Lesson Resources
Scope and Depth of Topic Georgia Performance Standard for 5th Grade Social Studies SS5H1
This Pathfinder contains resources to aid in the teaching and learning the Grade 5 Social Studies standard SS5H1 as it relates to the causes of the Civil War in America. The main standard refers to major events and consequences which are addressed in elements c, d, and e of the standard. While the content of the listed resources may address other elements of the standard, these resources were selected for their coverage of elements a and b. This Pathfinder is not intended to address the major battles and campaigns, the roles of specific individuals other than those referred to in elements a and b, or the effects of war.
Target Audience
This Pathfinder is designed to be used by 5th graders in Georgia who are learning about the causes leading up to the Civil War. Through the sources included, students will learn how the publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin and John Brown's failed raid on Harper's Ferry increased tensions between the states in the North and the states in the South. The information reveals how the social issue of slavery and political issue of states' rights had already begun to divide the country. A variety of formats have been included to accommodate different learning styles.
Directions for Using this Pathfinder
This pathfinder is presented in the format of a Weebly. Students can access these resources from any networked computer. Use the navigation menu located on the top of each page to access desired materials.
Key Words for Use with OPAC
Abolitionist Brown, John Causes, Civil War Harpers Ferry Lincoln, Abraham
Slavery States' rights Stowe, Harriet Beecher Uncle Tom's Cabin
United States - History - Civil War, 1861-1865
Dewey Decimal Call Numbers
900 - History and Geography
920 - Biographies
973 - General history of North America - United States
973.7 - Civil War, War between the States
Annotated List of Resources
Andrews, W. L. (2004). North American Slave Narratives. Retrieved from http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/biblintro.html
This is an introduction to the Scholarly Bibliography of Slave and Ex-Slave Narratives by Professor William L.
Andrews, the series editor of the DocSouth collection. This bibliography provides a list of citations of known North American slave narratives. There are three basic types of slave narratives provided: autobiographical, biographical, and fictionalized.
B. H. Richardson. (1860). Correspondence relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859 [Letters and
telegraphic dispatches relating to the Harper’s Ferry affair]. Annapolis, MD: Author. Retrieved from http://archive.org/stream
/correspinsurrecti1860mult#page/n1/mode/2up
This primary document contains copies of actual telegrams relating to the raid on Harpers Ferry, including correspondence between the President of the United States, the Governor of Virginia, military officials and train company officials. Initial telegrams from Harper’s Ferry were thought to have been exaggerated. Many telegrams related to the transportation of military troops. Actual reading may be difficult for students to comprehend; however, projection of the document and reading aloud some of the telegrams can provide some insight to the time period and to 19th century life. Josiah Perham, like a 19th century “travel agent,” attempted to arrange transportation with a reduced fare for a group of passengers to witness the hanging of John Brown (pp. 56-58).
Baxter, R. (2011). Why We Fought: The Northern Home Front of the Civil War. Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann Library.
This children’s book includes information on the Civil War from the Northern perspective. It includes sections that explain why the north chose to fight in the Civil War and why the south seceded.
Baxter, R. (2011). Why We Fought: The Southern Home Front of the Civil War. Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann Library.
This book has the same author and format as the Northern edition, but it is written from the southern perspective. The book details why the south went to war including the issues of slavery, states’ rights, and the election of Abraham Lincoln to the White House.
Brainpop. (2012). Civil War. Retrieved from http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/freemovies/civilwar/
This short video explains why the South seceded from the Union. The video explains why the country ended up at war as well as the first few events of the war. This video is a free video from Brainpop. There is also a more specific video on the causes of the Civil War, but a username and password are required.
Cartmell, D. (2003). Civil War 101: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the North, the South, the Leaders, the Battles,
and the History. New York: Gramercy Books.
A book of facts and lists of information related to the Civil War. Information such as the cost of war, the female spies, generals, etc.
Catton, B. (1996). The American heritage new history of the Civil War. New York: Viking.
This reference book includes photographs and period artwork. Chapter 1, “A House Divided,” discusses the causes leading up to the Civil War.
Central Design Lab. (June, 2012). American Civil War .com. Retrieved from http://americancivilwar.com/
This site includes quite a bit of information on the Civil War. Most notable is the Civil War People dropdown menu at the top of the page. Under this link are biographies and pictures of many influential people during the Civil War, including Harriett Beecher Stowe, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, etc.
Civil War Maps Collection. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/civil_war_maps/
This collection of Civil War maps brings together materials from the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, the Virginia Historical Society, and the Library of Virginia.
Conklin, W. (2009). Causes of the Civil War: Expanding and Preserving the Union. Teacher
Created Materials. Abolitionist John Brown raises a small army of men in the hopes of starting a slave revolt and leads his men to Harper’s Ferry to take over the United States arsenal. Colonel Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant Jeb Stuart are sent by President Buchanan to put down the uprising. In the end, John Brown is captured, tried, and convicted of treason.
Dolan, E. F. (1997). The American Civil War: a house divided. Brookfield: Millbrook Press.
A 96-page account of the Civil War from its causes to its final battles, including discussions of dominant figures of the era.
Fritz, J. (1994). Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Beecher preachers. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
This 144-page biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe and her family discusses her writing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The book includes a bibliography, subject index, photographs and illustrations, all black and white. The afterword includes a
summary of each of the Beecher children.
Glazer, T. (2011). A treasury of Civil War songs [CD]. Smithsonian Folkways.
CD contains songs from the U.S. Civil War whose lyrics speak of the battles, slavery, emancipation, victory, and defeat. Included are liner notes by historian Patrick and historic photographs.
Glossary of Civil War Terms. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/glossary/glossary.html
A collection of common terms used in the study of the US Civil War.
Harpers Ferry. (2012). In Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.school.eb.com.proxygsu-
spol.galileo.usg.edu/elementary/article?articleId=399966
This brief article tells the history of Harpers Ferry and the raid led by John Brown. Multimedia images, links to other encyclopedia entries, such as slavery, John Brown, and the American Civil War, and links to other magazine and journal articles are included.
The History Channel (Producer). (2011). Civil War journal: The conflict begins [Motion picture].
This video is an account of the days leading up to and during the early days of the Civil War.
The History Channel (Producer). (2011). The story of us: Civil War [Motion picture].
This documentary examines the evolution of Americans' view points and innovations such as the transcontinental railroads, supply lines, and telegrams that became weapons in the Civil War.
January, B. (2000). John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry. New York: Children’s Press.
This book recounts the story of John Brown’s failed rebellion in Harpers Ferry in 1859, intended to start a massive slave uprising in the South and the establishment of a state in the Allegheny Mountains for freed slaves. With 30 pages, the book
includes a glossary, timeline of Brown’s life, brief index, and maps and photographs (mostly black and white).
John P. Jewett & Company. (1853). Pictures and stories from Uncle Tom’s cabin. Boston: Author. Retrieved from
http://fax.libs.uga.edu/PS2954xU52/1f/pictures_stories_from_uncle_toms_cabin.pdf.
“This little work is designed to adapt Mrs. Stowe’s touching narrative to the understanding of the youngest readers and to foster in their hearts a generous sympathy for the wronged Negro race of America.” Adapted from the original story.
Kent, Z. (1988). The story of John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry. Chicago: Childrens Press.
This book describes the causes, events, and aftermath of the raid led by John Brown on the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry. It includes photographs and illustrations, mostly black and white. The publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin is mentioned.
Kentucky Educational Television. (2012). Causes of the Civil War. Retrieved from http://www.ket.org/civilwar/causes.html
This website from Kentucky Education Television (KET) includes three main issues that led to the Civil War as well as links to firsthand sources. The links include a letter from Abraham Lincoln, a speech given by Henry Clay, among others.
Mattern, J. (2007). The big book of the Civil War: Fascinating facts about the Civil War, including historic photographs, maps,
and documents. Philadelphia: Courage Books.
The book is organized to help students understand the social and political issues that led up to the Civil War. It includes maps of Civil War America and major battlefields.
NeoK12. (2011). The Causes of the American Civil War [Video Podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.neok12.com
/php/watch.php?v=zX436a5f537857505a43620a&t=American-Civil-War
This video podcast provides reasons why the South began to succeed from the Union after the election of Abraham Lincoln despite no electoral votes from the Southern states. This podcast also includes quotes from Abraham Lincoln in relation to the issues between the North and South.
Our rights. (1861). [Confederate Broadsides Collection, Wake Forest University]. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10339/271
This poem about states’ rights is written from a Confederate view point. From the Collection item description: “Cuts of mounted trumpeter and dome labelled ‘America’ surrounded by waves, with U.S. flag atop dome between title and subtitle. Printed on white paper with black ink, text within ornamental border.”
Public Broadcasting Service (Producer). (2012). Causes of the Civil War [Video Podcast]. Retrieved from http://video.pbs.org
/video/1479848529/
This short video podcast was created by PBS to explain the causes of the Civil War. It discusses the feelings of the North and South in relation to slavery, the economics of slavery, the election of Abraham Lincoln, and the South seceding the Union. The video also includes pictures from political cartoons, as well as artist’s rendering of Civil War events.
Ray, D. (1990). A nation torn: the story of how the Civil War began. New York: Lodestar. “Young
readers’ history of the Civil War.”
This book describes the events leading to the war and the unforgettable individuals of that era—peacemaker Henry Clay,
Harriet Tubman, and abolitionist John Brown. The 102-page book includes a glossary, bibliography, maps, photographs and illustrations (black and white).
Robertson, J. I. (1992). Civil War!: America becomes one nation. New York: Knopf.
This book examines the causes, major battles, military leaders, and effects of the American Civil War. A glossary, chronology of events, index, maps, photographs and illustrations (black and white) and a bibliography of suggested readings are
also included.
Rosenberg, A. (2011). The Civil War: Profiles. New York: Scholastic Inc.
This book sources collection of biographies of 6 major people during the Civil War. It includes biographies on Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Clara Barton, George McClellan, Robert E. Lee, and Mathew Brady and is written for young readers.
Schlessinger Media (Producer). (1996). Causes of the Civil War [videocassette].
This 36-minute video looks at the roots of the conflict between the industrial North and the agricultural South. The video is in color with black and white segments.
Selected Civil War Photographs. (2000, January 15). Retrieved from http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html
This collection contains 1,118 photographs from the Civil War. Most of the images were made under the supervision of Mathew B. Brady and include scenes of military personnel, preparations for battle, and battle after-effects. The collection also includes portraits of both Confederate and Union officers and a selection of enlisted men.
Songs of the Civil War [CD]. (1991). Sony. Kathy Mattea, Richie Havens, Waylon Jennings, John Hartford, Hoyt Axton, Ronnie
Gilbert and other distinguished artists perform authentic songs from the Civil War period.
States’ rights song. (1861). [Confederate Broadsides Collection, Wake Forest University]. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net
/10339/319
This primary document features a song from the Confederate view point on states’ rights. From the Collection item description: “Printed on white paper with black ink, text within double line border.”
U.S. Government Services Administration’s Federal Citizen Information Center. (2011, January 26). The Civil War at a Glance.
Retrieved from http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/history/a_civilwar.html
This atlas is a collection of information, photographs, maps, dates, and links of the U.S. Civil War.
Wagner, M. E., Gallagher, G. W., & Finkelman, P. (2002). The Library of Congress Civil War desk reference. New York: Simon & Schuster.
This is a large, nearly 1000 pages, desk reference book which takes a closer look at topics regarding the Civil War, such as Antebellum America, wartime politics, battles, the armies, weaponry, the naval war, prisons and POWs, medicine, the
home front, reconstruction, etc.
Westwell, I. (2008). Wars day by day: The Civil War 1861-1865. Redding, Connecticut: Brown Bear Books.
This children’s book provides an account of major events before, during, and after the war. It is written in timeline format and gives a short blurb on each event starting in 1850 with the passing of the Fugitive Slave Law. The book also includes an introduction section that explains some of the issues that led to the war.
This Pathfinder contains resources to aid in the teaching and learning the Grade 5 Social Studies standard SS5H1 as it relates to the causes of the Civil War in America. The main standard refers to major events and consequences which are addressed in elements c, d, and e of the standard. While the content of the listed resources may address other elements of the standard, these resources were selected for their coverage of elements a and b. This Pathfinder is not intended to address the major battles and campaigns, the roles of specific individuals other than those referred to in elements a and b, or the effects of war.
Target Audience
This Pathfinder is designed to be used by 5th graders in Georgia who are learning about the causes leading up to the Civil War. Through the sources included, students will learn how the publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin and John Brown's failed raid on Harper's Ferry increased tensions between the states in the North and the states in the South. The information reveals how the social issue of slavery and political issue of states' rights had already begun to divide the country. A variety of formats have been included to accommodate different learning styles.
Directions for Using this Pathfinder
This pathfinder is presented in the format of a Weebly. Students can access these resources from any networked computer. Use the navigation menu located on the top of each page to access desired materials.
Key Words for Use with OPAC
Abolitionist Brown, John Causes, Civil War Harpers Ferry Lincoln, Abraham
Slavery States' rights Stowe, Harriet Beecher Uncle Tom's Cabin
United States - History - Civil War, 1861-1865
Dewey Decimal Call Numbers
900 - History and Geography
920 - Biographies
973 - General history of North America - United States
973.7 - Civil War, War between the States
Annotated List of Resources
Andrews, W. L. (2004). North American Slave Narratives. Retrieved from http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/biblintro.html
This is an introduction to the Scholarly Bibliography of Slave and Ex-Slave Narratives by Professor William L.
Andrews, the series editor of the DocSouth collection. This bibliography provides a list of citations of known North American slave narratives. There are three basic types of slave narratives provided: autobiographical, biographical, and fictionalized.
B. H. Richardson. (1860). Correspondence relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859 [Letters and
telegraphic dispatches relating to the Harper’s Ferry affair]. Annapolis, MD: Author. Retrieved from http://archive.org/stream
/correspinsurrecti1860mult#page/n1/mode/2up
This primary document contains copies of actual telegrams relating to the raid on Harpers Ferry, including correspondence between the President of the United States, the Governor of Virginia, military officials and train company officials. Initial telegrams from Harper’s Ferry were thought to have been exaggerated. Many telegrams related to the transportation of military troops. Actual reading may be difficult for students to comprehend; however, projection of the document and reading aloud some of the telegrams can provide some insight to the time period and to 19th century life. Josiah Perham, like a 19th century “travel agent,” attempted to arrange transportation with a reduced fare for a group of passengers to witness the hanging of John Brown (pp. 56-58).
Baxter, R. (2011). Why We Fought: The Northern Home Front of the Civil War. Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann Library.
This children’s book includes information on the Civil War from the Northern perspective. It includes sections that explain why the north chose to fight in the Civil War and why the south seceded.
Baxter, R. (2011). Why We Fought: The Southern Home Front of the Civil War. Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann Library.
This book has the same author and format as the Northern edition, but it is written from the southern perspective. The book details why the south went to war including the issues of slavery, states’ rights, and the election of Abraham Lincoln to the White House.
Brainpop. (2012). Civil War. Retrieved from http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/freemovies/civilwar/
This short video explains why the South seceded from the Union. The video explains why the country ended up at war as well as the first few events of the war. This video is a free video from Brainpop. There is also a more specific video on the causes of the Civil War, but a username and password are required.
Cartmell, D. (2003). Civil War 101: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the North, the South, the Leaders, the Battles,
and the History. New York: Gramercy Books.
A book of facts and lists of information related to the Civil War. Information such as the cost of war, the female spies, generals, etc.
Catton, B. (1996). The American heritage new history of the Civil War. New York: Viking.
This reference book includes photographs and period artwork. Chapter 1, “A House Divided,” discusses the causes leading up to the Civil War.
Central Design Lab. (June, 2012). American Civil War .com. Retrieved from http://americancivilwar.com/
This site includes quite a bit of information on the Civil War. Most notable is the Civil War People dropdown menu at the top of the page. Under this link are biographies and pictures of many influential people during the Civil War, including Harriett Beecher Stowe, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, etc.
Civil War Maps Collection. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/civil_war_maps/
This collection of Civil War maps brings together materials from the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, the Virginia Historical Society, and the Library of Virginia.
Conklin, W. (2009). Causes of the Civil War: Expanding and Preserving the Union. Teacher
Created Materials. Abolitionist John Brown raises a small army of men in the hopes of starting a slave revolt and leads his men to Harper’s Ferry to take over the United States arsenal. Colonel Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant Jeb Stuart are sent by President Buchanan to put down the uprising. In the end, John Brown is captured, tried, and convicted of treason.
Dolan, E. F. (1997). The American Civil War: a house divided. Brookfield: Millbrook Press.
A 96-page account of the Civil War from its causes to its final battles, including discussions of dominant figures of the era.
Fritz, J. (1994). Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Beecher preachers. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
This 144-page biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe and her family discusses her writing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The book includes a bibliography, subject index, photographs and illustrations, all black and white. The afterword includes a
summary of each of the Beecher children.
Glazer, T. (2011). A treasury of Civil War songs [CD]. Smithsonian Folkways.
CD contains songs from the U.S. Civil War whose lyrics speak of the battles, slavery, emancipation, victory, and defeat. Included are liner notes by historian Patrick and historic photographs.
Glossary of Civil War Terms. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/glossary/glossary.html
A collection of common terms used in the study of the US Civil War.
Harpers Ferry. (2012). In Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.school.eb.com.proxygsu-
spol.galileo.usg.edu/elementary/article?articleId=399966
This brief article tells the history of Harpers Ferry and the raid led by John Brown. Multimedia images, links to other encyclopedia entries, such as slavery, John Brown, and the American Civil War, and links to other magazine and journal articles are included.
The History Channel (Producer). (2011). Civil War journal: The conflict begins [Motion picture].
This video is an account of the days leading up to and during the early days of the Civil War.
The History Channel (Producer). (2011). The story of us: Civil War [Motion picture].
This documentary examines the evolution of Americans' view points and innovations such as the transcontinental railroads, supply lines, and telegrams that became weapons in the Civil War.
January, B. (2000). John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry. New York: Children’s Press.
This book recounts the story of John Brown’s failed rebellion in Harpers Ferry in 1859, intended to start a massive slave uprising in the South and the establishment of a state in the Allegheny Mountains for freed slaves. With 30 pages, the book
includes a glossary, timeline of Brown’s life, brief index, and maps and photographs (mostly black and white).
John P. Jewett & Company. (1853). Pictures and stories from Uncle Tom’s cabin. Boston: Author. Retrieved from
http://fax.libs.uga.edu/PS2954xU52/1f/pictures_stories_from_uncle_toms_cabin.pdf.
“This little work is designed to adapt Mrs. Stowe’s touching narrative to the understanding of the youngest readers and to foster in their hearts a generous sympathy for the wronged Negro race of America.” Adapted from the original story.
Kent, Z. (1988). The story of John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry. Chicago: Childrens Press.
This book describes the causes, events, and aftermath of the raid led by John Brown on the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry. It includes photographs and illustrations, mostly black and white. The publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin is mentioned.
Kentucky Educational Television. (2012). Causes of the Civil War. Retrieved from http://www.ket.org/civilwar/causes.html
This website from Kentucky Education Television (KET) includes three main issues that led to the Civil War as well as links to firsthand sources. The links include a letter from Abraham Lincoln, a speech given by Henry Clay, among others.
Mattern, J. (2007). The big book of the Civil War: Fascinating facts about the Civil War, including historic photographs, maps,
and documents. Philadelphia: Courage Books.
The book is organized to help students understand the social and political issues that led up to the Civil War. It includes maps of Civil War America and major battlefields.
NeoK12. (2011). The Causes of the American Civil War [Video Podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.neok12.com
/php/watch.php?v=zX436a5f537857505a43620a&t=American-Civil-War
This video podcast provides reasons why the South began to succeed from the Union after the election of Abraham Lincoln despite no electoral votes from the Southern states. This podcast also includes quotes from Abraham Lincoln in relation to the issues between the North and South.
Our rights. (1861). [Confederate Broadsides Collection, Wake Forest University]. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10339/271
This poem about states’ rights is written from a Confederate view point. From the Collection item description: “Cuts of mounted trumpeter and dome labelled ‘America’ surrounded by waves, with U.S. flag atop dome between title and subtitle. Printed on white paper with black ink, text within ornamental border.”
Public Broadcasting Service (Producer). (2012). Causes of the Civil War [Video Podcast]. Retrieved from http://video.pbs.org
/video/1479848529/
This short video podcast was created by PBS to explain the causes of the Civil War. It discusses the feelings of the North and South in relation to slavery, the economics of slavery, the election of Abraham Lincoln, and the South seceding the Union. The video also includes pictures from political cartoons, as well as artist’s rendering of Civil War events.
Ray, D. (1990). A nation torn: the story of how the Civil War began. New York: Lodestar. “Young
readers’ history of the Civil War.”
This book describes the events leading to the war and the unforgettable individuals of that era—peacemaker Henry Clay,
Harriet Tubman, and abolitionist John Brown. The 102-page book includes a glossary, bibliography, maps, photographs and illustrations (black and white).
Robertson, J. I. (1992). Civil War!: America becomes one nation. New York: Knopf.
This book examines the causes, major battles, military leaders, and effects of the American Civil War. A glossary, chronology of events, index, maps, photographs and illustrations (black and white) and a bibliography of suggested readings are
also included.
Rosenberg, A. (2011). The Civil War: Profiles. New York: Scholastic Inc.
This book sources collection of biographies of 6 major people during the Civil War. It includes biographies on Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Clara Barton, George McClellan, Robert E. Lee, and Mathew Brady and is written for young readers.
Schlessinger Media (Producer). (1996). Causes of the Civil War [videocassette].
This 36-minute video looks at the roots of the conflict between the industrial North and the agricultural South. The video is in color with black and white segments.
Selected Civil War Photographs. (2000, January 15). Retrieved from http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html
This collection contains 1,118 photographs from the Civil War. Most of the images were made under the supervision of Mathew B. Brady and include scenes of military personnel, preparations for battle, and battle after-effects. The collection also includes portraits of both Confederate and Union officers and a selection of enlisted men.
Songs of the Civil War [CD]. (1991). Sony. Kathy Mattea, Richie Havens, Waylon Jennings, John Hartford, Hoyt Axton, Ronnie
Gilbert and other distinguished artists perform authentic songs from the Civil War period.
States’ rights song. (1861). [Confederate Broadsides Collection, Wake Forest University]. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net
/10339/319
This primary document features a song from the Confederate view point on states’ rights. From the Collection item description: “Printed on white paper with black ink, text within double line border.”
U.S. Government Services Administration’s Federal Citizen Information Center. (2011, January 26). The Civil War at a Glance.
Retrieved from http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/history/a_civilwar.html
This atlas is a collection of information, photographs, maps, dates, and links of the U.S. Civil War.
Wagner, M. E., Gallagher, G. W., & Finkelman, P. (2002). The Library of Congress Civil War desk reference. New York: Simon & Schuster.
This is a large, nearly 1000 pages, desk reference book which takes a closer look at topics regarding the Civil War, such as Antebellum America, wartime politics, battles, the armies, weaponry, the naval war, prisons and POWs, medicine, the
home front, reconstruction, etc.
Westwell, I. (2008). Wars day by day: The Civil War 1861-1865. Redding, Connecticut: Brown Bear Books.
This children’s book provides an account of major events before, during, and after the war. It is written in timeline format and gives a short blurb on each event starting in 1850 with the passing of the Fugitive Slave Law. The book also includes an introduction section that explains some of the issues that led to the war.