|
|
|
|
Part I |
|
|
| The objective of this activity is
to have students answer the question, "Why did the North win the
Civil War?" To accomplish that end, students will be asked to
examine thirty-four illustrations from Harper’s Weekly. Each
illustration represents one factor that accounted for the ultimate
success of the Union effort to destroy the Confederacy. To effectively
complete this assignment, students will have to read closely the pages
you have assigned on the Civil War, whether in textbooks or in
additional readings. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Because of the power of the Nast
cartoons (see attached), I recommend that you begin with the end of
the war. The cartoon is dated May 20, 1865 and in biblical terms
describes Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Ulysses S. Grant. Thomas Nast’s
bias is so palpable that using it with students to introduce this
activity should anger some and energize all. It will give you the
opportunity to show students how to interpret a cartoon or
illustration and how to examine every corner for information and bias.
Like it or not, at the end of the analysis of Nast’s cartoon his
answer to the question, "Why did the North win the Civil
War?" is God was on their side. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Of course, scholars insist that
the Civil War was won by the North because of far more complex
factors. What those factors were and what the relative importance of
each was can be argued by your students based on the illustrations
provided below and their additional reading. To ensure that your
charges understand their obligations, I recommend that you analyze one
more cartoon entitled, "A Short Blanket," (see December 14,
1861) with your class. That document suggests the difficulty
the Confederacy would have in defending all of its territories due to
a lack of manpower. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Next, inform your class that in
groups of _____ they will be asked to report to the class about other
factors explaining the victory of the North in the Civil War. Some of
the groups will have a set of cartoons which focus on only one factor;
some groups will have cartoons which suggest a series of explanations
for the North’s victory. Inform your class also that following the
presentations by the different groups, each student will be asked to
write a paper of ______ words using the presentations and the two
cartoons analyzed as a class to evaluate the relative importance of
the various factors in the North’s victory in the Civil War. (Note:
I have identified below the subject of each illustration assigned to
the different groups. Doing so is for the benefit of the teacher. I
would not provide the titles of the illustrations to your students.) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This site is
brought to you by…
Website and all Content © 1998-1999 HarpWeek, LLC
Please report problems to webmaster@harpweek.com |
|
