Civil War Journal

Civil War Journal provides in-depth accounts of the nation’s greatest tragedy with personal stories, diaries, photographs and commentary by some of the premier Civil War historians of today. It is a video exploration of the war that pitted the North against the South, and brother against brother. Civil War Journal would be useful for classes on American History, American Culture, Military History, Geography and Gender History. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

OBJECTIVES:

Students will analyze the effects of the Civil War on American life, political institutions, economics, and culture. They will trace how political, economic and cultural issues culminated in a divided nation and the consequences of a country at war with itself.

NATIONAL HISTORY STANDARDS:

Civil War Journal fulfills the following National Standards for History for grades 5-12: Chronological thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretation, historical research capabilities, historical issues-analysis and decision-making for Era 5.

Alexander Gardner: War Photographer

Employing a new medium, Alexander Gardner brought the bitter memories of a war between countrymen to the home front. Like Matthew Brady, Gardner’s evocative images, captured on primitive equipment under duress, chronicled the fierce struggle of a nation divided.

• astute
• blasphemous
• carnage
• catalyst
• colleague
• corpse
• eclipse
• exalt
• horrific
• initiate
• magnitude
• manipulate
• omnipresent
• philanthropy
• precedent
• preeminent
• prestige
• rapport
• realm
• rigor mortis
• speculative
• surreal
• unsung
• vulnerable

Discussion Questions

1. What is meant by the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words?” What are some examples of famous photographs whose images prove this adage?

2. Prior to the Civil War, artists glorified war in their depictions. How did photography reveal the truth about war? How did it change people’s perceptions about war?

3. Although he took very few photographs during the war, Matthew Brady is the most famous Civil War photographer. Why did Brady’s fame eclipse Alexander Gardner?

4. How did photography change history?

5. Discuss some of the challenges and difficulties Gardner and other Civil War photographers faced in their work.

6. Discuss Gardner’s work as an art form.

7. Why did Gardner leave Brady to form his own business?

8. How and why did Gardner manipulate scenes for his photos?

9. Discuss Gardner’s role in developing the field of photojournalism.

Extended Activities

1. Write an essay about the role of photography in history.

2. Photographs tell a story. Use some of your family photographs to tell a story and share it with the class.

Related Videos

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Air Dates

• November 22, 2004