The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Civil War and Reconstruction Era and its importance as a major turning point in American history by
a) Identifying the major events and the roles of key leaders of the Civil War Era, with emphasis on Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and Frederick Douglass.
b) Analyzing the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation and the principles outlined in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
c) Examining the political, economic, and social impact of the war and Reconstruction, including the adoption of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America.
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- What were the Northern and Southern viewpoints regarding secession?
- Who were the key political and military leaders during the Civil War?
- What was Lincoln’s vision for the American nation as professed in the Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address?
- What were the key military turning points in the Civil War?
- What were the social and economic consequences of the Civil War?
- What was Reconstruction and what were the political debates over its implementation?
- What were the long-term social and economic consequences for the South following the end of Reconstruction?
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NOTE: Red Bolded content in the indicators is considered essential and must be taught in all classrooms. Content which is not bolded goes beyond the scope and sequence of the state standards.
Benchmark 7.1: The student analyzes significant elements of the Civil War including the secession process; advantages and disadvantages of the Union and the Confederacy; military strategies; and the role of key individuals.
7.1 Performance Indicators
Students reach this benchmark when they are able to:
- Compare Northern and Southern positions on the right of a state to secede.
- Identify major military and political leaders from the period (Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, George McClellan, William Sherman, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, Frederick Douglass).
- Compare the human resources of the Union and the Confederacy at the beginning of the Civil War and assess the tactical advantages of each side.
- Identify the innovations in military technology and explain their impact on humans, property, and the final outcome of the war.
- Identify the turning points of the war and evaluate how the political, military, and diplomatic leadership affected the outcome of the conflict (Fort Sumter, Antietam, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Appomattox).
Benchmark 7.2: The student analyzes the role of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War Era.
7.2 Performance Indicators
Students reach this benchmark when they are able to:
- Analyze the impact of Lincoln’s campaign, election, and presidency on the start of the Civil War.
- Evaluate the provisions and the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation and Lincoln’s basis for issuing it.
- Analyze the purpose, meaning, and significance of the Gettysburg Address.
Benchmark 7.3: The student understands the social experience of the war on the battlefield and the home front.
7.3 Performance Indicators
Students reach this benchmark when they are able to:
- Compare the motives for fighting and the daily life experiences of Confederate soldiers with those of white and African-American Union soldiers.
- Analyze the reasons for the northern draft riots.
- Evaluate the Union’s reasons for curbing wartime civil liberties.
- Compare women’s home front and battlefront roles in the Union and the Confederacy.
- Compare the human and material costs of the war in the North and the South and assess the impact the Civil War had on the nation.
Benchmark 7.4: The student analyzes the political and social consequences of Reconstruction on the South and the rest of the Nation.
7.4 Performance Indicators
Students reach this benchmark when they are able to:
- Compare and contrast the Reconstruction policies advocated by Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and the Radical Republicans.
- Analyze the escalating conflict between the President and Congress and explain the reasons for and consequences of Johnson’s impeachment trial.
- Explain the provisions of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments and the political forces supporting and opposing each.
- Discuss the significance of the election of 1876 and its impact on the end of Reconstruction in 1877.
- Describe how art, music, photography, and literature of the time period captured the continuing crises of the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.
- Explain the economic and social problems facing the South and appraise their impact on different social groups.
- Assess the long-term consequences of Reconstruction on the Nation.
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