Indiana’s Boys in the Recent Unpleasantness

Title: Indiana’s Boys in the Recent Unpleasantness: Veterans’ Firsthand Experiences in the Civil War

Topic: Explore through primary source documents what life was like for Indiana’s and other states’ soldiers during the Civil War.

Description: Students will learn through first-hand accounts of what life was like on Civil War battlefields and in camps through soldiers’ letters and diaries. They will be able to appreciate what camp life, skirmishes, and major battles were like from the words of those who lived through it. Students will be able to compare textbook information with firsthand accounts as well as identify common themes in various veterans’ writings.

Target Audience: Elementary students, Middle School students, High School students

Indiana State Standards:

IS.1.6 (High School: Describe causes and lasting effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction as well as the political controversies surrounding this time)

IS 1.7 (High School: Analyze how the Civil War affected men, women, and children on the home front. Explain how those on the home front helped the war effort)

I.S. 1.36 (High School: Analyze multiple, unexpected and complex causes and effects of events in the past)

Outcomes: Students will be able to utilize and identify the causes and impact of the Civil War. They will be able to identify and use primary sources to understand human experiences in the Civil War. Students will be able to compare general knowledge with specific experiences and give them context.

Evaluation: A post-presentation Q&A with the class will determine outcomes; a questionnaire will be sent out to the teacher/class to complete either onsite or electronically after the presentation.