LESSON 1: WHY FIGHT? GRADE 5-8 SOLDIERS’ LETTERS WWW.PRESIDENTLINCOLN.ORG Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Objectives • Recognize the important role ordinary people play in great historical events. • Understand how historians can learn from primary source material generated by average citizens. • Realize that different sources provide differing viewpoints about the same events. • List three reasons why people fought in the Civil War. • Practice letter writing. • Identify Union and Confederate states on a map. • Independently research facts about the Civil War. INTRODUCTION PROCEDURE he letters of ordinary Part I: Letter Writing 2. Ask students if they had types of communication something highly impor- methods listed on the T Civil War soldiers re- 1. Ask students when they veal a great deal to historians tant to tell someone, board were available to last wrote a hand writ- trying to understand why what means of commu- soldiers fighting in the ten letter. What nication would they use? Civil War? From their people were willing to risk prompted them to write their lives fighting in a war. Why? List these modes answers, ask students to their letters? Why of communication on discuss the following: These letters oftentimes might people write let- present vastly different view- the board. (Telephone, ters? Next ask them • How important was points than those stated in email, letters, visiting in when they last sent an person, telegraph, tele- letter writing in 19th official speeches made by email? To whom did politicians about why a coun- gram, etc.) century America? they send an email and try goes to war. why? 3. Now ask students which • Do you think a lot of Materials • #12 Seven Soldiers • Audio excerpt of the Sullivan Ballou letter entitled “Honorable • #13 Joseph Langston Manhood” from Ken Burn’s The Civil War (optional). • #14 Corporal • Ballou Family Letters transcribed (in this lesson plan). • #15 Albert Cashier • Sullivan Ballou to his wife Sarah, July 14, 1861 • #16 Black Soldier • Adin Ballou to his parents, November 6, 1862. • #17 Orion P. Howe • William Ballou to his parents, December 24, 186? • Materials for writing old-fashioned letters if possible (quill and • Images of Civil War Soldiers from the “Civil War Soldier Kit” ink, paper) or regular lined paper and pens. (and on this CD) • Map of the United States showing Union and Confederate States. • #6 Henry Reed • Books and resources from the “Civil • #7 Three Zouaves War Soldier Kit,” the library or • #8 Father and Son Gregory online. • #9 Lyston Howe • “Muster Roll Worksheet” (in this lesson • #10 J.H. Sidener plan) • #11 Six Soldiers • “Soldier’s Friend Worksheets” (in this lesson plan) Page 2 LESSON 1: WHY FIGHT? SOLDIERS’ LETTERS soldiers wrote letters? fight in a war. • What are some of the main points Sullivan • What kinds of informa- 5. Next ask the class to makes in his letter? tion might you find in come up with ways a those letters? government could per- • Why does Sullivan say he suade people to enlist in is fighting in this war? • How important would the service. soldier’s letters be to the • Is he afraid to go into this people receiving them? battle? Why or why not? What is he afraid of los- • Are those letters impor- Part III: Soldiers’ Letters ing? tant to historians study- 1. Introduce students to ing the Civil War? Why Sullivan Ballou by giving • What choices did Sullivan or why not? them a brief account of make in choosing to go to war? his life. Part II: What would you 2. If possible, play the audio • What does he mean reading of the Sullivan when he writes about the fight for? Ballou letter to the stu- “great debt we owe to 1. Have students stand at dents. (Note the entire those who went before one of end of the class- letter is not read in the us through the blood and room. audio). suffering of the Revolu- tion” in the first para- 2. Ask students what they 3. Ask the students how the graph? would go to war to de- audio reading made them fend (toys/electronic feel. • Sullivan writes that “God, games, favorite picture or my country and thee” special family treasure, 4. Next pass out copies of make claims upon him. clothing or shoes, pet, Sullivan Ballou’s letter to What are those claims best friend, school, his wife. Ask students to and what is his relation- read the letter out loud. home, family, country, ship toward each? freedom, democracy, Point out that the letter freedom for another is longer than the audio • Is Sullivan’s love of coun- country, to save others clip. Ask students why try stronger than his love from harm, etc.). When they think that is. Do the of family? a statement is made that missing sections impact • How did Sullivan try to they would be willing to the meaning of the letter? comfort his wife and fight for, the student is to 5. Have students identify family in this letter? How move to the opposite difficult vocabulary in the do you think his family side of the room. letter. reacted to this letter? 3. As a class discuss how 6. As a class or working in • Based upon Sullivan’s students arrived at their small groups, discuss the decision to move across letter, would you have following: the room. If any students enlisted to serve in the refused to move across • Why did Sullivan Ballou Civil War? Would you have wanted your broth- the room, ask them to write this letter? share why they chose not ers, husbands and fathers fight. Discuss what the • What is happening during to sign up? the Civil War at the time options are for people 7. Pass out the letter from who did not want to fight the letter was written? Adin Ballou and read it in wars. Discuss the • Sullivan wrote this letter together. As a class dis- difference between an to his wife. Who else cuss the following: army made up of volun- might read this letter? teers and one made up of • What can we infer about Do you think Sullivan Adin Ballou, his family draftees. knew that other people members, rank in the might read the letter 4. As a class come up with a army, level of education, when he wrote it? Why list of why people would etc. from this letter? Use be willing to volunteer to or why not? Page 3 WWW.PRESIDENTLINCOLN.ORG the letter to support 2. If their image is not identi- your statements. fied, have students choose an imaginary identity for SULLIVAN BALLOU • What is happening during their soldier; one student the Civil War at the time will take will pretend to be ullivan Ballou was born at the letter was written? the soldier. Have students S Smithfield, Rhode Island, reate a second identity for on March 28, 1829, and en- • Does this letter reveal a family member at home tered National Law School in why Adin enlisted? to whom the soldier will Ballston, New York, after two years at Brown University. • What does Adin believe write. He practiced law in his home- they are fighting for? 3. Assign each pair to as ei- town following his admission • How does Adin’s letter ther supporters of the to the bar in 1853. Four compare to Sullivan’s? Confederacy or the Union years later he was elected to Look at writing style as and give students different the state legislature, where he years between 1861 and served as Speaker of the well as content. 1865. House. In 1855 he married • What does Adin’s letter Sarah Hart Shumway, with 4. Tell them to look at the reveal about the life of map of the U.S. in 1861, whom he had two sons. Civil War soldier? and then to decide the Ballou, in 1861, with his family. Ballou was 8. Pass out the letter from following about themselves: joined the second regiment one of nearly seventy thou- William Ballou and read Rhode Island raised for the sand Union and Confederate it together. As a class • What are your names? • Union Cause. He accepted soldiers--many of them un- the rank of major, and in tested in battle--who con- discuss the following. • How do you know one April, his was among the regi- verged near Manassas, Vir- another, or how are you • What can we infer about ments sent to defend the na- ginia, on July 21, 1861. Major William Ballou, his family related? tion's capital at the outset of Ballou was struck by a cannon members, rank in the • How old are you? the war. On July 14, 1861, he ball early in the battle at Bull army, level of education, was headquartered at Wash- Run and died in a makeshift etc. from this letter? Use • Where do you live? ington, D.C., anticipating a hospital. More than eight the letter to support move into the field. That hundred Union and Confeder- your statements. 5. Pass out the “Muster Roll Sunday evening as "two thou- ate soldiers died at Bull Run, Worksheet” and “Soldier’s sand men" slept nearby, he an indecisive contest that • What is happening during Friend Worksheet” and wrote a letter to his wife, presaged the grim battles of the Civil War at the time have students complete the "lest I should not be able to the following four years. the letter was written? worksheets using their write you again." Keenly The Sullivan Ballou imagination to develop aware of the peril ahead, he • Does this letter reveal letter is among the vast Civil their character more fully.