Students examine the causes of the American Civil War — above all the deep conflict over slavery — and the war that tore the nation apart, ending slavery but at a staggering cost of life. Handled with the seriousness the subject demands.
Students will be able to…
How did the United States descend into a war against itself that killed more Americans than any other — and what was that war ultimately about?
Project this and sort each fact into the Union (North) or the Confederacy (South). See what divided the nation.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
How could a nation end up at war with itself?
Students investigate.
Students analyze.
Students conclude.
Students take action.
Aligned to the C3 Framework for Social Studies (Grades 9–12) and Common Core literacy in history/social studies.
Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.
Distinguish between long-term causes and triggering events.
Analyze how people use and challenge laws to address problems.
Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same events.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students read the Gettysburg Address and analyze how Lincoln redefined the war’s purpose in just a few lines. A printable primary-source sheet is in the Social Studies library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.