Standards AddressedStandard 2B: The students understand the social experiences of the war on the battlefield. Show
Grades 7-12: Compare the motives for fighting and the daily life experiences of the Confederate soldiers, the Union soldiers and African-American soldiers of both sides. (Examining Historical Perspectives) ObjectivesWhen finished with this lesson, students should be able to:
Lesson AbstractThis lesson deals with the ways soldiers affected and were affected by the American Civil War. Lesson Length1-2 Class Periods (more if utilizing "The Red Badge of Courage" or Soldier diaries) ResourcesPrimary Resources1. Lyrics and streaming audio (coming soon) of Stephen Foster songs written from a soldier’s point of view or dealing with conscription (focus on the Union)
2. Lyrics and Melodies of other soldier-related songs from the Civil War from Civilwarpoetry.org (focus on Southern troops)
3. Diaries of Soldiers who fought in the war
4. Fictional works of value to be used in the classroom
Secondary Resources
Background InformationDuring the four years of civil war between the Northern and Southern United States, over 3 million American men served on both sides of the war. By its end, 620,000 Americans were killed and another 425,000 were wounded. The soldiers who fought in the Civil War had many different reasons for fighting: some believed it was their duty to their country; others saw it as an opportunity for adventure or to build a new life for themselves; still others were forced to go due to the institution of a military draft, or conscription, in the Union states in 1863. For Southern soldiers, the war was heavily romanticized. Plantation owners and other local gentry were among the first to volunteer for the “gentlemen’s war,” believing the conflict would last no more than a few months. Many Southern writers compared the Confederates’ cause to that of the patriots of the revolutionary generation, comparing the measures the North took against slavery to oppressive measures the British took against the American colonies. Northern writers also called upon the legacy of 1776 to urge their own troops to fight. They encouraged young men to volunteer and fight in order to preserve the Union their grandfathers had helped to build. Very few white soldiers specifically served in the Union Army to fight slavery. Saving the Union was their first priority. Conscription was also used in the North but proved to be highly unpopular after the lower classes discovered that there was a clause that allowed draftees to pay $300 to avoid having to serve. The controversy spilled out into draft riots in the city of New York, where as many as 200 people were killed by American and Irish rioters. Of course, conscription also gave the Union Army a huge, 2-to-1 advantage over their Confederate counterparts. African-Americans, for their part, served on both sides of the conflict. In the Union Army, over 180,000 African-Americans saw combat, while between 60,000-90,000 African-Americans served in the Confederate Army, mostly as cooks, musicians, or hospital attendants. African-Americans saw an opportunity to fight to prove they were worthy of freedom, and the so-called “colored brigades” became some of the most feared units in the Union Army. Daily life in either army was tough. Armies camped where they could, and were often ill-equipped, poorly fed, clothed, and trained. It was up to the officers of the army to keep morale up, which they did in a variety of ways; organizing trips to nearby towns, sing-alongs, Sunday religious services, and sporting events, including baseball games. Then, of course, there were the battles. Battles were marked by confusion; it was difficult to see most of the time, due to the smoke from rifles, and often armies would charge right into one another. Many soldiers were shocked that this “gentlemen’s war” was much more vicious and bloody than they ever imagined! Ultimately, the soldiers’ goals were simple: survive long enough to complete your term of service and return home. The fact that so many didn’t was an American tragedy. Suggestions for Using the Streaming Audio and LyricsHave the students listen to some (or all) of the songs listed in the Primary Resources section. Ask them to consider the following questions as they listen to the songs and read the lyrics. About the Tone
About the Words
About the Songs
Suggested Points for Discussion
Suggested Classroom Activities/Assignments
Suggestions for using Red Badge of Courage, Glory, and Soldier Diaries
Assignment Suggestions for Music
What were the effects of the draft riots?Aftermath and Legacy
In addition to the death toll, the riots had caused millions of dollars in property damage and made some 3,000 of the city's Black residents homeless. The New York Draft Riots remain the deadliest riots in U.S. history, even worse than the 1992 Los Angeles Riots and the 1967 Detroit Riots.
What caused Draft Riots?The rioters were overwhelmingly Irish working-class men who did not want to fight in the Civil War and resented that wealthier men, who could afford to pay a $300 (equivalent to $6,600 in 2021 though a typical laborer's wage was between $1.00 and $2.00 a day in 1863) commutation fee to hire a substitute, were spared ...
What did Lincoln do during the draft riots?The New York City Draft Riots of 1863. In September of 1862, President Abraham Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation, which would take effect January 1, 1863, and free slaves in those states or regions still in rebellion against the Union.
What was the result of opposition to the draft during the war?The worst came when opposition to conscription led to the New York City Draft Riots. The situation in New York made the city a tinderbox of tension that summer. Divided along ethnic and racial lines, New Yorkers were also stratified by social class and religion.
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