African Americans in the Civil War:

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

Modern-day African American soldier (image): http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-

yAdrLGtfelI/UQGHV3YiE6I/AAAAAAAANaU/Y9p5NwaTWuE/s640/041912-

politics-ptsd-female-soldier-2.jpg

Women in the Civil War: http://www.history.com/topics/women-in-the-civil-war

NPR recording, “Harriet (Tubman) the Spy”:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112384583

DuSable Museum of African American History Civil War Art Collection:

Harriet Tubman (1963), R. Furan, 947381:

http://civilwarinart.org/items/show/140

Harriet Tubman (1964), Shirley Firestone, 947455:

http://civilwarinart.org/items/show/139

Venn diagram:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/vocabulary/pdf/sr_allgo.pdf

Document analysis worksheet (image):

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/photo_analysis_workshee

t.pdf

Summarizing graphic organizer:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/vocabulary/pdf/sr_allgo.pdf.

Photo essay how-to:

http://content.bandzoogle.com/users/JeffNicholson/files/U03_S14_Media.pdf

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. 26–29)

NBC News: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43461045/ns/us_news-life/t/slaves-

freedmen-civil-wars-forgotten-spies/#.UbZ2keDPXG4

Smithsonian: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Women-

Spies-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

Mary Touvestre (spy)

Central Intelligence Agency: http://www.fas.org/irp/cia/product/civilwar.pdf

(see pp. 26–29)

Washington Post: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-

04/opinions/36210729_1_uss-monitor-css-virginia-ironclad-ship

Civil War Monitor: http://www.civilwarmonitor.com/front-line/a-slave-and-a-spy

Star News:

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20110620/ARTICLES/110629995?p=4

&tc=pg

Harriet Tubman (scout, spy, and nurse)

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center:

http://www.freedomcenter.org/underground-railroad/history/people/Harriet-

Tubman

History.com: http://www.history.com/topics/harriet-tubman

Central Intelligence Agency: http://www.fas.org/irp/cia/product/civilwar.pdf

(see p. 26–29)

Women’s Memorial.org:

http://www.womensmemorial.org/Education/BBH1998.html

Civil War Saga: http://civilwarsaga.com/harriet-tubman/

Civil War.org: http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/harriet-

tubman.html

Biography.com: http://www.biography.com/people/harriet-tubman-

9511430/videos

NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112384583

America’s Library.gov:

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/tubman/aa_tubman_spy_1.html

Smithsonian: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Women-

Spies-of-the-Civil-War.html

Susie King Taylor (Nurse)

New Georgia Encyclopedia:

http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-1097

Susie (Baker) King Taylor:

http://telegraph.civilwar.org/education/curriculum/Gifted%20and%20Talented/

CWPT%20Gifted%20Curriculum%20-%20Susie%20King%20Taylor.pdf

Ohio State University:

http://ehistory.osu.edu/world/articles/ArticleView.cfm?AID=42

BlackPast.org: http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/taylor-susan-susie-baker-

king-1848-1912

Buffalo Soldiers Research Museum:

http://www.buffalosoldiersresearchmuseum.org/research/women.htm

William Cathaey/Cathey Williams (Buffalo Soldier)

BuffaloSoldier.net:

http://www.buffalosoldier.net/CathayWilliamsFemaleBuffaloSoldierWithDocum

ents.htm

Legends of America: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-cathywilliams.html

Buffalo Soldiers Research Museum:

http://www.buffalosoldiersresearchmuseum.org/research/women.htm

Sangres.com: http://www.sangres.com/history/cwilliams/#.UbZy0eDPXG4

National Park Services:

http://www.nps.gov/goga/forteachers/upload/BS_PrimarySources_2008-01-

18_med.pdf

Lesson Plan

Women of the Civil War: She Fights for Liberty and Freedom

Grade Level(s) 9–12 (high school; can be adapted to middle school)

Unit and Time Frame

80 minutes + 120 minutes for the Extended Learning Activity

Common Core Learning Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained

research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating

understanding of the subject under investigation.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or information of

a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source

distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. (Middle School)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-12.2: Determine the central ideas or information

of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key

events or ideas develop over the course of the text and make clear the

relationships among the key details and ideas. (High School)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts,

graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and

digital texts. (Middle School)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of

information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,

quantitatively, and in words) to address a question or solve a problem.

(High School)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a

range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on

others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Lesson Goals

Increase students’ understanding of the roles and responsibilities of African

American women who participated in the Civil War and fought for the

American ideals of liberty and freedom for all.

Help students make connections between this period and today.

Materials/Resources

LCD projector/screen or whiteboard

teacher computer with laptop

paper (notebook, loose-leaf, copier, construction)

journal/spiral-bound notebook (optional)

computer (for student research)

Key Terms and Concepts

Cult of womanhood: ideals that confined women to devoting their lives to

creating a clean, comfortable, nurturing home for their husbands and children.

Abolitionist: a person who wanted to end slavery.

Emancipation Proclamation: proclamation issued on January 1, 1863, that freed

enslaved persons in the rebel states and announced that African Americans would

be accepted into the US Army and Navy.

Black dispatchers: members of the intelligence unit during the Civil War. These

individuals were spies and spymasters.

Interdisciplinary Connections

Art: Students will analyze one of two works of art that are part of the DuSable Museum of African American History’s 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/s640/041912-

politics-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

the Civil War?

Go over the students’ responses by conducting a whole-group discussion.

3. Art Analysis: For this learning activity, to understand that African American

women played major and varied roles in pursuing liberation and freedom for

all during the Civil War, students will analyze one of two works of art that

are part of the DuSable Museum of African American History’s Civil War

collection. Allow students to work in pairs to complete this activity. Either

project the images listed below on a screen with an LCD projector and/or

provide a color copy of one of the images to each pair. Either allow

students to choose their own image or assign one to them to ensure an

even distribution of the images. Have students complete the document

analysis worksheet

(http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/photo_analysis_wo

rksheet.pdf):

Harriet Tubman (1963), R. Furan, 947381:

http://civilwarinart.org/items/show/140

Harriet Tubman (1964), Shirley Firestone, 947455:

http://civilwarinart.org/items/show/139

Go over students’ responses as a whole-group discussion.

4. Informational Text Analysis: Using a Venn diagram, direct students to

compare (determine the similarities and differences) the photo of the

modern-day female soldier discussed at the beginning of this lesson

module with the painting of Harriet Tubman analyzed in the previous

activity. A copy of the Venn diagram can be accessed at

http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/vocabulary/pdf/sr_allgo.

pdf

Allow time to conduct a whole-class discussion on the similarities and

differences of the two images.

5. Document Response: Students will learn more about Harriet Tubman’s

role as a spy by listening to the NPR recording “Harriet (Tubman) the Spy”

(http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112384583) and

creating an identity chart that includes words and phrases that best

describe Harriet Tubman. See graphic organizer pictured below:

To wrap up this activity, call on a few students to share their words and

phrases with the rest of the class.

Assessment Venn diagram, document analysis worksheet, summarizing graphic organizer

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.