Standard 5: Examine the causes, course, and consequence of the Civil War and Reconstruction including its effects on American peoples.

General Information
Number: SS.8.A.5
Title: Examine the causes, course, and consequence of the Civil War and Reconstruction including its effects on American peoples.
Type: Standard
Subject: Social Studies
Grade: 8
Strand: American History

Related Benchmarks

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Related Access Points

This cluster includes the following access points.

Independent

SS.8.A.5.In.0
Identify the major causes, events, and consequence of the Civil War, such as states’ rights, sectional differences, war between the northern and southern states, and slaves being freed.
SS.8.A.5.In.1
Identify factors related to slavery that led to the Civil War, such as the Abolition Movement, Nat Turner’s Rebellion, the Underground Railroad, and Southern secession.
SS.8.A.5.In.2
Identify major developments during Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, such as the defeat of Confederate States in the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Gettysburg Address.
SS.8.A.5.In.3
Identify the Union and Confederate States at the outbreak of the Civil War.
SS.8.A.5.In.4
Identify a strength and weakness of the Union and Confederacy, such as technology, resources, and military leaders.
SS.8.A.5.In.5
Identify outcomes of significant Civil War battles, such as Fort Sumter, the Monitor v. Merrimack, Gettysburg, and the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox.
SS.8.A.5.In.6
Identify key events in Florida that impacted the nation during the time of the Civil War, such as membership in the Confederate states, Union occupation of coastal towns, battles in Florida, and the quality of life in the pioneer environment.
SS.8.A.5.In.7
Identify changes that occurred during the period of Reconstruction, such as the reuniting of the governments and the treatment of freed slaves.

Supported

SS.8.A.5.Su.0
Recognize a major cause and consequence of the Civil War, such as states’ rights, sectional differences, and slaves being freed.
SS.8.A.5.Su.1
Recognize a factor related to slavery that led to the Civil War, such as the support for freeing slaves or the secession of the Southern states from the Union.
SS.8.A.5.Su.2
Recognize a major development during the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, such as the defeat of the Confederate States in the Civil War or the Emancipation Proclamation.
SS.8.A.5.Su.3
Recognize the Union and Confederate States at the outbreak of the Civil War.
SS.8.A.5.Su.4
Recognize a strength and weakness of the Union and Confederacy, such as technology, resources, and military leaders.
SS.8.A.5.Su.5
Recognize the outcome of a significant Civil War battle, such as Fort Sumter, Gettysburg, or the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox.
SS.8.A.5.Su.6
Recognize key events in Florida that impacted the nation during the time of the Civil War, such as membership in the Confederate states, Union occupation of coastal towns, battles in Florida, and the quality of life in the pioneer environment.
SS.8.A.5.Su.7
Recognize changes that occurred during the period of Reconstruction, such as reuniting of the governments and the treatment of freed slaves.

Participatory

SS.8.A.5.Pa.0
Recognize that groups of people disagreed about slavery.
SS.8.A.5.Pa.1
Recognize that groups of people disagreed about slavery.
SS.8.A.5.Pa.2
Recognize that President Abraham Lincoln ended slavery.
SS.8.A.5.Pa.3
Recognize that states disagreed about slavery.
SS.8.A.5.Pa.4
Recognize a strength of groups in a war.
SS.8.A.5.Pa.5
Recognize a strength of groups in a war.
SS.8.A.5.Pa.6
Recognize an aspect of the quality of life during the time of the Civil War.
SS.8.A.5.Pa.7
Recognize an aspect of the quality of life during Reconstruction.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Lesson Plans

Thank You, Mr. Lincoln!:

This web resource from the Civil War Trust will engage students through an analysis of primary source documents as they work to discuss the meaning and significance of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Type: Lesson Plan

1860-1861: The Country Goes To War:

This web resource, from the Civil War Trust, helps students examine the state of the nation and the sequence of events leading to the Civil War. A thorough PowerPoint and graphic organizer are included to ensure students are fully engaged while learning. Supporting activities include questions putting students in the shoes of the citizens of the time, giving them a unique perspective and an exit ticket to help reinforce what they just learned.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Effects of the Civil War:

This lesson is intended to help students identify and discuss the effects of the American Civil War, with an emphasis on helping students summarize the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, examine John Wilkes Booth's assassination of President Lincoln, and understand the terms reconstruction and reunification.

Type: Lesson Plan

Frederick Douglass’s Speech “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro” Social Studies LP:

The purpose of this lesson is to give students studying the causes of the Civil War an opportunity to consider the difficult subject of abolition from multiple viewpoints. They will do this by analyzing a primary source document. This document will be analyzed using two strategies, the "SOAPStone" and a "Chalk Talk". The former is designed to generate a basic understanding of the text and the latter to consider the document in greater depth. This lesson should be implemented at a point where the students have already learned the history of slavery both in the North and the South.

Type: Lesson Plan

Close Reading Exemplar: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass:

The goal of this two to three day exemplar is to give students the opportunity to explore the point of view of a man who survived slavery. By reading and rereading the passage closely, combined with classroom discussion about it, students will explore the various beliefs and points of view Douglass experienced as he became increasingly aware of the unfairness of his life. Students will need to consider the emotional context of words and how diction (word choice) affects an author's message. When combined with writing about the passage and teacher feedback, students will form a deeper understanding of how slavery affected those involved.

Type: Lesson Plan

Tutorial

Abraham Lincoln's Crossroads:

In this tutorial, you will play an interactive and educational game that invites you to learn about Abraham Lincoln's leadership and decisions during the Civil War era. As you explore and learn about the political choices he made, you'll get a chance to make the same decisions as Lincoln did and compare your choices to his. Can you think like Lincoln? Good luck!

Type: Tutorial

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Tutorial

Abraham Lincoln's Crossroads:

In this tutorial, you will play an interactive and educational game that invites you to learn about Abraham Lincoln's leadership and decisions during the Civil War era. As you explore and learn about the political choices he made, you'll get a chance to make the same decisions as Lincoln did and compare your choices to his. Can you think like Lincoln? Good luck!

Type: Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this topic.