The Civil War

After more than 150 years, there is still a debate about the cause of The Civil War. Did it start because of slavery or because of state’s rights? After studying the subject, gifted students might choose sides of the controversy and defend their opinions.

There are some excellent websites to consult when studying the Civil War.

• Civil War Trust: Saving America’s Civil War Battlefields—This site includes maps, apps for your smartphone, resources for teachers and students, and Civil War blogs.
• The Civil War: 150 Years (Part of the National Park Service website)—Includes upcoming events, information on more than 70 parks in the National Park System that have resources related to the history of the Civil War, a database of those who served in the war, news stories from the time, and the history of African Americans in the war.
• North Carolina Civil War Sesquicentennial—This site has adopted three themes—freedom, sacrifice, and memory— which are explored across all aspects of the war.
• Civil War 150 (from The History Channel)—Offers an interactive experience that provides interesting information about who fought in the Civil War, weapons that were used, how people died, the five deadliest battles, paying for the war, West Point warriors, and other topics too numerous to list.
• Civil War Battlefield Medicine—General medicine, surgery, and primary sources.
• Pictures of the Civil War (from the National Archives)—Photographs of civilians and civilian activities; military personnel, equipment, and activities; and the locations and aftermaths of battles. Because wet-plate collodion negatives required from 5 to 20 seconds exposure, there are no action photographs of the war.
• Civil War Photos—Over 1,200 Civil War images. Also included are numerous documents and maps.
• Selected Civil War Photographs (from the Library of Congress)—1,118 photographs of military personnel, preparations for battle, and battle after-effects.