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• We say "the Civil War was about states' rights and preserving the Union," but it was also about slavery. The
states' "right" of secession never would have been exercised or challenged had it not been for the issue of slavery. Do
you agree or disagree? Write a paper supporting your position.
• One theme we explore in this section is the effect of geography on the war. Use maps showing the political
boundaries, topography, roads, and railroads to determine geography's role in events from secession through Appomattox.
• Research the Civil War in your community. Were there battles nearby? How did slaves respond to the war?
Are there statues, markers, historic buildings, or other monuments?
• Using The Sable Arm and Joseph Glathaar's Forged in Battle, research African-American
soldiers in the Civil War. Compare their struggles with those of the Tuskegee Airmen, who fought during World War II.
• Like many other southerners, white Virginians romanticized the Confederacy long after the war. This
glorification of the war has been called the "Lost Cause." In what ways did the perpetuation of the Lost Cause influence
the future progress of the commonwealth?
• Research Confederate and Union generals. Create a biographical sketch of several on opposing sides.
What was their academic and military training before 1861?
• Economics: Create a chart of expenses in 1861 and 1864. Discuss supply, demand, and inflation using
examples from the war.
• (Divide the class into two groups and have each group study the military strategy of either the Union or
Confederate army.) Research troop movements during 1864-65 and plot them on a current Virginia road map. Keep
a journal covering the last year of the war from the viewpoint of a participant in the conflict.
• In the Classroom: The Emancipation Proclamation
• In the Classroom: Secession
• Critical Thinking: How did the status of women change during the Civil War? Did similar changes occur in other wars?
• Critical Thinking: The Civil War ended slavery in the United States. Would it have been possible to end slavery without
violence and bloodshed? If so, how?
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