Texas TEKS 8.8.A

Social Studies8th GradeHistory

The Standard

explain the roles played by significant individuals during the Civil War, including Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and Abraham Lincoln, and heroes such as congressional Medal of Honor recipients William Carney and Philip Bazaar

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do

Students identify each person’s position, side, and major actions during the Civil War. They explain how those actions shaped leadership, military events, or public recognition.

What Mastery Looks Like

Students accurately distinguish political leaders from military commanders and identify which side each served. They explain why Carney and Bazaar received the Medal of Honor using specific evidence.

Common Misconceptions

Students often confuse Davis with Lee and Lincoln with Grant. They may assume Carney and Bazaar were generals, or miss that Bazaar served in the Navy.

How to Assess It

Use an exit ticket with all six names. Ask students to list each person’s role, side, and one action or achievement that explains their significance.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

  1. Students sort name, role, side, action, and image cards into six accurate person profiles.

  2. Ask students to write which leader had the greatest effect on the war, using evidence from two specific actions.

  3. Play a clue game where teams identify a person from three facts, then explain which clue was most useful.

  4. Read excerpts from Carney’s, Bazaar’s, and a recent Medal of Honor citation, then compare the actions and qualities recognized.

Keep exploring

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