1. Introduction to Civil War Narratives

2. Question? What was the Civil War experience like for Americans on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line? Explore all possibilities before choosing to create your fictional persona’s journal.

3. The Life of the People During this chaotic time in history our nation was divided concerning many different perspectives and issues. The years we are concerned with are 1861-1865.

4. Primary Documents The letters of soldiers and their families and the recorded stories of slaves were preserved by historians who saw a segment of history slipping away. So letters were preserved and the stories of the slaves were recorded for all posterity so that the truth might be known via these primary source documents.

5. Possible Primary Sources ► Photographs ► Letters ► Diaries ► Official documents i.e. Gettysburg Address

6. Primary Source Applications Primary sources will be very valuable to you as you create your fictional journal for the persona you choose to create.

7. The choices for a character are many and varied. Some possibilities are: a slave a freed slave a drummer boy for the south or the north a Civil War soldier a plantation farmer’s wife left behind to maintain the farm and family homestead.

8. Web Site Sources As you explore the designated web sites, read carefully for possible bias on the part of the author. Remember point of view is inescapable but true bias is even stronger and often ignores or alters truth. Refer to history of Mary Chestnut’s diaries.

9. Goal: My goal for you as you explore this web quest is for you to gather a deeper understanding of the people of the Civil War time period and why they believed what they did and how they acted on these beliefs.

10. "War does not determine who is right - only who is left." - Anonymous Press escape to return to web quest