Students learn why Fort Sumter mattered, how negotiations failed before fighting began, and how early military conditions and resources shaped decisions and expectations at the opening of the Civil War for both sides involved nationally.
Students learn why Fort Sumter mattered, how negotiations failed before fighting began, and how early military conditions and resources shaped decisions and expectations at the opening of the Civil War for both sides involved nationally.
Students view an image titled “The Bombardment of Fort Sumter” and read background text about rising political, economic, and regional tensions in the United States before the Civil War. They then respond to a poll selecting what they think was the biggest reason tensions increased between the North and South, and review the lesson objectives describing what they will learn about Fort Sumter and the start of the Civil War.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the experience by summarizing how tensions between North and South led to the events at Fort Sumter and previewing key vocabulary. Review the poll results to surface prior knowledge, asking students why they chose a particular issue and what they already know about it. Guide discussion toward the idea that multiple major problems were happening at once and that unresolved issues built on one another, setting the stage for deeper conflict. Clarify the lesson objectives so students understand the focus on causes, decisions, and early strengths and weaknesses on both sides.
Students read Fort Sumter: The Start of the Civil War and watch 12th April 1861: American Civil War begins with the Battle of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor to learn how the standoff at Fort Sumter escalated from political tension into open war. They then complete an inline-choice item, answer multiple-choice questions about why negotiations broke down, why Confederate forces attacked, and what happened after Major Anderson refused to surrender, and use a drag-and-drop activity to match key figures to their roles at Fort Sumter.
Teacher MovesFrame the scene as an examination of how decisions at Fort Sumter turned division into war. After students complete the questions and matching activity, review correct answers and lead a discussion that moves from what happened to why it mattered. Emphasize Fort Sumter as both a strategic site and a symbol of power and authority by asking why control of the fort was so important and what this reveals about each side’s view of the federal government. Probe students’ thinking about decision-making by asking what choices leaders believed they had, why Anderson might have refused to surrender, and how pride, duty, and authority influenced actions. Conclude by highlighting Fort Sumter as a turning point in commitment and expectations about the coming conflict.
Students read The Union and Confederacy at the Start of the Civil War to identify the early resources, challenges, and expectations each side brought into the conflict. Using the drawing tool, they create a visual or written representation of the strengths and weaknesses of the Union and Confederacy at Fort Sumter and at the start of the war. Then they respond to a discussion wall prompt explaining how these differing strengths and weaknesses might have caused each side to view the events at Fort Sumter differently, supporting their ideas with evidence from the text.
Teacher MovesReview students’ drawings to ensure they have accurately identified strengths and weaknesses, pressing them to explain why each factor mattered rather than simply listing it. Ask questions such as why a particular strength would be useful at the start of the war or how a weakness could create immediate problems, and encourage students to compare and respond to one another’s ideas. When examining the discussion wall, highlight responses that consider multiple perspectives on the same event and ask how the same moment can mean different things depending on each side’s situation. Use the conversation to underscore that early advantages did not guarantee victory and that the outcome of the war was uncertain in 1861.
Students read Lincoln and Davis Respond to Fort Sumter to analyze how Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis each described and justified their actions after Fort Sumter. They answer multiple-choice questions about the tone of Lincoln’s proclamation and Davis’s message, then use a Venn diagram graphic organizer to compare and contrast how each leader viewed the events at Fort Sumter, recording similarities in the center and differences in the outer sections.
Teacher MovesExplain that this optional extension focuses on how leaders use language to shape public understanding of conflict and authority. After students answer the questions, discuss why Lincoln and Davis used different tones and what each leader hoped people would think or feel after reading their words. As students complete and share their Venn diagrams, ask them to justify where they placed ideas by citing details from the source and to explain how those details reflect each leader’s understanding of the situation. Guide students to notice patterns in how Lincoln and Davis explained and justified their actions, reinforcing that the same events can be interpreted differently depending on a leader’s role, goals, and audience.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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