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Women of the Civil War: She Fights for Liberation and Freedom
Overarching Theme: Fighting for Our Liberation and Freedom
Overview
Along with African American men, African American women volunteered to serve
the United Sates during times of war. During the Civil War African American women
assumed roles as abolitionists, teachers, nurses, cooks, laundresses,
seamstresses, scouts, spies and even soldiers. In these roles, African American
women (both enslaved and free) took up the fight for liberty and freedom. In this
skills-based lesson module that is aligned to the Common Core State Standards
(CCSS) and supports literacy development, students will analyze a variety of
informational texts to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of African
American women who participated in the Civil War. They will also conduct research
on six significant African American women who risked their lives to see the
American ideals of liberty and freedom come to fruition: Charlotte Forten Grimke
(abolitionist/teacher), Mary Elizabeth Bowser (spy), Mary Touvestre (spy), Harriet
Tubman (nurse, scout, and spy), Susie King Taylor (nurse), and Cathey Williams
(soldier).
Content Focus
African American people have always challenged and fought for the American
ideals of freedom and justice.
Lesson Understanding
Students will understand that African American women played major and varied
roles in pursuing liberation and freedom for all during the Civil War.
Instructional Resources
Sources/Additional Resources
Women in the Civil War
History.com http://www.history.com/topics/women-in-the-civil-war
Charlotte Forten Grimke (abolitionist/teacher)
PBS: http://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/charlotte.html
Women in History: Living Vignettes of Notable Women from US History:
http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/grim-cha.htm
University of Minnesota:
http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/grimkeCharlotte.php
Pennsylvania State University:
https://secureapps.libraries.psu.edu/PACFTB/bios/biography.cfm?AuthorID=1
54
Biography.com: http://www.biography.com/people/charlotte-forten-11384
Mary Elizabeth Bowser (spy)
Central Intelligence Agency: http://www.fas.org/irp/cia/product/civilwar.pdf
(see pp. 2629)
NBC News: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43461045/ns/us_news-life/t/slavesfreedmen-civil-wars-forgotten-spies/#.UbZ2keDPXG4
Smithsonian: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/WomenSpies-of-the-Civil-War.html?c=y&page=3&navigation=thumb#IMAGES
Lakewood Public Library: http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/bows-mar.htm
Ohio State University:
http://ehistory.osu.edu/USCW/features/people/peopleviewmore.cfm?PID=86&end=315&ScriptToCall=bio.cfm
Lesson Plan
Women of the Civil War: She Fights for Liberty and Freedom
Grade Level(s)
Common Core
Learning
Standards
Lesson Goals
Materials/Resour
ces
Interdisciplinary
Connections
Art: Students will analyze one of two works of art that are part of the DuSable
Museum of African American Historys Civil War collection and create a photo
essay based on the topic.
Learning Plan
1. Hook: Using an LCD projector, show the picture of a modern-day African
American female soldier (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/yAdrLGtfelI/UQGHV3YiE6I/AAAAAAAANaU/Y9p5NwaTWuE/s640/041912politics-ptsd-female-soldier-2.jpg) on a screen or whiteboard. Allow a few
minutes for the students to observe the image and respond to the following
questions:
What is your initial impression of the picture?
Based on what you have observed from the picture, list three things
that you might infer about this soldier.
What questions does this picture raise in your mind?
Have students share their responses with an elbow partner (the person
next to them) and call on a few students to share their responses with the
rest of the class.
2. Building Background Knowledge: Share with students that they are
going to learn about the roles and responsibilities of African American
women who participated in the Civil War as abolitionists, teachers, nurses,
cooks, laundresses, seamstresses, scouts, spies, and even soldiers. Direct
students to read the background essay Women in the Civil War
(http://www.history.com/topics/women-in-the-civil-war), and respond to the
following questions:
Why would women want to participate in the Civil War?
What were some of the roles and responsibilities that women had in
To wrap up this activity, call on a few students to share their words and
phrases with the rest of the class.
Assessment
Extensions
(Homework and
Projects)
Extended Learning Activity: For this extended learning activity, students will
research six African American women who participated in the Civil War (Charlotte
Forten Grimke, abolitionist and teacher; Mary Elizabeth Bowser, spy; Mary
Touvestre, spy; Harriet Tubman, nurse, scout, and spy; Susie King Taylor, nurse;
and Cathey Williams, soldier) and create an electronic photo essay (using
PowerPoint) that reflects their understanding of the roles and responsibilities of
African American women who participated in the Civil War. The photo essay
should consist of a series of photos with captions arranged to tell how these
women (in their various roles) fought for the American ideals of liberty and
freedom for all. To learn more about how to do a photo essay, go to the following
link: http://content.bandzoogle.com/users/JeffNicholson/files/U03_S14_Media.pdf
Divide the class into six groups and assign each group a woman to
research. Have the groups conduct research using the web links in the
Sources/Additional Resources section of this lesson module. Direct
students to record their information on the summarizing graphic organizer.
(For a printable version of the summarizing graphic organizer, go to
http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/vocabulary/pdf/sr_allgo.
pdf). Have students locate appropriate pictures for the topic online and use
those images in their photo essay.
Allow time for each group to present its photo essay to the rest of the class.