OH, COULD THEY BUT SPEAK!
The MGTV Civil War Battle Flags Project
Lesson Two
Was Michigan in the Civil War?
Overview/Objectives:
This lesson will determine the student's prior knowledge, add to this knowledge base and peak
their interest in Michigan during the Civil War years. The student will explore and review the
basic concepts of the Civil War and look deeply into Michigan's extensive involvement. The
student will understand the guidelines and requirements for successful completion of this unit.
Benchmarks Targeted:
I.1.MS.1
III.1.MS.3
I.1.MS.2
IV.1.MS.2
I.2.MS.1
I.2.MS.2
I.3.MS.1
I.4.MS.4
Procedure:
1)
Asking students what they know about the Civil War, begin to fill in the timeline. The
timeline could be a wall-size piece of banner paper. The timeline will be divided into
three sections: pre-civil war, during the civil war, and post-civil war. Encourage students
to think about the causes of the war, the lifestyles and general atmosphere of this time
period.
2)
Ask the students what Michigan and its citizens were doing during the Civil War. Have
students project and guess at that involvement.
3)
Explain to students that they will be in charge of keeping a fact sheet during this unit.
They should make the fact sheets out of regular notebook paper and keep a list of all of
the facts that they learn and hear about Michigan, the Civil War, its people, the battle
flags, the Capitol, lobbying, etc. These fact sheets will be handed in with the student's
portfolio, and can be used as a review for tests and the Capture the Flag game.
4)
Give students a look at Michigan's intensive role in the war through lecture and
discussion (fact sheet included for teachers), from beginning to end: Ask students to take
notes, ask questions, and participate in discussion.
5)
Draw students' attention to the snapshot board (please see attached sheet). Have a student
read one or two of the snapshots and then discuss the character(s). Invite students to add
to the snapshot board as they conduct their research, and to read other snapshots when
they have time. These snapshots may be referred to in class anytime a character or
situation is relevant.
6)
Hand out and discuss the portfolio assessment project (introductory handout included).
Students should be aware of how they will be assessed, what they are expected to do, and
how quality work looks.
Journal:
If possible, have the students visit http://www.historychannel.com. Select "this day in Civil War
History" and learn what happened on that particular day during the Civil War. Have students
create a snapshot of a fictitious character who participated in one of those "moments of history.”
Lesson Two
Page 1 of 13
OH. COULD THEY BUT SPEAK!
The MGTV Civil War Battle Flags Project
#1 Attachment for Lesson Two
The Civil War had a profound impact upon all sections of American society. The conflict
between the states caused a number of significant changes in the lives of women, AfricanAmericans, and Native Americans.
*****
Women in the Civil War
Through their work as nurses, relief workers, and spies, women on both sides made
invaluable contributions to the war effort. In the course of the war, almost 3,200 women nurses
served on the battlefields of the north and south.1 Dorothea Dix, appointed Superintendent of
Women Nurses by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861, directed the training of hundreds of
nurses for work in Union field hospitals. Many of these northern nurses became outspoken
advocates for improving the medical care for wounded soldiers. Mary Ann Bickerdyke was one
such nurse. Unafraid to argue with even the highest-ranking general, “Mother” Bickerdyke
worked at nineteen different field hospitals between 1861 and 1865.2 The poor conditions in
Union field hospitals so outraged Nurse Clara Barton that after the war she led the campaign for
the establishment of the American Red Cross in the early 1880’s. In addition to working as
nurses, a small number of women on each side served as doctors. Very few women in the prewar years were able to receive proper medical training, but the few who did performed
admirably. As respect for women doctors grew, the number of institutions dedicated to the
training of women in the medical profession grew. Both the Chicago Hospital for Women and
Children and the New York Medical College for Women opened their doors in 1863.3
Women played pivotal roles in the many private relief societies established for the care
of the soldiers at the front. These organizations established themselves quickly after the
beginning of the war. By the end of 1861, a total of nearly 20,000 women’s groups were sending
goods to their respective armies.4 Over the course of one month in 1863, a group in Alabama sent
to Confederate soldiers in the field the following:
422 shirts
551 pairs of underwear
80 pairs of socks
3 pairs of gloves
6 boxes and 1 bale of hospital goods
128 lbs. of tapioca
$18.00 for hospital use5
Similar organizations existed in nearly every state. In addition to sending supplies to the
front, these aid societies often ran local soldiers’ homes and organized ceremonies welcoming
home returning veterans.
Women also contributed to the war effort as spies, scouts, or even soldiers for the
waning armies. Michigan’s own Sarah Emma Edmonds disguised herself as a man and fought in
the Union army for nearly two years. She was one of approximately 400 women to do so during
Lesson Two
Page 2 of 13
the war.6 Elizabeth Van Lew of Richmond worked to smuggle Union POWs out of the
Confederate capitol city. Rose Greenhow of Washington DC relayed information to Confederate
leaders that proved instrumental in the southern victory at the first Battle of Bull Run. Harriet
Tubman, famous heroine of the Underground Railroad, also worked as a scout for the Union
army, despite the fact that the southern government offered a substantial reward for her capture.8
*****
African Americans in the Civil War
Upon finally receiving the opportunity to fight for their country, African-American
soldiers demonstrated their courage and bravery under fire. This fact was most evident during the
attack upon Fort Wagner, Charleston, South Carolina, in July 1863. The assault was carried out
by the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the first black regiment in American history.9 The 54th, along
with several white regiments, charged the fortress on 18 July 1863. It was a suicide mission.
Under point-blank artillery fire, the Union attackers suffered 1,515 casualties; the southern
defenders only 174. Nevertheless, the courage of the 54th Massachusetts exploded the prejudicial
theory that African-Americans were unfit soldiers. By war’s end, nearly 200,000 black recruits
had entered the Union armed forces. They would fight in 449 engagements and prove beyond
any doubt, their commitment to the Union cause.
African-American soldiers suffered casualties at a rate 35 percent higher than that of
white soldiers.10 Often the reason for this was the refusal of southern commanders to take black
prisoners. According to the Confederate government, it was more proper to treat black soldiers as
stolen property than as prisoners of war.11 Therefore African-American soldiers, when captured,
were often sold back into slavery, or worse, executed. One of the most brutal incidents of the war
occurred at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, on 12 April 1864. On that day Confederate General Nathan
Bedford Forrest, who would later go on to found the Ku Klux Klan, executed almost 100 black
soldiers. Similar massacres occurred during the battles at The Crater and Poison Spring.12
Civil rights advocate Frederick Douglass was one leader who intervened on behalf of
African-American soldiers. In July of 1863 Douglass met with President Lincoln to discuss
measures to protect black prisoners of war. Douglass urged the president to institute a policy of
retaliation against mistreatment of Union prisoners.13 The president feared that such a policy
could set into motion a deadly cycle of brutality. However, the threat was made on 30 July 1863,
and black soldiers did eventually receive recognition as prisoners of war.14 Unfortunately, this
did not prevent massacres like the bloodshed at Fort Pillow.
While at the White House, Douglass also asked the president to correct the injustices
wrought upon African-American soldiers by their own army. At the time, black soldiers did not
receive pay equal to that of white soldiers. They also had little chance of promotion. Lincoln
pledged that black soldiers would receive equal pay before the end of the war and said that he
would promote any soldier recommended by the Secretary of War.15 By 1865, black troops were
receiving pay equal to that of their white comrades and did have some, though not much, chance
for promotion.16
Lesson Two
Page 3 of 13
*****
Native Americans in the Civil War
Native Americans of the south and west fought the federal forces in an attempt to
preserve their way of life. The Five Civilized Tribes had, in the thirty years since their forced
exodus along the Trail of Tears to the Indian Territory (now the state of Oklahoma) finally
succeeded in rebuilding their society. However, the coming of the Civil War brought division,
and ultimately ruin, to their nation. From the beginning, agents from both sides lobbied the tribes
for their support. Cherokee Chief John Ross advocated neutrality, but the tribes - Cherokee,
Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole - decided to align with the Confederacy.17 Over the
course of the war, the Five Civilized Tribes lost most of their new farms and as much as twentyfive percent of their population.18 After the war the federal government forced the tribes to sign
treaties with “war guilt” clauses, confiscated the western portion of their nation, and forced the
tribes to allow railroads to be constructed through the section of Indian Territory that remained.19
In 1862 the Santee Sioux in Minnesota took up arms against the Union, but for a
different reason. The Santee were a farming tribe whose land holdings shrunk with each passing
year as a result of white settlement. As their reservation, and their ability to grow sufficient
crops, grew smaller, their dependence upon government annuity payments grew. The tribe was
already feeling the effects of hunger when in July 1862 they were informed that their payment
would be delayed. The store on their territory was full, but its owner would not distribute his
goods without payment.20 This refusal created a tension that eventually boiled over into one of
the bloodiest uprisings in American history and began a series of Indian Wars that would
continue, at intervals, until 1890. The Santee, led by Chief Little Crow, rampaged across the state
for nearly a month before meeting defeat at the battle of Wood Lake. Hundreds of Santee were
taken prisoner and in December 1868 thirty-eight were hanged, the largest mass execution of
Native Americans in U.S. history.21
Lesson Two
Page 4 of 13
Notes
1. Polly Zane and John Zane, American Women: Four Centuries of Progress. (Berkeley, CA:
Proof Press, 1989), 42.
2. Glenda Riley, Inventing the American Woman: A Perspective on Women’s History
1607—1877. (Arlington Heights, IL: Harlan—Davidson,1986), 122.
3.
Riley, 124.
4.
Riley, 122.
5.
Riley, 122.
6.
Riley, 124.
7.
Riley, 124.
8.
Zane and Zane, 43.
9.
Robert Leckie, None Died in Vain: The Saga of the American Civil War (New York:
Harper Perennial, 1990), 464.
10.
Leckie, 464.
11.
Leckie, 616—617.
12.
Leckie, 617.
13.
Douglas T. Miller, Frederick Douglass and the Fight for Freedom. (New York: Facts on
File, 1988), 104.
14.
Leckie, 617.
15.
Miller, 104.
16.
Miller, 104.
17.
James Wilson, The Earth Shall Weep: A History of Native America. (NY: Atlantic
Monthly Press, 1998), 268—269.
18.
Wilson, 269.
19.
Wilson, 269.
20.
Wilson, 1862.
21.
Wilson, 272.
Lesson Two
Page 5 of 13
Bibliography
1.
Leckie, Robert. None Died in Vain: The Saga of the American -Civil War.
NY: Harper Perennial, 1990.
2.
Miller, Douglas T. Frederick Douglass and the Fight for Freedom.
NY: Facts on File, 1988.
3.
Riley, Glenda. Inventing the American Woman: A Perspective on Women’s
History 1607—1877. Arlington Heights, IL: Harlan— Davidson, 1986.
4.
Wilson, James. The Earth Shall Weep: A History of Native America.
NY: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1998.
5.
Zane, Polly and John Zane. American Women: Four Centuries of Progress.
Berkeley, CA: Proof Press, 1989.
Lesson Two
Page 6 of 13
OH, COULD THEY BUT SPEAK!
The MGTV Civil War Battle Flags Project
#2 Attachment for Lesson Two
Governor Austin Blair
Austin Blair was born on February 8, 1818, in New York. After graduating from college in 1837, he moved to
Jackson, Michigan, where he began to practice law. When he was elected to the state House of Representatives in
1845, he did so as a Whig. Blair’s strong stand on social issues, such as slavery, women’s rights, and equal suffrage,
made him the civil rights radical of his day. Even by today’s standards, scholars have noted that he “outshines
modern liberals.”
In March 1846, not long after his election to the House, Blair, who was serving on the Judiciary
Committee, attended a speech in the House Chamber. Ernestine L. Rose of New York, an early proponent of rights
for married women and one of the first women to take up a public speaking career, addressed the issue of a1lowing
women to vote. Blair took the opportunity to speak out in favor of women’s suffrage—one of the first Michigan
leaders to publicly state his support.
Blair was busy in 1846. He tried to have the word “white” removed from the state constitution as a voting
qualification. He was opposed—in his own words—to “all color and race distinctions in the franchise.” And he led
the state’s successful 1846 effort to ban capital punishment after a man was hanged for a crime he did not commit.
Michigan became the first state in the Union to do so.
In 1854, “under the oaks” in Jackson, Blair participated in the creation of the Republican Party. When he
was elected to the state Senate in the same year, it was as a member of the new party. In 1860, he ran for governor as
a Republican and won. He served two terms, from 1861 to 1864, among the most difficult and turbulent years in
Michigan’s - and the nation’ s - history.
Blair was passionately anti-slavery and pro-Union, and is considered today one of the nation’s foremost
Civil War governors. He was impatient with Lincoln, who did not, in his view, take a strong enough stand against
slavery. He worried that Lincoln might allow slavery to spread into the territories. Blair felt that the Union must be
preserved, whatever the cost, and that the President was bound by oath to prevent secession—even if it meant war.
In these issues, Blair both mirrored Michigan popular sentiment and helped to mold it. Michigan had long
been opposed to slavery as an institution and viewed secession as treason. When war broke out only a few months
after Blair became governor, the state responded with tremendous speed and strength, especially considering its
small population, meager state budget, and distance from the hostilities, Michigan was the first “western” state to
answer Lincoln’s call for volunteers. Before the war was over, approximately one out of four Michigan males had
fought as a volunteer, one of the highest per capita rate of any state.
One of the interesting puzzles about Austin Blair is why he left office before the war was over. The
question is all the more puzzling considering his devotion to the troops still in the field, his concern for the wounded
and their welfare after returning home, and the fact that the outcome of the war was still far from decided.
The reasons appear to have been primarily political: Blair left office as Governor in order to run for the
United States Senate. Blair objected to the fact that both Michigan U.S. Senators, Zachariah Chandler and Jacob
Lesson Two
Page 7 of 13
Howard, although Republicans like himself, were from Detroit. Blair was an outstater from Jackson, a lawyer of
modest means. Chandler, a wealthy self-made businessman, was one of the most powerful members of the United
States Senate, and largely controlled Michigan politics for years. Essentially, Blair took on Chandler’s Detroit-based
political machine—and lost. This may seem surprising considering Blair’s great popularity, but United States
senators were not elected by popular vote in Michigan until 1916. Instead, they were elected by the legislature,
which, in turn, was dominated by Chandler and his supporters.
Blair did serve three times in the U.S. Congress, but continued opposition from Chandler meant that his political
career was virtually over. In addition, Blair’s unceasing efforts to provide support for Michigan’s troops during the
Civil War meant that he had little time to devote to his law practice. In those days, being governor was not
necessarily viewed as a full time job and governors were expected to maintain their careers to some extent while in
office. This allowed them to argue their none-too-generous pay.
When Blair left office in 1864, he was almost destitute. In 1879, when he came to Lansing to speak at the dedication
of Michigan’s new Capitol, Blair used the opportunity to plead for better pay for governors, asking for “about half as
good a salary as they pay to a common dry-goods clerk.” Nothing came of his request. In 1892, his friends raised
four thousand dollars, which, according to Dunbar and May in Michigan: A History of the Wolverine State, “they
presented to the former governor at Christmas, ‘not as charity, but as a token of affection.’” He died on August 6,
1894, in Jackson, where he is buried.
Although denied compensation in life, Michigan tried to make amends in death. In 1895, the Michigan
legislature appropriated $10,000 for a statue in Blair’s memory. It was to be placed on Capitol Square, the first—and
only—time that an actual person has been honored by a stature on the Capitol’s grounds. It was a controversial
proposal. It is a testament to Blair’s great popularity, especially among war veterans, that the statue was not only
placed on the Square, but was given great prominence by placing it directly in front of the Capitol itself. The
unveiling of the statue, on October 12, 1898, was witnessed by throngs of people who crowded Capitol Square for
the occasion.
The statue commemorates Blair’s commitment to the goals of the war and his great devotion and personal concern
for the Michigan men and boys who volunteered so much to achieve them. The base of the statue is inscribed: “Gave
the best years of his life to Michigan, and his fame is inseparably linked with the glorious achievements of her
citizen soldiers.”
Other inscriptions include excerpts from his messages to the legislature: “The true glory of the Republic must
consist, not only in the beneficence and freedom of our institutions, but also in our ability and courage to defend and
protect them (1863).” “All the blood and carnage of this terrible war, all the heart-rending casualties of battle and the
sad bereavements occasioned by them, have the same cause—slavery. The greatest, vilest criminal of the world: it
must perish (1863).” “Again and for the last time I commend the Michigan troops to your continued care and
support. They have never failed in their duty to the country or to the state. Upon every battlefield of the war their
shouts have been heard and their sturdy blows have been delivered for the Union and victory. It is my sole regret at
quitting office that I part with them (last message to the legislature, January 4th, 1865).”
Today, Blair’s bronze statue still stands in front of the Capitol, gazing down Michigan Avenue toward the east. One
hand rests lightly on a draped column. Only a careful eye would note that the drape is actually a battle flag, carried
by a Michigan volunteer regiment during the Civil War.
Lesson Two
Page 8 of 13
OH, COULD THEY BUT SPEAK!
The MGTV Civil War Battle Flags Project
#3 Attachment for Lesson Two
Snapshots
Michiganders in the Civil War
Because there are so many colorful and fascinating Michiganders who
served in and around the Civil War, it would be impossible to include all of them
in class lectures. Below are some sample “snapshots” of people and events.
Create a bulletin board in your classroom with snapshots like these for your
students to explore and enjoy. Use these snapshots as writing, discussion, or
picture prompts. Encourage your students to add to the board as they find new
and interesting people, events and information.
Johnny Clem:
Johnny Clem was an 11 year-old orphan who stood only four feet tall and weighed 62
pounds. When he went to the recruiters’ office in Ohio and tried to join the army, he was
denied. Johnny walked off down the road and ran into the 22nd Michigan Volunteer
Infantry. After a little coaxing they let him join as the “mascot” and they gave him a
small drum to play. Caught in the battle of Chickamauga, Johnny put down his drum
and picked up a gun and found himself in the midst of the battle. To avoid personal
harm, Johnny mortally wounded a confederate Colonel. Johnny was wounded in the
exchange and was left for dead in the hail of fire. After dark, Johnny slipped across the
enemy lines and rejoined the 22nd. Johnny stayed with them throughout the rest of the
war.
Emma Edmunds:
This daring young woman joined the Michigan 2nd Volunteer Infantry as Franklin
Thompson. She was 22 years old when she enlisted in 1861. Emma worked side by side
with male soldiers and was never discovered. She also rose to the challenge and worked as
a spy behind enemy lines - one of her best disguises was that of a woman. She deserted the
army in 1863, probably because she had a serious injury and wanted to avoid detection.
Many years later she applied for service pension, and she got it!
Michigan’s Personal Liberty Law:
This law directed all prosecuting attorneys to defend any person arrested as a fugitive
slave. It also gave these people the right to a trial by jury and to appeal through the
county courts. Local jails could not be used to incarcerate alleged fugitives. Two
witnesses were required in all fugitive cases and stiff fines and penalties were given to
anyone who gave false witness. The bill was introduced on January 31, 1855, and became
law one month later.
Lesson Two
Page 9 of 13
OH, COULD THEY BUT SPEAK!
The MGTV Civil War Battle Flags Project
#4 Attachment for Lesson Two
Information about Michigan’s Role in the Civil War
The sectional tension created by the election of President Abraham Lincoln in November
1860 finally boiled over on 12 April 1861. On that day Southern forces turned their guns on Fort
Sumter, a federal stronghold in Charleston Harbor. The attack ended any hope of a peaceful
agreement between Lincoln and the seceded states of the Confederacy. On 15 April, two days
after Fort Sumter’s surrender, the President issued a call for 75,000 loyal volunteers to help
suppress the rebellion.
Michigan’s state government supported the call for volunteers with great enthusiasm.
Governor Austin Blair advocated the use of military force against the Confederacy in the months
preceding the attack at Fort Sumter. In his inaugural address in January 1861, the governor
placed Michigan’s resources at President Lincoln’s disposal.1 On 16 March 1861, the State
Legislature passed a law authorizing Governor Blair to raise two regiments of militia so that the
state would be prepared if and when a volunteer force was needed.
*****
Lincoln’s call for troops required Michigan to raise no more and no less than one fully
equipped infantry regiment. Some preparations had already been made; however, the law
establishing the militia regiments contained no provisions for funding the feeding, clothing, or
training of these forces. On 16 April, Blair solved this problem by securing a loan of $50,000
from the city of Detroit and by pledging that the state government would match that
contribution.2
Michigan filled its quota quickly, turning away hundreds of prospective soldiers in the
process. The soldiers were fully equipped; their uniforms and equipment were purchased out of
state. The First Michigan Infantry Regiment, composed primarily of men from the southern
portion of the state, was organized at Fort Wayne in Detroit on 29 April 1 861. Its men endured a
crash course in military drills and marches before the regiment received its colors from the
Ladies of Detroit on 11 May. The regiment left Detroit two days later and arrived in Washington
on 16 May, the first western troops to reach the Capitol. President Lincoln, upon seeing the
regiment marching through the streets of Washington, said simply, “Thank God for Michigan.”3
*****
On the home front, support for soldiers and their families were provided both by the state
government and by private organizations. The state legislature adopted a Soldier’s Relief Act
which contributed money to the families of Michigan soldiers. If a soldier died, his family could
continue to receive benefits for an additional year.4 In addition to these state efforts, private
organizations such as the Michigan Soldiers’ Relief Association, located in both Washington and
Detroit, provided medical care for wounded soldiers while gathering supplies to send to soldiers
at the front.5
Lesson Two
Page 10 of 13
There were numerous other signs of support for the Union cause. Cities throughout the
state held patriotic rallies to celebrate the departure of local men for the front. Many local groups
also organized ceremonies to welcome returning regiments. Local soldiers’ homes were built to
help seriously wounded veterans recover from their injuries. In several cities, special
commissions were established to build monuments and cemeteries to honor the lives of local
men killed in action.6
*****
Michigan soldiers fought in every major battle of the war. A number of these men made
great contributions to the Union cause. General Israel B. Richardson entered the army as a
commander in the Second Michigan Infantry. He soon rose through the ranks to become a major
general in command of an entire division. Richardson was killed at the Battle of Antietam on 17
September 1862 while rallying the federal forces near a sunken road referred to as the “Bloody
Lane.” A marker now stands in the spot where he fell mortally wounded.7 In the western theater,
Colonel Benjamin J. Prentiss and his forces held the federal positions against numerous
Confederate charges at the Battle of Shiloh. Prentiss was captured, but his bravery prevented the
Union armies from being pushed back into the Tennessee River and destroyed.8 The federal
forces rallied the next day and won one of the war’s most significant battles. Lieutenant Colonel
Benjamin F. Pritchard commanded the Fourth Michigan Calvary. Stationed near Macon,
Georgia, in May 1865, Pritchard and his men performed one of the last significant feats of the
war. On 7 May Pritchard was assigned the task of locating Confederate President Jefferson
Davis, who was said to be escaping through Georgia.9 Pritchard and his men caught up to Davis’
party early on the morning of 10 May, capturing him shortly after dawn.
*****
The Battle of Gettysburg is widely regarded as the most crucial battle of the war. Fought
over three days on a wide front, Michigan soldiers played an important part in the eventual
Union victory. On 1 July 1863,the first day of the battle, the Twenty-Fourth Michigan Infantry
succeeded in checking the Confederate advance toward the town, but not before suffering
immense casualties. By nightfall on the first, 399 of its 496 men were listed as dead, wounded, or
missing. No other regiment engaged at Gettysburg would suffer as many casualties.10 The
second day of battle found five Michigan regiments fighting to hold the federal positions on Big
Round Top and Little Round Top, the two high hills on the Union’s left flank that commanded
the battlefield. The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixteenth Michigan Regiments in particular saw heavy
fighting. The Confederates charged up the hill several times. The fighting was often hand-tohand, but once again the federal positions held. On the third day, the Seventh Michigan helped
repel the Confederate charge upon the center of the Union defenses. Pickett’s Charge, as it was
later called, was an unmitigated disaster for the Confederate Army and the last significant
offensive attack by the southern forces.
*****
Michigan’s African-American citizens also played a significant part in the state’s war
effort. The First Colored Infantry entered the service in February 1864. Later renamed the 102nd
Regiment United States Colored Troops, the unit worked to upset Confederate supply lines in
Florida and South Carolina. Miles of southern railroads were destroyed by the regiment, a
significant contribution to the war effort.11
Lesson Two
Page 11 of 13
*****
All told, over 90,000 Michigan men fought for the Union cause. Approximately 85,000
of these men were volunteers; 1,661 of these volunteers were African-American.12 The desire of
the men of Michigan to see the Union preserved was so strong that over 1,000 men unable to
find a place in Michigan units fought for the regiments of other states.13 Michigan raised thirtyone infantry regiments and eleven units of cavalry. Nearly 14,000 Michigan men died in the war;
over 4,100 died in battle, while almost 10,000 died from disease.14 The bravery of these men,
coupled with the support offered them both during and after the war, represented a record of
patriotism and dedication difficult for any state to match.
Lesson Two
Page 12 of 13
OH, COULD THEY BUT SPEAK!
The MGTV Civil War Battle Flags Project
#5 Attachment for Lesson Two
A Civil War Scrapbook
Portfolio Assessment
During this unit you will be creating many different representations that capture the meaning and
essence of the Civil War and Michigan’s part in it. As a final assessment of your learning, you
will be asked to create a Civil War scrapbook, a portfolio of your work that describes the Civil
War and what you have learned. While there are some requirements on what you put into the
scrapbook, the rest is up to you.
Include this sheet in your portfolio as a check off list.
Due Date: ________________
The required sections are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
At least 6 journal or letter entries
Your Crater reaction paper
At least one poem (perhaps the extended poem piece or your “sense” poems)
Your favorite quote
One drawing or illustration of your favorite snapshot or Civil War scene
Your Civil War fact sheet
A two-page reflection paper about what you’ve learned and how you would summarize
Michigan before, during and after the war. Include things like what surprised you, what
made you mad, what you want to learn more about.
An introductory few sentences or paragraphs on what you tried to accomplish with your
scrapbook: Why did you use certain papers, what feelings are you trying to relay, etc.
These are the requirements, but please try to make your scrapbooks as creative and unique as
possible. This is an opportunity to show off what you have learned.
Other possible entries:
Pictures from magazines, snapshots of your favorite people in the Civil War, your
favorite stories, more drawings, more quotes, creative visual representations, such as
collages, replicas of flags, etc.
Lesson Two
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