Alabama Social Studies SS24.US1.12a
The Standard
- SS24.US1.12
- Explain the progression of the Civil War, analyzing the events and the decisions by key figures that led to United States victory and the abolition of slavery.
Compare the military strategy, leadership, and resources of the United States and the Confederate States of America, and evaluate how these factors shaped the outcomes of key battles.
2024 Alabama Course of Study: Social Studies
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students compare each side's war plans, commanders, troops, railroads, and supplies. They use those differences to explain what happened at battles such as Gettysburg and Vicksburg.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can use a map to explain how Meade's position helped the Union hold Gettysburg and why Lee's July 3 assault failed. They can connect Grant's siege and Confederate food shortages to Vicksburg's surrender.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may assume the Union won every battle because it had more soldiers and factories. Some think Lee led every Confederate force, including the troops at Vicksburg, which Pemberton commanded.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Using a Gettysburg terrain map and a short account of Pickett's Charge, name one decision by each commander and explain how each affected the outcome.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Use a printed Gettysburg map and colored counters to place troops on July 3, then have pairs trace the route of Pickett's Charge.
Ask: How did Meade's position and Lee's attack shape the outcome at Gettysburg? Support your answer with two facts from a battle summary.
Give groups four cards: Union high ground, Lee's assault, Grant's siege, Confederate food shortages. Have them match each card to Gettysburg or Vicksburg.
On a local road map, plan two truck routes to a grocery store; block one route and compare the result with the Union blockade.
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Related Standards
- SS24.4.14
Evaluate how key figures contributed to events that shaped the United States’ victory in the Civil War.
- SS24.US1.1d
Evaluate the contributions of colonial leaders, including George Washington; military strategy; and the support of foreign nations to significant victories in t...
- SS24.4.14b
Locate and describe the impact of significant Civil War battles, including those affecting Alabama, and identify the location of Confederate states, states rema...
- SS24.US1.12d
Summarize the effects of technological and scientific advancements of the mid-1800s on the strategy, battlefield tactics, and consequences of the Civil War.
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