The Civil War: the sides, the turning points and the Emancipation Proclamation
Grade 8 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Use this
Card A (November 19, 1863): "The Gettysburg Address". Who made it: President Abraham Lincoln. For whom: the crowd at the new soldiers' cemetery, and the nation. Why: to honor those who gave their lives and to say what the war was for. Excerpt (as printed in 1900 and 1922; the surviving copies differ slightly, so only shared words are quoted): "...a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. ... government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." What it changed for people: It tied the Union cause to the founding idea that all men are created equal. How far can I trust it? For: Lincoln's own words, printed again and again. Against: It is a short speech meant to inspire; the copies differ slightly. Card B (today): "From Union to nation". Who made it: James McPherson, a Princeton University historian, for the National Park Service. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain how the war changed the country. Summary in our words, not a quotation: In his first message to Congress in July 1861, Lincoln used the word Union 49 times and nation only 3 times. In the Gettysburg Address he used nation 5 times and Union not at all. By 1863 or 1864, ending slavery had become a Northern war aim. What it changed for people: Americans began to speak of one nation instead of a union of states. How far can I trust it? For: A leading historian counted Lincoln's own words. Against: Word counts show how Lincoln spoke, not what every American believed. Card C (April 9, 1865): "Surrender at Appomattox". Who made it: historians at the National Park Service. For whom: visitors and readers. Why: to explain the end of the war. Summary in our words, not a quotation: The Army of Northern Virginia surrendered at the McLean House in Appomattox Court House, Virginia. This signaled the effective end of the war. What it changed for people: The fighting ended, and the Union was kept whole. How far can I trust it? For: The surrender is well recorded. Against: Other Confederate forces surrendered later, so one date simplifies the end. Below the strip: The 13th Amendment, passed by Congress in January 1865, would end slavery in the whole nation once the states ratified it.
In card A's lines, to what was the new nation dedicated, Ari asks?
- The idea that all men are created equal
- A new capital city
- The rule of one king
- The Union's victory at Vicksburg in July 1863
In card A's second line, what must not perish, Bo asks?
Use the picture in question 1.
- The Confederate government
- Slavery in the border states of the Union
- The army at Gettysburg
- Government of, by and for the people
By card B, which word did Lincoln use more at Gettysburg, Esme asks?
Use the picture in question 1.
- Territory
- Confederacy
- Nation
- Union
By card B, how many more times did Lincoln say Union than nation in 1861, Jun asks?
Use the picture in question 1.
- 49 times
- 52 times
- 56 times
- 46 times
Why does card B's count matter, Kira asks?
Use the picture in question 1.
- It shows each American agreed with Lincoln
- It shows how the war's purpose grew
- It shows Lincoln stopped speaking
- It counts lives lost at Gettysburg
By card A's trust line, why are only shared words quoted, Milo asks?
Use the picture in question 1.
- Lincoln gave it in another language
- The surviving copies differ slightly
- It was first printed in 1922
- The speech was not written down by anyone
Which card best shows how the war ended, Noah asks?
Use the picture in question 1.
- Card C, on Appomattox
- Card B, the word count
- No card shows it
- Card A, the Gettysburg Address
A note says, 'Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg before the battle there.' What fix does Ren make?
Use the picture in question 1.
- Keep it; the note is right
- He spoke in November, after the July battle
- Change Gettysburg to Vicksburg
- Change Lincoln to Davis
Which claim uses cards A and B carefully, Tala asks?
Use the picture in question 1.
- Card B was written by Lincoln
- Lincoln did not use the word Union in 1861
- Lincoln wanted to keep slavery after 1863
- Lincoln came to speak of one nation and of freedom
Which claim about card C is careful, Zee asks?
Use the picture in question 1.
- Appomattox signaled the end, though others surrendered later
- The war ended on April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre
- Each Confederate army surrendered that same day
- Appomattox was a Union defeat
