Why teach the American Civil War?

Overview of the need to teach the American Civil War

“The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.”  This simple sentence was spoken on November 19, 1863, by President Abraham Lincoln when he gave the now famous Gettysburg Address and it reminds us of how important it is that we take every opportunity to teach our students about the American Civil War.  The reason for this can be summed up by the late author and historian Shelby Foote:

“Any understanding of this nation has to be based and I mean really based, on an understanding of the Civil War. I believed that firmly. It defined us. The Revolution did what it did. Our involvement with the European wars, beginning with the First World War, did what it did. But the Civil War defined us what we are, and it opened to us what we became, good and bad things. And it is very necessary, if you are going to understand the American character in the twentieth century, to learn about this enormous catastrophe of the nineteenth century. It was the crossroads of our being, and it was a hell of a crossroads” (Foote, 1990).

Why Teach the American Civil War?

So this is for my History students.  Why should we learn about the Civil War.  Maybe the fact that only about 46% of high school students know the decade in which the Civil War was fought (1861-1865).  Most would probably confuse it with the Revolutionary War-okay maybe not.
But the real question is:  What is the significance?  The Civil War was arguably the most defining moment in our country's history along with having the largest impact, both positive and negative in all aspects of American life.

 The American Civil War had an impact on the society, the economy, the role of women in society, the powers of the President and government, political ideologies and even military strategies used today.  It was a tragedy of epic proportions.  It was brutal in how Americans treated fellow Americans.  The geographical and sociological impact, including the psychological repercussions are still studied today.  Students should know and understand that the American Civil War defined generations of Americans and American culture which has had a lasting impact on the United States of American until today.

Specifically it was fought over two basic questions-whether it was legal under the U.S. Constitution for a state to leave the constitution, and whether the practice of slavery was consistent with the nation's founding principles. The Union victory established that the answer to both questions was no.

So for this class I am doing something different.  We will be using the following website in our study of the Civil War.  I am always trying to methods and activities so I am hoping to accomplish the same result through these lessons and activities as I would with past lectures and activities.  The site below will give you an online reference which corresponds with the class handouts.

http://edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/american-civil-war-terrible-swift-sword#sect-preparation