Why study the Civil War?It is important for eighth graders to study the Civil War because the standards say that they have to. Actually, there are many other reasons it is an important unit, especially because of its impact on America throughout the last 150 years. The social and political life of America today can be understood more thoroughly when a student is familiar with the causes and effects of our nation's most costly war, one in which the enemy was us.
Eighth grade U.S. History covers the period from the Great Enlightenment to Reconstruction, and the Civil War is easily the biggest. messiest event to occur during that time frame. If you cannot interest a student in the events of 1861-1865, you will probably not have much luck with your other units of study. Like World War II, the Civil War is about a lot more than battles and who won or lost. Along with the battles and individual stories, great social issues that still bedevil us today were involved, including Civil Rights and why and how Americans live as they do in 2014. Some of America's greatest literature, such as Abraham Lincoln's speeches and letters or Walt Whitman's poetry, was inspired by the war, and photography laid bare the horror of the conflict for all to see. The Civil War also facilitates the discussion of issues that affect us today, such as Civil Rights and the draft. The role of dissent during wartime and the suspension of constitutional protections can also be discussed through the prism of that war. The enormity of the conflict has left ample written, photographic and archaeological evidence for the young student to ponder. In a word, the Civil War has it all.
Eighth grade U.S. History covers the period from the Great Enlightenment to Reconstruction, and the Civil War is easily the biggest. messiest event to occur during that time frame. If you cannot interest a student in the events of 1861-1865, you will probably not have much luck with your other units of study. Like World War II, the Civil War is about a lot more than battles and who won or lost. Along with the battles and individual stories, great social issues that still bedevil us today were involved, including Civil Rights and why and how Americans live as they do in 2014. Some of America's greatest literature, such as Abraham Lincoln's speeches and letters or Walt Whitman's poetry, was inspired by the war, and photography laid bare the horror of the conflict for all to see. The Civil War also facilitates the discussion of issues that affect us today, such as Civil Rights and the draft. The role of dissent during wartime and the suspension of constitutional protections can also be discussed through the prism of that war. The enormity of the conflict has left ample written, photographic and archaeological evidence for the young student to ponder. In a word, the Civil War has it all.