Brady's photo outfit in front of Petersburg, Va 
About this image
Overview
The Civil War was the first American war thoroughly caught on film. Mathew Brady and his crew of photographers captured many images of this divisive war, ranging from portraits to battle scenes. These photographs--over 1,000--are in Selected Civil War Photographs 1861-1865 in American Memory.
Students become reporters, assigned to sort through these photographs and find one that will bring the war alive to their readers. They write a newspaper article based on their chosen photograph and publish it on the World Wide Web.
Objectives
After completing this unit students will be able to:
- Analyze photographs as primary sources.
- Navigate the Selected Civil War Photographs 1861-1865 site.
- Describe particular events of the Civil War in specific detail.
Time Required
Seven class periods, plus several days to type, revise, and publish article (can do concurrently with other activities and in conjunction with English class)
Recommended Grade Level
Seventh grade; adaptable for high school
Topic
War, Military
Era
Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877
Standards
Credits
Amy Donnelly and Elizabeth Ridgway, Arlington County Public Schools, VA
American Memory Fellows, 1998
Last Updated: 10/22/2007