Engage

Overview

In this experience, students examine how the Civil War reshaped life, work, and political attitudes in the North by exploring civilian participation, wartime change, and conflict on the home front. First, students reflect on how they think the Civil War may have changed everyday life for people living in the North and share predictions in a discussion wall. Next, students investigate how civilians participated in the war effort on the Northern home front by analyzing changes in labor, women’s roles, community support, and conscription. Then, students explain how the war affected the North by identifying and discussing economic changes and shifts in political power and public opinion during the war. Finally, the Elaborate scene invites students to explore the New York City draft riots to examine conflict, division, and differing understandings of the war within Northern society.

Estimated Duration: 45–60 minutes

Vocabulary Words and Definitions

conscription: a system in which the government requires people to serve in the military
draft: the process of selecting people to join the military, often during a war
home front: the everyday life and activities of people at home during a time of war
inflation: an increase in prices that makes money buy less than it did before
quota: a set limit on the amount of something that is allowed or required

Objectives:

Identify ways the Civil War reshaped daily life and work for civilians in the North
Explain how the Civil War impacted the economy, political actions, and public opinion in the North

The Civil War was not experienced only by soldiers. Across the northern states, people went about living their lives while the war continued elsewhere. Civilians were connected to the conflict even when they were far from the fighting.

This black-and-white cover from Harper's Weekly features two illustrations of workers assembling ammunition at the United States Arsenal in Watertown, Massachusetts. The top scene shows rows of women at long tables filling cartridges, while the bottom scene shows men working with large vats and wooden boxes.

A 1861 Harper’s Weekly magazine cover showing men and women making bullets for the Union army

How do you think the Civil War might have changed everyday life for people living in the North?

Make at least TWO predictions that answer the question. Be sure to explain the reasoning for your predictions.

When you are finished, add a thoughtful comment to a classmate’s prediction that adds to their reasoning.

Post your answer

When reviewing student predictions, guide a conversation that helps students move from broad ideas about war to more specific thinking about daily life in the North. Invite a few students to share one prediction and explain their reasoning. Ask: What makes you think this change would affect people living in the North? and Who do you imagine experiencing this change most directly? Use these questions to press students to connect their predictions to people’s everyday experiences rather than abstract ideas about war.

Then, support students in noticing similarities and differences across their predictions. Ask: Which predictions focus on work or jobs? Which ones focus on family life or emotions? and Where do you see predictions that suggest people in the North might not all feel the same way? Highlight that students are already identifying multiple experiences and perspectives. Reinforce that these predictions show the Civil War likely affected Northern life in varied and sometimes conflicting ways, setting up the focus on examining evidence about life, work, and attitudes in the North during the war.

In this experience, you will learn how the Civil War shaped life in the North by examining how civilians responded to the conflict through their work, their choices, and their views about the war.

Objectives:

Identify ways the Civil War reshaped daily life and work for civilians in the North
Explain how the Civil War impacted the economy, political actions, and public opinion in the North

When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.

Impacts of the War in the North