[Detail] Brady's photo outfit in front of Petersburg, Va
Lesson 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.
Standards
Time Required
- Two weeks
Recommended Grade Level
- 6-8
- 9-12
Topics
- Photographs, Prints and Posters
- Civil War
Era
- Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877
Credits
Amy Donnelly and Elizabeth Ridgway
