Civil War

[BluegrassMama]

Got any favorite resources that would be good for my boy?

He's 8, he reads at the 10th grade level, he likes to learn on his own and then talk to me about it later (books) or have me set everything up and then leave him to it (hands on stuff).

What have you done that's interesting? He's studied slavery :( as much as he wants to. He's obsessed with Lee and Grant, which will keep him busy for a few days while I think of other angles. He's familiar with the music of the times as I play alot of stuff from that era. We're going to see the Morgan's Raid reenactment in KY, in June.

[arymanth]

If you are going to a Civil War reenactment, be sure to take time to talk to the reenactors... ask lots of questions... that's what they are there for! (I know, I am one! LOL) There should be "encapments" set up that you can wander through and meet the reenactors "doing their thing"... anything from cooking and doing dishes to blacksmiths and tinkers... and of course, the soldiers! It pays to go early and just wander around. Lots of people just show up, watch the battle and leave...but they are missing the best part! :-)

There are lots of kids-level books about the Civil War, but honestly, I don't like many of them. (most are either too vague, or just downright inaccurate... others are too graphic and disturbing for young kids) One that we did enjoy was called "With Every Drop of Blood" by James Lincoln Collier... it's about a 14yo boy in Virginia who is captured by a black Union soldier. It really covers the reasons for the war accurately, but without getting into too much gory detail or being excessively depressing. (We read "Red Cap", another Civil War novel, and I was depressed for a week... it is an excellent story... just a heavy subject.)

You might want to go to the library and check out some books about what life was like for children during the Civil War period... what they wore, what games they played, what they liked to eat. Did you know that little boys wore DRESSES until they were toddlers (potty trained) and then they were "breeched"... they got their first pair of pants or "breeches". In old photos you can tell the difference because the boys always had their hair parted on the side, while girls had theirs invariably parted right down the middle...otherwise they look identical! LOL Clothes for older boys were very similar to what they wear today... a light cotton shirt with long sleeves..even in summer.... wool or heavy cotton (twill) pants... but no zippers, of course... they hadn't been invented yet! They wore suspenders (with buttons, not metal clasps!) to keep their pants up ... and every boy had a vest, and they all wore hats... some sort of like newsboy caps, others wore straw hats. Most would not have worn shoes except for special occasions or during the winter.

Well, that's a little info... hope that gives you some ideas! :grin

Stephanie
Mom to 4 boys and a princess!

[joandsarah77]

Here's a few links. :)

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/civilwar/cwar.htm lots here
http://www.us-civilwar.com/food.htm food
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/civil_war.htm

Hope that helps

Jo

[gracefuljourney]

Here are just a few of the recommendations from Lifetime Books and Gifts. Bob Farrell, who owns lifetime, is an re-enactor (he was even in the movie Gettysburg) so they have tons of resources about the War between the States. You can see the entire listings in their catalog at www.lifetimebooksandgifts.com (http://www.lifetimebooksandgifts.com)

ACROSS FIVE APRILS
Hunt #III-7446 (P) 4.99
This is a Newbery Honor winning
fictional account for older children
and up about a boy growing up
during the span of the War Between
the States. The family is split by the
conflict, follows the news of the battles
with newspapers and maps, and when
all else seems useless, writes to
President Lincoln.

= TWO LITTLE CONFEDERATES
Page #SPK-1209 (H) 14.00
Two Little Confederates ranks as
one of our family’s all time favorite
read aloud experiences. Read aloud to
young children and up, it will hold the
attention of the entire family, and Dad
will probably read ahead! The author
does a masterful job of drawing the
reader into the lives of a plantation
family surrounded by the invading
Army of the Potomac. We learned
what it was like to be a civilian during
the most tragic years of our country’s
history, and laughed and cried more
often than with any other book we
have read. Our highest recommendation!
-Bob

= AMONG THE CAMPS
Page #SPK-1210 (H) 14.95
After reading Two Little Confederates
our family couldn’t wait to read
this wonderful book about family life
as it was experienced during the War
Between the States. The author
provides a compilation of stories that
will touch your whole family (regardless
of your particular political stance.)
We highly recommend this to be read
aloud around the family circle...just
remember to bring lots of tissue to
help dry the eyes!!! - Bob

BEFORE FREEDOM WHEN I JUST
CAN REMEMBER
Hurmence #III-7674 (P) 8.95
During the 1930’s the Federal
Writers’ Project interviewed over two
thousand former slaves, resulting in
more than ten thousand pages of
narrative. Belinda Hurmence has
selected and compiled interviews of 27
former South Carolinian slaves into
this moving and often surprising
book. This is slavery neither from the
Southerners’ point of view nor the
Northerners’, but is out of the mouths
of the slaves themselves.
Most of the people interviewed
described the clothes they wore, the
food they ate, the houses they lived in,
the work they did, and the treatment
they received. I found it interesting
that the “masters” took the slaves with
them to the “white church” on Sundays, and several former slaves spoke
of daily Bible reading at the “missus’
house.”
I encourage reading this aloud
(don’t forget the Southern accent). It’s
a side of slavery that we seldom have
been exposed to. Highly recommended.
Also see My Folks Don’t
Want Me to Talk About Slavery.

BULL RUN
Fleischman #III-7839 (P) 4.95
“In Bull Run Paul Fleischman
creates sixteen characters from all
walks of life and traces their thoughts,
emotions, and experiences, from their
first hopes for a brave, new world
through the brutal reality of war. He
shows us history as lived by its
makers, and lets us look through their
eyes—Northern, Southern, courageous,
and cowardly.” Each character
tells his or her story in a page or so for
older readers and up. A powerful
book!

= IRON SCOUTS OF THE
CONFEDERACY
McGriffon #CLB-1176 (P) 5.95
This is one of Eric’s all-time favorite
books. He’s read it nine times, and has
even read most of it onto tape for his
younger siblings to hear! It “chronicles
the true adventures of two teenage brothers who grew up during the War
Between the States....[They] were faced
with the choice of fighting for the
homeland against overwhelming odds
or sitting out their teen years
as...farmers. [Their] decision...causes
both of them to learn a great deal
about themselves, the faithfulness of
God, and the horrible price that the
sons of the South had to pay to
support their belief in State’s rights.”
This is a tremendous book to read
aloud to young children and above
and for older children to read on their
own. Highly recommended.

KILLER ANGELS
Shaara #III-6539 (P) 7.99
(H) 24.00
This book has been very important
to our family since we read it and
went to Gettysburg, the setting for this
Pulitzer Prize winner. We were so
enthralled with everything about the
battleground that Bob put on his
Confederate uniform, walked around
with Eric and Elizabeth and mentally
relived the battle that went on there
130 years ago. Later I read in the
Reenactor’s Journal that Killer Angels
was to be filmed on site, and encouraged
Bob to participate. What an
experience he had! (The movie was
later renamed Gettysburg, and is
available for sale or rental.)
I am not one for war novels, but
Killer Angels is different. It portrays
the major characters of the Battle of
Gettysburg, and not only explains the
battle vividly, but allows the reader to
understand the true character of the
men involved. Highly recommended
to read aloud to older children. We
read portions aloud to Elizabeth and
Eric at ages nine and six when we
were there. Now, several years later,
they have both read it for themselves.

UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER:
U. S. Grant and the Civil War
Marrin #III-7455 (H) 21.00
Bob says this book is excellent; it
gave him a better understanding of
the character of the man who was
called “The Butcher” by his own men.
It is a picture of how a “reluctant
soldier became the leader who was
able to bring final victory to the Union
after years of bloody, wrenching civil
war. Along the way Albert Marrin
describes how soldiers lived in army
camps...and ...the experience of war...
He re-creates the battles of Grant’s
campaigns and puts them in historical
perspective. He makes it clear to his
readers why both Abraham Lincoln
and the ordinary Yankee soldier were
willing to trust the outcome of the war
and the future of the country to this
unlikely hero.” For junior high and up.

VIRGINIA’S GENERAL: Robert E.
Lee and the Civil War
Marrin #III-7454 (H) O/P
Albert Marrin strikes again! This
time Robert E. Lee is the star of his
show. Because Lee’s father, a hero of
the War for Independence abandoned
his family and left them penniless, and
because his mother was ill, Robert
grew up being in charge of himself. He
went to West Point since it was an
appropriate place for a hero’s son and
it was free. He graduated “without a
single demerit, an Academy record
never equaled. The young officer was
admired for his kindness, generosity,
and courtesy. He disliked slavery and
was opposed to...secession. But his
loyalty of Virginia, and to his friends
and family there convinced him to
join...and he served the Confederacy
with intelligence, skill, and honor.”
Does he sound like a man you want
your sons to emulate? That is one of
the main reasons our family has been
so interested in this period of
history...we want to know the character
of Lee and others who so nobly
stood for what they believed was right
and honored God while doing so.

[BluegrassMama]

:grin thank you very much! helpful stuff :grin

[hearttender4]

I like "If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War" and the Civil War coloring book (from Dover).

[hsgbdmama]

If he is interested in reading fiction, Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara would be a great choice! :tu

Jodi