Civil War Quest

Lesson 7: Primary Sources:Letters, Journals and More

Focusing Questions/Themes:
How can we learn more about our town in the Civil War?
How can we learn more about our soldiers?
What are primary sources? What can we learn from them?
Vermont Standard(s):
Being a Historian: 6.6: Collect and use primary resources in building original historical interpretations.
New Hampshire Standard(s):
Display historical perspective by describing the past through the eyes and experiences of those who were there, as related through their memories, literature, diaries, letters, debates, arts, maps, and artifacts.
Materials:
Letters, journals, artifacts, etc.
Procedure:
  1. Review the definitions of primary and secondary sources.
  2. Display the resources that you have located for this lesson. As you place each artifact on a table, let students know where each artifact came from. Ask students to determine whether the resource in question is primary or secondary. And: Why do they think this is the case?
  3. Have students "carousel" around the room, visiting each resource for 10 - 15 minutes to try and gather information on their particular soldier (or theme).
  4. At each station, students can record information gathered using the Research Document Worksheet.

Courtesy of Hartford Historical Society
Example:Transcribed letter from A War of the People: Vermont Civil War Letters

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