The lesson plan aims to teach elementary students about the events leading up to the Civil War over 55 minutes. Students will create a timeline of key events from Lincoln's election to the First Battle of Manassas. They will label a map of the U.S. in 1860 to identify Union, Confederate, and border states. Finally, students will read and summarize excerpts from Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis's inaugural addresses discussing their views on the impending war.

1. GOAL 2 | LESSON PLAN | ELEMENTARY
1861: The Country Goes to War
GRADES: Elementary
APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF TIME: 55 minutes
GOAL: Students will be able to describe the state of the nation and sequence the first events of
the Civil War.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will be able to create a timeline of events from the election of Lincoln to the
First Battle of Manassas.
2. Students will be able to complete a map identifying the Southern states, Northern states,
and border states.
3. Students will be able to read and summarize portions of Abraham Lincoln’s and
Jefferson Davis’s first inaugural addresses.
MATERIALS:
1. The Country Goes to War PowerPoint
2. Timeline Activity Sheet
3. Blank Map of the U.S. in 1860
4. Labeled Map of U.S. in 1860 (for teacher use)
5. Presidential Inaugural Addresses
6. Exit Passes
PROCEDURE:
Print out the PowerPoint with notes prior to class. There are notes included with the slides that
can be on the printed slides, but won’t be seen by your students during the presentation.
Activity 1
1. Using The Country Goes to War PowerPoint, review events leading up to the
bombardment of Fort Sumter.
The Civil War Curriculum | Elementary Civilwar.org/curriculum

2. The Civil War Curriculum, Goal 2 1861: The Country Goes to War
2. Have students complete the Timeline Activity Sheet, filling in events as they appear in
the PowerPoint.
Activity 2
1. Using the Blank Map of the U.S. in 1860, create an overhead or project the blank map
for classroom viewing.
2. Hand out the Blank Map of U.S. in 1860.
3. As a group, color the Union states blue, the Confederate states grey, and the border
states green.
4. Draw in or highlight major physical features such as the Mississippi River and the
Appalachian Mountain Range.
Activity 3
1. Hand out the Presidential Inaugural Addresses to each student.
2. Read through the excerpts as a class.
3. Go over the questions as a group, and have students answer independently or as a
group.
CLOSURE:
1. On an Exit Pass, have students write how they think citizens felt as the country
approached going to war.
ASSESSMENT IN THIS LESSON:
1. A completed timeline of the events leading up to the Civil War.
2. The presidential inaugural addresses have been read and summarized and the related
questions are answered.
3. An Exit Pass discussing how citizens felt about the approaching war has been
completed.
The Civil War Curriculum | Elementary Civilwar.org/curriculum

3. The Civil War Curriculum, Goal 2 Name: _________________
1861: The Country Goes To War Date: _________________
Timeline Activity Sheet
Cut out the pictures and text. Then glue the pictures and text in the correct order
on the timeline of events leading up to the Civil War.
South Carolina secedes
Lincoln elected president of the United States
Shots fired at Fort Sumter
Shots fired at the Star of the West
Jefferson Davis chosen as president of the Confederate States of
America
The Confederate Constitution is approved
The Civil War Curriculum | Elementary Civilwar.org/curriculum

4. The Civil War Curriculum, Goal 2 1861: The Country Goes to War
The Civil War Curriculum | Elementary Civilwar.org/curriculum

5. T
The Civil War C
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1
1861: The Counntry Goes To W
War Da _________
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Pre
esidentia
al
Inaugur Addr esses
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E
Excerpt fr
rom the Innaugural Address
A Exccerpt from the Inau
m ugural Adddress
o Abraha Lincoln Preside of the
of am n, ent of J
Jefferson Davis, President of the
f
U
United Staates of Am
merica Connfederate States of America
I your han
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countrymen and not in mine, is the
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ave the at
m
momentous issue of civil war. The
s e begi
inning of ou career as a Confede
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G
Governmen will not assail you. You can
nt a Y may not be obs
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h
have no con
nflict withou being yourselves
ut to o enjoyme of the se
our ent eparate existence
t aggresso You ha no oath registered
the ors. ave and independe
d ence which we have as
sserted,
i heaven to destroy th Governm
in o he ment, while and with the b
d, blessing of P
Providence intend
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I shall have the most solemn one to to m
maintain. O present condition,
Our
"
"preserve, protect, and defend it."
p d " achi
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manner unp
precedented in the
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hist
tory of natio
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idea that gover
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st e
con sent of the governed, a that it is the
and
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ht ople to alter or abolish
r h
gove
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whenever th become
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The Civil War C
Curriculum | Ele
ementary Civilwar.org/curriculum

6. T
The Civil War C
Curriculum, Go
oal 2 Nam _________
me: _________
1
1861: The Counntry Goes To W
War Da _________
ate: _________
1. The war has not yet star
e n rted when both of the men sp
b ese peak. Do y think p
you people
are aware that a war is co
a t oming?
____
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2. Wha do both men seem to want? Peace or W
at m War?
____
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The Civil War C
Curriculum | Ele
ementary Civilwar.org/curriculum

7. The Civil W
1861: The
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Goal 2
e Country Goes to W
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1860 US Ma Work
6 ap ksheet Namee: ______________
Date
____
e: ______________
____
The Civil W
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Elementary School ulum
Civilwar.org/curricu

8. The Civil W
War Curriculum, G
Goal 2 Namee: ______________
____
1861: Thee Country Goes to W
War Date
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____
1860 Labeled US Map Worksh
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The Civil W
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Civilwar.org/curricu

9. The Civil War Curriculum, Goal 2 Name: _________________
1861: The Country Goes To War Date: _________________
Exit Pass
How did many citizens feel How did many citizens feel
as the war was about to as the war was about to
begin? begin?
How did many citizens feel How did many citizens
as the war was about to feelas the war was about to
begin? begin?
The Civil War Curriculum | Elementary Civilwar.org/curriculum