down what was happening around your historical figure during the war):

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Describe your historical figures perspective:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Select a quote from the primary source that represents your person, and explain the importance of the quote:

List two things you have learned about your historical figure that you have not already stated:

Adapted from History Blueprint, The Civil War Unit, Lesson #4 and #8

Activity II: Freedom Billboard

To answer these questions use your Civil War Historical Figure Activity Sheet and the Figure Sources Handout. If
you cannot find direct answers to certain questions, think about political, economic and social freedoms. Identify the
majority group your historical figure belongs to, and use the characteristics of that majority group if you cannot find
the answer to one of the questions below.
If you are working in a group:
All of you should discuss the answers to the questions below, talk about the freedom slogan, and select quotes.
Each group member should have a primary assignment for each section depending on your group size.
o One person should fill out the questions and fill out the Freedom Billboard
o One person should speak for the group during the talk show. The talk show guest must be prepared to
answer the question: Was the Civil War a War for Freedom? in two minutes. He or she should also be
ready to answer all of the questions and explain the Freedom Billboard.

Part A
Name of historical figure: _________________________________________________________________________________________
1.

What does freedom mean to you (your historical figure)?

2. Did your ideas about freedom change during the Civil War?

3. What is your perspective on freedom economically, politically and socially? (For example, I define
economic freedom as, or Political freedom is when, or I believe I should have social freedom to)
Economic
Political
Social
4. How did you express or act on your definition of freedom throughout the war?

5. Was the Civil War a war for freedom? Why or why not?

Adapted from History Blueprint, The Civil War Unit, Lesson #4 and #8

Part B
Make a Freedom Billboard for your historical figure
1. Make up a slogan which represents your historical figures perspective on freedom and the war. A
slogan is a short, catchy phrase. The slogan should not be a direct quote from the sources. It
should be in your own words.
2. Cut out the picture of your historical figure and past it on the billboard. Alternative: Draw visuals
and symbols to show your historical figures perspective on freedom and the war.
3. Fill in all the required information on the billboard.
4. From the primary source, chose one or two short direct quotations which show your historical
figures on freedom and the war.
Required Billboard Information:
Name of Historical Figure

Nationality/Regional Identity:

Perspectives on Freedom:

Freedom Slogan

Dates:

Economic

Picture

Gender:

Political

Race:

Social

Class:

To me, freedom means:

Evidence: Primary source
quotes which show my
perspective on freedom and
the war:

If your historical figure is Robert Smalls, read this:

Since the primary sources for Robert Smalls describe his actions rather than his thoughts, there are no
quotes which tell you actually what he thought about freedom. However, from his actions you can infer
what he thought about freedom. For example, when he stole the Confederate boat and handed it over the
Union fleet, he showed that he wanted his own freedom, and freedom for his wife and children, and he
wanted the Union to win the war. Choose quotes about Smallss actions that allow you to infer his
thoughts about freedom.

If your historical figure is George Templeton Strong, read this:

George Templeton Strong did not write directly about his definition of freedom, which was based on the
preservation of the Union. Instead he bitterly and sarcastically criticized the Confederates for seceding
from the Union. However, from his criticisms you can infer what he thought about freedom. His choice of
words, such as barbarians and fire-eaters, show that he was angry at the Confederates, and he wanted
the Union to win the war. Choose quotes from Strongs criticism that allow you to infer his thoughts about
freedom.
If your historical figure is Michael F. Rinker, Charles Berry Sr., John P. Wilson, or Oliver Wilcox
Norton, read this:
These historical figures did not write about their definitions of freedom, or about why they were fighting.
Choose two direct quotations from their letters which show what fighting was like in the Civil War.

Adapted from History Blueprint, The Civil War Unit, Lesson #4 and #8

Part C Answer the following questions

(1)

Was

the

Civil

War

war

for

freedom?

According

to

my

historical

figure,

_____________________________________, the Civil War was / was not a war for freedom because
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(2) Some of the characters who would agree that the Civil War was / was not a war for freedom were:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
because _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(3) Some of the characters who would disagree that the Civil War was / was not a war for freedom were:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
because _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Adapted from History Blueprint, The Civil War Unit, Lesson #4 and #8

Part D The Civil War Talk Show

Listen and take notes as all the panelists speak. Write down whether they agree with your answer and
point of view (Supports my POV) or disagree with your answer and point of view (Challenges my POV.)
Also write down the reasons each panelists give.
Historical
Figure

Supports my POV
Yes to Question

Challenges my POV
No to Question

Additional Notes and

Questions

Louisa May Alcott

Union Soldier
Charles Berry,
Senior

Jefferson Davis

Frederick
Douglass

Confederate
Soldier Clinton
Hatcher

Harriet A. Jacobs

Robert E. Lee

Oliver Wilcox
North

Adapted from History Blueprint, The Civil War Unit, Lesson #4 and #8

Historical
Figure

Supports my POV
Yes to Question

Challenges my POV
No to Question

Additional Notes and

Questions

Confederate
Soldier Michael F.
Rinker

Robert Smalls

George Templeton
Strong

Susie King Taylor

Ella Gertrude
Clanton Thomas

Union Soldier John

P. Wilson

Concluding activity:
From 1861 through 1865, the Union and the Confederacy fought the Civil War, the most costly and bitter
war in our nations history. People had different perspectives on the meaning of freedom, and their
differences over freedom helped cause the war. As the U.S. forcibly reunited at the end of the war, the
nation and its people had to redefine what freedom meant. Considering what you have learned in this
unit, do you think that the Civil War was a war for freedom?
Write a response to the question Was the Civil War a War for Freedom? Support your claim with three
reasons, gathered from the Talk Show and evidence from we studied throughout the unit. Write in a clear
formal style. Analyze your evidence and cite the sources.
Due at the end of the week
C Channel December 19th
B, E & F Channel December 20th
Adapted from History Blueprint, The Civil War Unit, Lesson #4 and #8