|
|
Life Before the Civil War
Introduction:
In the decade-and-a-half prior to the Civil War, the United States saw dramatic
changes in industrialization in the North, and a rapid increase in transportation
(rail and steamship) all over the country. It was also a time when the country
was absorbing new territorial acquisitions, and lifestyle differences and attitudes
between North and South were becoming more pronounced.
Students interested in extending the comparison between North and South can
compare the Northern community of Franklin, Pa., and the Southern community
of Augusta, Va., by exploring the documents in the Valley
of the Shadow. Both communities were in the greater Shenandoah Valley, yet
had pronounced differences as well as some similarities.
Student Activities:
Compare two wills:
Compare newspaper articles from the two communities:
- Entrepreneurship: New businesses
are developing and many items formerly made at home are now imported from
other states and sold in stores.
- "New
Enterprise," Augusta County, Va., September 16, 1859, p. 2, c. 1
"Messrs. Sicher have opened a new store exclusively for ladies in Staunton.
This will allow women, who may now, without being exposed to prying masculine
eyes, purchase numberless little unmentionable 'fixins,' which they are
shy of calling for at a counter beset with the horrid men." This story
reflects female purchasing power if not female liberation.
- "Ladies'
Oyster Saloon," Franklin County, Pa., November 30, 1859, p. 5, c.
2
"Mrs. Susan Seibert has opened up an Oyster Saloon for ladies, directly
opposite the courthouse." This story reflects female purchasing power
if not female liberation.
- "Gone
Again," Franklin County, Pa., May 9, 1860, p. 5, c. 2
Advertisement: "J. L. Deehert, the Hat man, has gone to New York to lay
in a stock of Straw Hats, &c., for Summer wear. Look out for a splendid
assortment, in a few days." New York is regarded as the source of goods
unobtainable locally.
- New Technologies Arrive
- "Lighting
Up the Town," Augusta County, Va., July 22, 1859, p. 2, c. 2
Gas is being introduced to light the city streets.
- "First
of the Season," Augusta County, Va., May 11, 1860, p. 2, c. 6
The proprietor of the American Hotel was able to get fresh strawberries
for his guests. This delicacy will become more common at Staunton hotels
now that they can be transported from Richmond in only eight hours. The
continuing proliferation of trains is revolutionizing commerce and travel.
Richmond is regarded as the source of goods unobtainable locally.
- "Franklin
Railroad," Franklin County, Pa., November 30, 1859, p. 5, c. 1
Train lines are being built in the Northern countryside.
Students interested in learning more about how people
made a living in 1860 can analyze the following images (all are available through
the EDSITEment resource American
Memory). If desired, search by title to locate a lower resolution image
for each.
Students interested in finding out what people did for fun
in the 1850's might be interested in the documents in the following list:
- Baseball and Chess:
- Card Collecting:
- Hunting:
- Pheasant
shooting
(Note: The creator of this image was David Strother, also known as Porte-Crayon,
an illustrator for Harper's Weekly. During the 1850s, he traveled throughout
the Shenandoah Valley, and described his journey in Virginia illustrated:
containing a visit to the Virginian Canaan, and the adventures of Porte
Crayon and his cousins. Strother's drawings are very much in the "local
color" vein -- stock characters associated with a locale -- but they are
still interesting representations.
- Quilting:
- Toys:
- Music: Song sheets were the CDs of
the day. Middle class families aspired to have a piano in the parlor. For
entertainment, evenings would be spent around the piano, singing the latest
hits. What songs do your students listen to? What subjects do they cover?
Can students identify contemporary songs with themes similar the following?
(Note: Unless otherwise indicated, the following song sheets are available
through the EDSITEment resource American
Memory in the collection America
Singing: Nineteenth Century Song Sheets. To find individual song sheets,
use the search or browse functions to locate them by title. In many cases,
the cover of the song sheet will be sufficient for communicating its theme.)
- Love:
- Premature Death:
- "Orrin
D. Vaughn", a song sheet epitaph of a young man killed on the Hartford
Railroad.
- Gang Fights:
- Contemporary Events:
- Theme: About a new technology
Assessment:
To culminate this unit, ask students to demonstrate their
knowledge of important technological innovations and social trends before the Civil War, and how they affected daily life in both the North and South. Students with sufficient access to technology can search
for additional documents in the EDSITEment approved resources listed below.
Here are some examples of activities that students may wish to undertake to
express what they have learned through this unit (specific project ideas should
always be pre-approved by the teacher):
- Set up a timeline display of the meaningful documents
studied in the unit, with appropriate captions.
- Create a piece of historical fiction set in the 1850s.
For example, students could write letters or journal entries in the voice
of someone living during the period before the Civil War, describing their reactions to changes brought on by technological progress and new customs, books (such as Uncle Tom's Cabin), and songs.
- Write and perform skits based on the effects progress had on people's lives.
- Develop dramatic readings of related documents, such as Lighting Up the Town, or The Difficulties in Charleston.
Selected EDSITEment Websites
Standards Alignment
View your state’s standards
|
