LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Lincoln goes to war

http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=263

A lesson plan for Grades 9–12 United States History

Provider: National Endowment for the Humanities

About this resource

Appropriate grades
9–12
Subjects
social studies (United States history)
Provider
National Endowment for the Humanities

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This lesson plan explores the decision-making process that precipitated the Civil War, focusing on deliberations within the Lincoln administration that led to the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861.

Students first review the situation that Lincoln inherited when he took office in March 1861, and summarize his views on the critical issues before him as reflected in his First Inaugural Address. Then students examine the conflicting recommendations that Lincoln received from his cabinet as he formulated a response to the Confederate demand that federal troops evacuate Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina.

Working with primary documents, students argue the risks and benefits of the options Lincoln had before him, re-enacting the debate among his cabinet members, and then, based on Lincoln's final decision, seek to determine what he thought was ultimately at stake. Finally, students investigate the Confederate contention that, by attempting to secure Fort Sumter, Lincoln provoked the South to defend itself and thus ignited the Civil War. Looking back at the words Lincoln addressed to the secessionists in his First Inaugural Address — “We must not be enemies” — students consider whether or not his actions bore out those sentiments.

The goals of this lesson are:

  • to learn about the secession crisis of 1861 and the significance of the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter
  • to explore how Abraham Lincoln made the decision to secure Fort Sumter despite Confederate objections
  • to evaluate the extent to which Lincoln's actions were calculated to provoke conflict
  • to gain experience in working with official papers, private correspondence, and public speeches as resources for historical study

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Social Studies (2003)

Grades 11–12 — United States History

  • Goal 3: Crisis, Civil War, and Reconstruction (1848-1877) - The learner will analyze the issues that led to the Civil War, the effects of the war, and the impact of Reconstruction on the nation.
    • Objective 3.02: Analyze and assess the causes of the Civil War.
    • Objective 3.03: Identify political and military turning points of the Civil War and assess their significance to the outcome of the conflict.

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 11 — English III

  • Goal 1: The learner will demonstrate increasing insight and reflection to print and non-print text through personal expression.
    • Objective 1.02: Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
      - discover multiple perspectives.
      - investigate connections between life and literature.
      - explore how the student's life experiences influence his or her response to the selection.
      - recognize how the responses of others may be different.
      - articulate insightful connections between life and literature.
      -consider cultural or historical significance.
  • Goal 3: The learner will demonstrate increasing sophistication in defining issues and using argument effectively.
    • Objective 3.01: Use language persuasively in addressing a particular issue by:
      - finding and interpreting information effectively.
      - recognizing propaganda as a purposeful technique.
      - establishing and defending a point of view.
      -responding respectfully to viewpoints and biases.
    • Objective 3.03: Use argumentation for:
      - interpreting researched information effectively.
      - establishing and defending a point of view.
      - addressing concerns of the opposition.
      - using logical strategies (e.g., deductive and inductive reasoning, syllogisms, analogies) and sophisticated techniques (e.g., rhetorical devices, parallelism, irony, concrete images).
      -developing a sense of completion.
  • Goal 4: The learner will critically analyze text to gain meaning, develop thematic connections, and synthesize ideas.
    • Objective 4.03: Assess the power, validity, and truthfulness in the logic of arguments given in public and political documents by:
      - identifying the intent and message of the author or artist.
      - recognizing how the author addresses opposing viewpoints.
      - articulating a personal response to the message and method of the author or artist.
      -evaluating the historical significance of the work.