Few historical periods have been digitized with as much care as the American Civil War era. The extent of access to primary sources and multi-media tools is pretty astounding. Test out your abilities to navigate this new world by taking the webquest challenge below. Give yourself about 10-15 minutes for each of the five searches.
- Find a copy of abolitionist William Still’s obituary in the New York Times
- Identify at least three different historical images of Henry “Box” Brown.
- Who was living in Abraham Lincoln’s Springfield, Illinois household in 1860?
- Find a copy of General Meade’s official description of the fighting on Little Round Top during the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
- Which usage was more common during the Civil War itself: Confederates or Rebels?
There’s no need to submit your work, but be prepared to demonstrate how you found your answers (or try to analyze why you didn’t). Students will be asked to describe their searches and results in class, and, in some cases, will be tasked with demonstrating the search process at the podium.
Answer Key
5. Rebel usage