Civil War Technological Advances
LDC Module
Question:
What were the technological advances in the American Civil War?
After reading informational texts, write an essay in which you analyze the positive and negative outcomes from those
technological advances, providing examples to clarify over your analysis.
Day 1
Discuss the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Union and Confederate Army using PowerPoint.
Task Engagement:
-list five facts you know about the Civil War
-list three specific fighting strategies or weapons used in the Civil War
Task Analysis:
-In your own words, what are important features to successful military campaigns?
Day 2
Continue with PowerPoint discussion through uniforms
Show the beginning of America Story of Us: Civil War (10-15 min)
Student Task:
Choose 2 of 3 articles on advancements in the Civil War.
List advancements and impacts they had on the war while reading in your own note packet.
Articles:
Technology and Causalities in the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg (www.civilwar.org )
How Technology Shaped the Civil War by James Marten
Five Innovations form the Civil War by Ben Judy
Day 3
Discussed Goals of North and South at the beginning of the war, life as a prisoner
Showed a clip from the movie Andersonville
Student Task:
Students will be placed into groups to discuss the different articles they read yesterday in class. They will form a “T”
chart with Civil War on one side and Modern Weapons on the other side. Then students will compare and contrast how
weapons in Civil War helped to change the way wars are fought today.
Day 4
Read the article: “Was the American Civil War the First Modern War?”
Student Task:
Read the article and take notes to justify your answer to the above question.
Day 5
Discuss Ft. Sumter, Battle of Bull Run, and Battle of Antietam
Show Ft. Sumter Photo story
Student Task:
Give a map of the United States from 1861 showing how states were divided between the North and South. Have
students plot a strategy for the North and South on how they could use land and geographical features along with the
weapons to defeat the opposing side.
Day 6
Discuss Vicksburg and Emancipation Proclamation
Show America Story Us: Civil War (10-15 min)
Student Task:
Give a map of the United States from 1861 showing how states were divided between the North and South. Have
students plot a strategy for the North and South on how they could use land and geographical features along with the
weapons to defeat the opposing side.
Day 7
Discuss the ironclad battle of Monitor vs. Merrimac.
Show America Story Us: Civil War (10-15 min)
Student Task:
Read article from the book, A History of Us: “The War at Sea” pgs. 94-96
Answer the following question: How did ironclad ships revolutionize naval warfare?
Day 8
Discuss the Battle of Gettysburg.
Student Task:
Students will analyze current pictures from the Gettysburg battlefield and maps from the three days of fighting. As a
group, students will determine the best course of action for the Confederate and Union armies for July 3rd. Should
either side be in the attack mode, defense mode, or retreat mode? Explain your answer.
Article Resources:
A History of US: “The War at Sea”
Five Innovations from the Civil War by Ben Judy
How Technology Shaped the Civil War by James Marten
Technology and Causalities in the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg from www.civilwar.org
Was the American Civil War the First Modern War? By A.D. Harvey