Civil War

The American Civil War (1861-1865) tore the relatively young nation apart. The repercussions of this tragedy are still felt today. This reading set explores the events, the people, and the perspectives of this pivotal time.

Mary Chesnut: The Firing on Ft. Sumter - Reading Comprehension Worksheet for Students

Mary Chesnut: The Firing on Ft. Sumter

Mary Boykin Miller Chesnut (1823-1886) was a prominent woman from South Carolina. Her husband, James Chesnut, was a U.S. Senator before the Civil War. Well-educated, intelligent, and well-connected, Mary understood, as the Civil War began, she had a front row seat to a historic moment in history. She began recording…

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The Husband and Father - Reading Activity

The Husband and Father

This passage is about Eliza, an enslaved woman owned by the Shelby family. Her husband George is owned by a neighboring family. Eliza and George have one child, a small boy named Harry. Harry is charming, smart, and handsome. Earlier Eliza had overheard a slave trader speaking with her owner…

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The Emancipation Proclamation - Reading Comprehension Exercise

The Emancipation Proclamation

By the President of the United States of America: A Proclamation. WHEREAS, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit: “That…

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Before the Battle - Reading Comprehension Exercise

Before the Battle

In Stephen Crane’s novel, The Red Badge of Courage, Henry Fleming is a young Union soldier in the Civil War. Before he enlisted, Henry had a romantic view of war. This passage takes place before Henry’s first battle as a soldier. —————————– However, he perceived now that it did not…

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Lincoln's Gettysburg Address - Reading Comprehension Worksheet

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

President Abraham Lincoln gave his most famous speech, the Gettysburg Address, on November 19, 1863. At that time, the U.S. was in the middle of the Civil War. Lincoln gave the speech at the dedication of a cemetery for the soldiers who had died during the Battle of Gettysburg. ————————…

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Young Frederick Douglass - Reading Comprehension Activity

Young Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass (c. 1818-1895) was born into slavery in Maryland. As an adult, he escaped into freedom. He became a writer, orator and advocate for the abolition of slavery. In 1845, 16 years before the start of the Civil War, Douglass published his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick…

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Mary Chesnut: News of Lincoln's Assassination - Reading Comprehension Activity

Mary Chesnut: News of Lincoln’s Assassination

Mary Boykin Miller Chesnut was born into a wealthy South Carolina family in 1823. She married James Chesnut who would later become a Confederate general during the U.S. Civil War. Mary and her husband were well connected, and knew many of the major figures in the Confederacy. As the Civil…

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Clara Barton and the American Red Cross

Clara packed her things at the Patent Office and went to her boss. “It’s been a pleasure working with you, but I’m quitting my job.” She turned and left. “What are you doing home so early?” asked her sister Sally. “The Civil War is taking its toll on the Union…

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