The American Civil War in Virginia 1

RUNNING HEAD: THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR IN VIRGINIA 1 The American Civil War in Virginia A Social Studies Resource Unit for K-6 Students Prepared By: Kate Chelak Nathan Hipple Marcy Singson Jessica Stewart Elementary and Middle Social Studies Curriculum and Instruction Professor Gail McEachron, Fall 2011, CRIN E05 The College of William & Mary Contents Historical Narrative Map/Globe Skills Lesson: Jessica Stewart Critical Thinking and the Arts: Kate Chelak Biography: Nathan Hipple Global Inquiry: Marcy Singson Artifact #1: Nathan Hipple Artifact #2: Marcy Singson Artifact #3: Kate Chelak Artifact #4: Jessica Stewart Assessments Bibliography Appendix A: National and State Standards Expenses THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR IN VIRGINIA 2 The American Civil War in Virginia: An Historical Narrative The American Civil War shaped our nation into a society of people destined to become better individuals and proponents of industrial advancement. It is for that very reason that it is important for students to study the Civil War. Although many positive events resulted from the battlefields throughout the North and South, such as the abolition of slavery, the regions that made up the Commonwealth of Virginia were known for their major battles that led to excessive bloodshed and division among families. Richmond, Virginia, more importantly known as the capital of the Confederate states, became the hub for significant occurrences that consisted of progressive gains in the war‟s endeavors, but at the same time yielded substantial misfortunes and losses. Learning this information is significant for students because it enables them to understand effect of the war on Virginian families during the Civil War as well as the tensions still felt in Virginia today. This topic touches on, in part, five levels of the Virginia Standards of Learning from Kindergarten through United States History to 1865 for the elementary grades through sixth grade. In Kindergarten, students are expected to recognize that history describes the past and that things shift over time. One of the examples used for this is Abraham Lincoln. He appears again in first through third grade as a key figure for students to identify the contributions of. First grade also begins to introduce more map skills in relation to the state of Virginia. Second grade transitions into a knowledge of history changing over time and the concept of scarcity, which ties closely into the lives of people during the Civil War. In third grade, this is deepened and they begin to explore ideas of government, as well. Following the third grade, the SOLs transition into subjects. Both Virginia Studies and United States History to 1865 discuss the Civil War specifically in great depth from a state and then national perspective. The National Center for THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR IN VIRGINIA 3 History in the Schools standards focus on the role of diverse groups and their roles in significant events in the state. More information can be seen in Appendix A. Key Ideas and Events In 1850, the northern and southern economies in the United States looked vastly different from one another. As an agricultural society and member of the South, Virginia‟s economy relied heavily on enslaved workers to maintain large plantations, which grew cash crops such as cotton, tobacco, and rice. The North, which was more industrialized with factories that produced goods for the United States, only operated smaller farms that did not require the same amount of man power that the southern plantations needed. Every time a new state joined the union, this led to heated debate as to whether these new states should be categorized as “free” or “slave” states. Naturally, the southern states wanted the new states to be classified as slave states to ensure that they could keep some power in Congress, thus avoiding a complete ban of slavery (Banks et al., 2011). Slavery was known in many circles to be a cruel and callous practice, due in part to inhumane living quarters, harsh treatment from slave owners, and the nonexistence of any legal rights, resulting from the fact that slaves were not considered citizens of the United States. Nat Turner was one of the few enslaved workers to take a stand against this unfair treatment and led the first serious slave revolt in Virginia in 1831. In the revolt sixty white Virginians were killed. Some Virginians avenged these murders by killing African American slaves, including Nat Turner, who was hanged. This revolt resulted in more severe slave codes, or tighter regulations for governing African American slaves. They could not meet together freely, learn to read or write, or even speak out against slavery for fear of ramifications. Nat Turner‟s revolt increased THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR IN VIRGINIA 4 the levels of fear among other slaves in Virginia because of the consequences suffered from his rebellion (Olsen, 2004). Years later, the raid on Harpers Ferry in Southampton, Virginia was led by an abolitionist named John Brown on October 16, 1859. The plan of attack that Brown had devised consisted of him crossing the Potomac River from Maryland before seizing a government armory containing weapons. His primary goal was to arm slaves in the South and encourage revolt against the proponents of slavery. John Brown was not prepared for encountering slaves who did not wish to join in his efforts of providing weaponry to them or revolting against their slave owners. His mission was subsequently short-lived as he was seriously wounded and quickly captured by Virginia militia. He and a few of his co-conspirators were eventually tried, sentenced, and hanged for treason. As a result of the support Brown received from the North, the Virginia governor told citizens to stop buying goods produced by the northern economies and only purchase items made in Virginia (Sheehan-Dean, 2004). The presidential election of 1860 proved to be a turning point in the months leading up to the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln, a man who stood in opposition to slavery, was elected president. This concerned southern states who believed that Lincoln would not protect states‟ rights, and, in particular, their right to own African American slaves. They believed that states should have the right to make their own decisions as long as they did not conflict with the U.S. Constitution. South Carolina was the first state to secede or formally withdraw from the Union on December 20, 1860. By February, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas also seceded and, together with South Carolina, formed the Confederate States of America headed by Jefferson Davis. Virginians were divided over the decision to secede since many knew they did not want to fight other Southerners if it came to war. In February 1861, the THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR IN VIRGINIA 5 Virginia General Assembly held a convention to decide whether to secede. The delegates from the eastern part of the state felt secession was necessary, especially if a war began. The delegates from the western part of the state (later West Virginia) disagreed. They opposed slavery and supported the Union (Huston, 2000). The fighting at Fort Sumter initiated the beginning of the Civil War at the Charleston Harbor. Lincoln wanted to keep all government property in the South and, as a result, Union troops were stationed at Fort Sumter. The Confederate troops opened fire, forcing the Union troops to surrender in April 1861. After the war began, delegates in Virginia knew they must take a side and, on April 17, 1861, Virginia made the decision to secede from the Union. Many Virginians joined the Confederate Army, including Robert E. Lee, who was originally recruited to the Union army. He would not take the position because he did not want to fight against his homeland of Virginia. Richmond, Virginia then became the capital of the Confederate States, as a result of the large population and its position as a leader of industry for the South (Banks et al., 2011). Virginia‟s declaration for the Confederacy only led to a further division within Virginia between the eastern and western regions. Unlike the large plantation owners in the eastern part of the state, the people in western Virginia lived on small farms and did not rely on slavery. Many western Virginians were already frustrated with their situation because they lacked both the right to vote and representation in the General Assembly. Therefore, after Virginia left the Union, the people of western Virginia held a convention and formed a new government, the Reorganized Government of Virginia. West Virginia was created in 1861, with its name derived from a constitutional convention held to discuss the issue. In addition, they chose a new governor, Francis H. Pierpont, and called their state Kanawha, which means “place of white THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR IN VIRGINIA 6 stone.” Later, in 1863, West Virginia joined the United States, becoming the 35th state and the only state to ever secede from the Confederate States of America (Banks et al., 2011). On July 21, 1861, as Union troops marched purposely from the North led by General McDowell, they were met by Confederate troops under the leadership of General Beauregard at Manassas, Virginia. It was here that the first major battle of the Civil War occurred and was named both the Battle of Bull Run or the Battle of Manassas. It was not, however, until the Confederate commander Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson arrived with his 9,000 troops as reinforcement to the previous commander and stood his ground that this battle was won by the Confederates. The South claimed this battle as a victory and further gained enthusiasm for their cause, while the North realized that this war would be far from one-sided and retreated to Washington.

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