Civil War Battle LineA Journey Through the Civil War

Completing pages 14-17 of theInteractive Notebook

Pages 15 and 17Students pair up and EACH person researches four of the battles listed below and then shares that information with his/her partner. Pages 15 and 17 are divided into quadrants and labeled using the battles below:For each quadrant the student creates a summary that includes:

• Who (fought)• What (happened)• Where (it happened)• When (it occurred)• Why (that battle was important)

Battles to be included• Fredericksburg • Chancellorsville • Gettysburg • Vicksburg • Chickamauga • Lookout Mountain • Sherman’s “March to the Sea” • Appomattox Court House

For the Student Response pages (14 and 16), students should illustrate the points from each of the four battles on the Teacher Pages (15 and 17)

An example:

Stone’s River

Turning Notes into a Summary

What:Rosecrans had come in from Nashville and set up camp near Bragg’s troops. On Dec. 26, the Confederates successfully raided Union forces in the early morning, but found it hard to hold on to early victories. The battle was called the “Slaughter Pen” by Rosecrans’ troops because it reminded them of the slaughterhouses back in Chicago. In the end, Bragg retreated fearing too many casualties (there were 24,000 casualties from both sides) and Union reinforcements. On Jan. 3, the victorious Union forces marched into Murfreesboro.

Who:Union Army of the Cumberland, headed by General William RosecransGeneral Braxton Bragg’s CSA Army of Tennessee. When: December 26, 1862 – January 3, 1863Where: Stone’s River is near Murfreesboro, TN

Why:Union victory gave them control of Middle Tennessee and its farmland and set up a supply center, named after Rosecrans.

An example:

Stone’s River

Turning Notes into a Summary

Stone’s River is the battle between December 26, 1862 – January 3, 1863 where the Union Army of the Cumberland, headed by General William Rosecrans, met General Braxton Bragg’s CSA Army of Tennessee. The area is just outside of Murfreesboro and was important to Bragg because control of it protected the Tennessee farmlands. Rosecrans had come in from Nashville and set up camp near Bragg’s troops. On Dec. 26, the Confederates hit the Union early and gained some success although they found it hard to hold on to early victories. The battle was called the “Slaughter Pen” by Rosecrans’ troops because it reminded them of the slaughterhouses back in Chicago. In the end, Bragg retreated fearing too many casualties (there were 24,000 casualties from both sides) and Union reinforcements. On Jan. 3, Union forces marched into Murfreesboro and set up a supply center, named after Rosecrans, that remained with them to the end of the War. Bragg had lost control of middle Tennessee.

This may be more than the average student will write, but it hits all of the points in a paragraph style.