THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD
Histories / Cornerstones of Freedom Books / Activity and Coloring Books
Cassettes and Audio / Paper
Dolls
Historical Fiction / Civilians
/ Soldiers and Military Leaders
Slavery and the African American Experience / Photos and Art
See also Abraham Lincoln
Books without title links may be
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America's Civil War by Tim McNeese.
Milliken, 2003. This book provides a detailed overview of the cultural and
ideological landscape of post-colonial America that set the stage for war, and
vividly describes the course of the conflict that took more American lives
than any war in history and altered the course of the nation. Emphasis is
placed on the fierce cultural and economic rivalry between the industrial
North and the agricultural South and the pivotal rift concerning slavery that
led to this irrepressible and bloody fight. The lives of common soldiers, the
weapons and methods of warfare, the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, and the
role of other significant political and military leaders are among the topics
discussed as well as the abolitionist movement, the underground railroad, and
dramatic figures such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, and John Brown. Challenging
review questions encourage meaningful reflection and historical analysis.
Maps, tests, answer key, and extensive bibliography included. 129 pages. One
copy of each student page may be reproduced for each student of one teacher
for a single course. BTH-4756. Follow title link for current price.
 The Civil War: Written by Jim McAlpine,
Betty Weineek, Sue Jeweler, and Marion Findbinder. The three units in this book
are Issues, People, and Places. Among the 27 topics covered are State's
Rights, the Economy, John Brown, Clara Barton, Frederick Douglass, Antietam,
Gettysburg, and Medical Practices. BTH-403
 Reconstruction: Written by Jim McAlpine,
Betty Weineek, Sue Jeweler, and Marion Findbinder. The three units in this book
are Issues, People, and Places. Among the 27 topics covered are Lincoln's
and Johnson's Plans, Carpetbaggers and Scalawags, Thaddeus Stevens, Ulysses S.
Grant, Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and Five Military Districts.
BTH-404
The Civil War, by Alden Carter. For
students in the middle grades. 64 indexed pages. Has charts of leaders and major battles.
Good bibliography. Illustrated with maps, color pictures, and photos. Begins with the
causes of the Civil War and follows the action up to the beginning of the Restoration. 6.95.
 The Long Road to Gettysburg
by Jim Murphy. Houghton Mifflin Clarion Book, 1992. This book presents the story
of the Battle of Gettysburg from the points of view of two actual participants
-- one from the South, and one from the Union Army. It is full of drawings, art
reproductions, photos, and maps which add more flesh to the words. It is
followed by a bibliography and index. For grades four and up. 116 pages.
BTH-2770. $7.19-D
A Short History of the Civil War: Ordeal
by Fire, by Fletcher Pratt. For high school and above. 9.95.
High Interest Reading, All Aboard
Reading Level 3 books
 Civil War Sub: The Mystery of the
Hunley by Kate Jerome, illustrated by
Frank Sofo. Grosset and Dunlap, 2002. During the Civil War, the Hunley
was a secret weapon for the South and in 1864 it became the first submarine in
the world to sink an enemy ship. It should have returned in victory, but instead
was never heard from again. Read this to find out what happened. 48 pages.
BTH-4226. $3.59-D
 The
Monitor: The Iron Warship That Changed the World
by Gere Thompson. Grosset and Dunlap, 2003.
During an important battle in the Civil War, the Monitor, an ironclad warship,
made history, and changed the way wars are fought at sea. But on New Year's Eve,
1862, it sank in a terrible storm. For over 140 years it lay on the ocean bottom
until scientists brought part of it to the surface in 2002. 48 pages. BTH-4227.
$3.59-D
Cornerstones of Freedom Books
These books explore important events in United States history. They
are designed to make children 8-12 feel they are on the scene as history is being made.
This is accomplished not only by the text, which is at grade 3-4 reading level, but also
by the two-color illustrations, full-color and black-and-white photos, and engravings.
Keep in mind that these books are published by a secular company and will not usually
point out the Christian background in the subjects they cover. Books are 32 pages long
with index. The following titles relate to the Civil War period.
Arlington National Cemetery, by
Conrad Stein $5.35-D
The Gettysburg Address, by Kenneth
Richards$5.35-D
The Story of Sherman's March to the
Sea, by Zachary Kent $5.95-OP
The Story of the Surrender at Appomattox
Court House, by Zachary Kent OP
The Story of the Battle of Bull Run,
by Zachary Kent OP
The Story of the Battle of Shiloh, by
Zachary Kent OP
Civil
War Era Activity Book: Projects include activities for both the home and war
fronts. Here are just a few of them: make a hoop skirt and "poke" bonnet from
simple materials; construct replicas of some of the supplies sold through newspaper ads at
the outset of the Civil War; design and make a regimental flag; respond to commands issued
by drum and whistle rhythms; dine on Civil War soldiers' rations; gather round the fire
and sing Civil War music; create a newspaper using different kinds of paper; create a war
correspondent's sketch book; make a mobile representing symbols of the North and South;
make representations of the Union and Confederate flags; many more. Historical aids,
patterns and instructions are included. There is also a list of related literature for
additional student reading. BTH-260, $7.16-D
Civil War Fashions, a Dover coloring
book. 2.65-D
 Civil
War for Kids: A History with 21 Activities by Janis Herbert. This hands-on history of
the Civil War for children nine and up begins with a time line and moves on to these
chapters, which are illustrated in black and white with maps, historical photos, and art
reproductions. The hands-on activities included in each chapter are in parentheses.
"To War" (A North Star Safe Quilt; Create a Code; A Soldier's
Uniform)
"Drill, Drill, Drill" (Drill Exercises; A Coffee Can Drum)
"Battles West and East"
"Camp Life" (Berry Ink; Play the Bones)
"Fighting for Freedom" (Acting Out Antietam; Signaling with
Wigwag; In Deep Water -- how to measure the depth of a river or pond.
"Behind the Battle Lines" (A Housewife Sewing Kit: Homemade
Butternut Dye)
"The Union Struggles" (A Rebel Yell Contest; Playing General)
"On the March" (Build a Lean-to-Shelter; Homemade Hardtack)
"The Confederacy Falters"
"Hardships of War" (A Makeshift Stretcher; Battlefield
Bandages)
"A River of Blood and a Battle Above the Clouds"
"Chronicles of the War" (Woodcut Prints; Tell a Story with
Pictures)
"Flanking South"
"Taps" (Scouting for Civil War Veterans)
The book contains a glossary, a list of
resources (including web sites), a bibliography, and index. 145 pages in all.
BTH-4034. $13.46-D
Civil War Uniforms, a Dover coloring
book. 2.65-D
Draw History: Civil War, by Nancy
Clayton. Detailed, step-by-step illustrated instructions will teach you
how to draw real-life characters and artifacts from the Civil War -- Robert E.
Lee and his horse, Traveler; an authentic southern plantation; a battlefield
cannon; Lincoln's funeral train engine, The Nashville; and much more. As you
learn to draw, you'll also learn the stories behind the drawings. 64 pages.
BTH-1542.
$7.15-D
From Antietam to Gettysburg, a Dover
coloring book. 2.65-D
Gettysburg Children's Activity Book:
Designed for children who are visiting the National Military Park, but can be used in unit
studies or in the car on the way to visit the park. Contains puzzles, mazes, word
searches, pictures to color, and a daily journal space. 38 pages. This is a unique item,
usually only available around Gettysburg. 2.50*.
Naval Battles of the Civil War, a
Dover coloring book. 2.65-D
Read-Aloud Plays: Civil War. A
Scholastic Professional Book. Contains 5 short plays for the classroom with background
information, writing prompts, and creative activities. Includes plays about The War's
Beginning; Emancipation Proclamation; Battle of Gettysburg; Surrender at Appomattox; and
Reconstruction. For grades 4-8. 63 reproducble pages. $13.45-D
If you are interested in additional classroom
plays for this period, see our page for Drama, Plays, and Choral
Readings
Story of the Civil War, a Dover
coloring book. 2.65-D
Gettysburg: Fields of Love and Honor.
A tribute to the Battle of Gettysburg that blends music and words to tell a poignant
story. Includes both classic and original works, including Lincoln's "House
Divided;" Whitman's "In Midnight Sleep;" and "The Gettysburg
Address" (read by Jim Getty, of Gettysburg renown.) Supply limited. $10.98*
Paper Dolls
These are 9¼" x 12¼", 32 pages,
saddlewired, printed in color on one side only, except where noted.
American Family of the Civil War Era, by
Tom Tierney, published by Dover. 4.45-D.
American Family of the Confederacy,
by Tom Tierney, published by Dover. 4.45-D.
Charlotte of the Old South, by Tom
Tierney, published by Dover. For younger readers than the other fashion dolls. 2.65-D
Civil War Paper Soldiers, by A.G.
Smith, published by Dover. 5.35-D.
Confederate Army Paper Soldiers, by
A.G. Smith, published by Dover. 5.35-D.
Fashions of the Old South, by Tom
Tierney, published by Dover. 4.45-D.
Southern Belles Paper Dolls, by Tom
Tierney, published by Dover. 4.45-D.
Union Army Paper Soldiers, by A.G.
Smith, published by Dover. 5.35-D.
From Civil War Photo History Activities -- Events
Civil War Etchings, by William
Dawson. Contains reproductions of 40 rare plates by one of the foremost illustrators of
the Civil War. He was assigned to cover the Army of the Potomac from 1862-1864 and make
on-the-spot sketches of the day-to-day lives of the soldiers. 6.25-D
Civil War Photo History Activities
-- Events
The eight sturdy, authentic photos have ideas for cooperative projects and research on the
back. For junior high age and above. Photos include Ironclads in Battle; The Battle of
Gettysburg; The Fall of Atlanta; March to the Sea; Attack on Fort Sumter; Medicine; Raid
on Harper's Ferry; Media on the Battlefield. $7.19-D
Civil War Photo History
Activities -- Profiles: The eight sturdy, authentic photos have ideas for
cooperative projects and research on the back. For junior high age and above. Photos
include Abraham Lincoln; Ulysses S. Grant; Robert E. Lee; Prisoners of War; Jefferson
Davis; Soldiers; "Stonewall" Jackson; Frederick Douglas
$7.19-D
Civil War Civilians, by Juanita
Leisch. Paper, 87 pages. This books covers the historical background of mid-nineteenth
century America's culture and everyday life. It explains the civilian influences on the
military, the civilian participation in the war, and the effect of the war on civilian
life. Illustrated with black and white photos. Print is on the small side, so reading and
interest level is probably for Junior High and up. 7.95*.
Shades of Gray, by Carolyn Reeder.
Orphaned by the Civil War, twelve-year-old Will is forced to live with his uncle, whom he
considered a coward because he's refused to fight for the Confederacy. As he accepts the
"traitor's" hospitality and learns the skills of rural life from him, he
realizes that there is much to admire in his uncle. But still he can't forgive him --
until he discovers there is another kind of courage that caused Uncle Jed to make a choice
more difficult than that of going to war. Upper elementary and up. 4.50-E
The Blue and the Gray, Volume II, From the
Battle of Gettysburg to Appomattox. Revised and abridged. The story of the Civil War
as told by the participants. A classic Civil War history edited by Henry Steele Commager.
Adult level, but younger people with a great interest in the Civil War will also want to
read it. 14.95
The
Boys' War; Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk About the Civil War
by Jim Murphy. Houghton Mifflin, 1990. This book is full of
firsthand accounts from Union and Confederate soldiers as young as twelve,
thirteen, or fourteen when they fought in the Civil War. Both with words and
pictures you will see them through camp life, drilling and the battlefield
itself. For grades four and up. 110 pages. BTH-2745. $8.06-D
Co. Aytch A Confederate Memoir of the
Civil War, by Sam R. Watkins. This isn't listed on the page yet, but my husband read
it and recommends it. In May, 1861, twenty-one-year-old Sam Watkins joined the First
Tennessee Regiment, Company H. He was one of only seven in his company to survive
every one of its battles. He wrote his memoir of the war 21 years later. He is a natural
storyteller who balances the horror of war with a sense of humor and a sharp eye for the
lighter side of battle. This book is a classic among Civil War memoirs, testifying
to one man's endurance, courage, and wisdom in the midst of death and destruction. Junior
high and up. 8.00.
Dog Jack, by Florence Biros. This is
the story of a runaway slave boy and his loyal dog, Jack. Dog Jack was the mascot of the
102nd Regiment P.V.V. Washington Infantry, and his photo and story hang in the Soldiers
and Sailors Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Though this story is fictionalized,
it is based on real events. Jack was with his regiment from 1861 to 1863 until he became,
with others in his regiment, a prisoner of war, captured by the Confederates at Salem
Church, Virginia. He was later exchanged for a confederate soldier and returned to his
regiment. Though this book will appeal to dog lovers outside of its historical
significance, it is most valuable in portraying life in the Union Army and how the
soldiers felt. The chaplain is one of the main characters, and his conversations with
individual soldiers add spiritual content as men came to grips with pain and fear. This is
a great book to read aloud in families where the youngest child is at least nine.
Independent readers should be at least junior high age, since the print is smaller than
that in most children's books. 9.95.
I Rode With Stonewall by Henry Kyd
Douglas. There's no better book for teens and adults than this one for those who want an
intimate look at this great general's life from the pen of one who was an eye-witness to
his greatness. Douglas lived with Stonewall's men, rode with them, and fought with them,
and he recorded events and impressions in his journal, which he later used as he worte
this book. Mass market paper, 384 pages with index. $7.15-D
Rifles for Watie, by Harold Keith.
Fiction. Young Jeff is 16 when the Civil War breaks out. He can't wait to help defend the Union
against Colonel Watie, leader of the Cherokee Indian Rebels. He soon learns, though, that
war is more than honor and glory. When he is sent as a spy to the enemy camp, he discovers
that the rebels are men and boys just like him -- only their cause is different. This
insight makes him rethink his position. Does he want to betray his enemies? Or join them?
Fiction for junior high and up. 4.95.
 Stonewall, by Jean Fritz. Black and
white drawings by Stephen Gammell. 152 pages and bibliography. No one who knew this man as
a child or at West Point ever pictured him as a future hero, but the Civil War gave this
man a chance to shine. It brought out his strengths and revealed him as one of the most
brilliant and heroic military leaders in America. For upper elementary students and older.
5.95.
Undying Glory: The Story of the
Massachusetts 54th Regiment by Clinton Cox. Scholastic, 1991. This is
the story of black men from all walks of life and ranging in age from 16 to 40
who joined the Civil War on the side of the Union and were known as "The Glory
Regiment." Although they were treated as second-class soldiers, they proved
their courage ability to fight, since they were motivated to free their brothers
and sisters from slavery. Reading level 5. Contains photo insert. 167 pages.
BTH-4161. $4.05-D
Slavery and the
African-American Experience / Underground Railroad
  
Also see the
Voices of Freedom: Abolitionist Heroes
Series of Biographies for ages 10-13.
Amos Fortune: Free Man, by Elizabeth
Yates. 4.99
Brady, by Jean Fritz.
Historical fiction. Though in this
book an unlikely candidate becomes an active participant in the Underground Railroad
adventure, the most important transformation his in the character of a boy who finally
learns to be discreet in keeping what he knows to himself instead of broadcasting all he
knows to anyone who will listen so that he will feel important. A good book to read aloud
and discuss. For ages 10-14. 4.99.
 Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman,
by Dorothy Sterling. Scholastic, 1954. Harriet Tubman was born into slavery and
knew only hard work and hunger. Although it seemed impossible, she was
determined to be free someday. She was courageous enough to make her dream come
true and escaped to the North by the secret route known as the Underground
Railroad. And then she constantly put her life at risk to bring more slaves to
freedom. Reading Level 5. 191 pages. BTH-4160. $4.05-D.
Free at Last: How the Freeing of the Slaves Changed American History
by Darren Sechrist. Crabtree, 2009. This book covers the history of African
Americans from the Civil War until the present day. Topics covered include The
Emancipation Proclamation, Abolition, Sharecropping, Civil Rights, Jim Crow
Laws, the rise of the Klu Klux Klan, and the continuing hope for future
improvement in racial relations. Part of the Graphic America series of history
books in graphic format. BTH-5107. Follow link for price and details.
Freedom Crossing, by Margaret Clark.
After her mother's death, Laura lived with her aunt and uncle in Virginia. When she
returns home, she discovers her father and brother have turned her house into a stop on
the Underground Railroad. She believes that helping fugitives slaves is breaking the law.
But then she meets Martin -- a twelve-year-old runaway who would rather die than be sent
back to the South. 3.50
From Slave Ship to Freedom Road by Julius Lester. Paintings by Rod Brown.
The purpose of this book is to help people of all colors imagine what it was
like to be a slave, how it felt to be suddenly jerked away from the world and
culture you knew, packed into a ship for three months going you knew not where
under conditions that were intolerable, and then landing in a new culture with a
new language where you were forced to work for people who now owned you.
Lester's purpose is not only to help us understand and feel the past, but also
to help us understand what we, ourselves, might be capable of if we were in a
culture that considered evil good. The bold paintings that illustrate this book
are also meant to lead us into
deeper understanding of the whole slave experience.
BTH-2625. $6.29-D
A
Kid's Guide to African American History
by Nancy I. Sanders. Chicago Review Press, 2000. Contains more than 70 hands-on
activities, songs, and games that teach children ages 6-11 about the people,
experiences, and events that shaped African American History. Beginning with
some African history and background information, the book covers the landing in
Jamestown, the beginning of slavery in America, the slave trade in colonial
America, the Revolutionary War, the free African society, life on a plantation,
abolitionists, Pinkster Day, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War,
sharecropping, Juneteenth, black cowboys, Buffalo soldiers, Jim Crow, black
scientists and inventors, African American music, the Civil Rights Movement,
Kwanzaa, and much more.
Some of the hands-on activities are designing an African mask; potato stamp
painting; making a bead necklace; making a 3-D picture of a merchant sailing
ship; playing a game of marbles; writing an almanac; making a star-watching
chart; recipes for food the slaves ate; reading Brer Rabbit and making up
similar stories; telling and making up riddles; learning children's rhymes,
songs and games; sewing a doll; making and playing models of musical instruments
slaves made and used; uncoding spirituals; having an Election Day Parade and
making an Election Cake; celebrating Pinkster Day with costumes, dancing, and
games; making a candle such as Harriet Tubman used and a stick to carry personal
items such as escaping slaves used; following the North Star; making a Native
American apron; making a Congressional Medal of Honor; making paper doll
replicas of he U.S. colored troops; making a Bible quilt; having an egg-cracking
party and a taffy pull; celebrating Juneteenth with a special drink; designing a
brand; making peanut butter; growing a sweet potato vine; making and playing a
simple cornet; having a track-and-field day; and more. 242 pages. BTH-4035.
$13.46-D
Letters from a Slave Girl: The Story of
Harriet Jacobs, by Mary Lyons. Based on a true story, this book explores the feelings
of a slave girl, hoping to be freed only to be disappointed, and facing the dangers of
escape north. For upper elementary and up. 3.95
 A Slave
Family by Bobbie Kalman and Amanda Bishop. Ever wonder
what life was like for slave children? This book introduces you to Quasheba, who
reenacts the life of a slave girl too young to work on the plantation. You will
learn about slavery in American colonies, the family life of slaves and how
they helped one another, the education of slaves, life on a plantation, the
different jobs slaves did, the African culture they brought with them, and how
some of them became free, or tried to become free. CT-0792X. $ 8.06-D
 Slavery Thematic Unit
by Krista Warnock-Carman.
Teacher Created Resources, 2005.
Books used in this study include To Be A Slave by Julius Lester;
and
Letters from a Slave Girl--The Story of Harriet Jacobs by Mary E. Lyons.
. Besides all the literature related activities, there are cross-curricular
activities in the fields of language arts, math, science, social studies, music,
art, drama, and P.E. Culminating activities include a slavery simulation
and a celebration of Juneteenth. A bibliography is included, as well as an
answer key. Reproducible. For grades 5-8. BTH-2565. $8.99-D
Uncle Tom's Cabin, by
Harriet Beecher Stowe, and best known as the novel that helped start the Civil War with
its graphic depiction of the cruelty of slavery. 4.95.
 The
Underground Railroad by Raymond Bial. Houghton Mifflin, 1995. The
Library Journal sums up the books contents this way: 'Bial's simple, eloquent
text explains how the Underground Railroad worked and why it was necessary, as
well as the hardships involved in the journey north....Bial's full-color
photographs are what make this truly outstanding.' 48 pages. BTH-2810. $6.26-D
Miscellaneous Historical
Fiction Related to the Civil War
For the Love of Adam, by Janis Feder.
Though this is a love story set during the Civil War, and it does bring the period alive,
I think it is most valuable as a strong statement against abortion. This is a rather
difficult book to find, but one I'd recommend to teen girls. 9.95.
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