Grade 8 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 12, Lesson 4

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
A More Perfect Union

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 12, Lesson 4: The Long March to Surrender (pp. 362-367)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Conflict After much suffering and loss on both sides, the South surrendered to the North in April of 1865.

Review the hardships and suffering on both sides during the last two years of the war. Talk about the available medical care and the work of Clara Barton, changes in weapon technology, and explain the meaning of total war. Discuss the ways in which Sherman's and Sheridan's campaigns damaged the South, both physically and in spirit.

Outline the events of the Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox. Present Grant's terms, and discuss. Ask students to speculate on the effects of different terms, either harsher, or gentler.

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Organize students into groups and have each group work together to write a newspaper account of some aspect of the last two years of the Civil War, such as: medical practices, weapons technologies, or Sherman's and Sheridan's total war campaigns. When finished, have each group share with the class and discuss.
Have students draw two scenes showing reactions to the news of surrender, one from the point of view of the South, the other from the point of view of the North. Encourage students to show what each group might now be thinking about the future.

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