The Role of African-American Soldiers in the Civil War (1861-1865)

Ulysses R. Winn, Ph.D.

Contents of the Curriculum Unit
            Overview
            Rationale
            Objectives
            Strategies
           Lesson1-The Civil War - The Divided Nation (The Way We Saw It)
            Lesson 2- Warriors and Warfare
            Lesson 3- Behind the Lines
            Lesson 4- The Bitter End
            Lesson 5- African- American Heroes of the Civil War
            Teacher Bibliography
            Student Bibliography
            Appendix A- Content Standards
            Appendix B- General Scoring Rubric (Writing)
            Appendix C- Accountable Talk Rubric

Overview  

As a result of participation in the Pittsburgh Teachers Institute seminar, “A Survey of African-American History by Way of African-American Literature and Art,” this unit of curriculum, entitled “The Role of African-American Soldiers in the Civil War (1861-1865),” will take an in-depth look at the United States Army’s training and educational system as it evolves into the 21^st century.  Primarily, the emphasis of this unit will be an in-depth look at the African American Soldier as he participated in the Civil War. 

The military heritage of Black Americans is as long as the history of a Black presence in North America. From the first recorded visit of a Black to what is now the United States in 1528, blacks, slave and non-slave have participated in military or quasi- military actions. Such participation has not received extensive coverage in general history books, nor was such participation undertaken without difficulty. White Americans have been ambivalent over the years about Black participation in military organizations and in most instances have encouraged or allowed blacks in military activities only when forced by circumstances to do so (DOD 11). 

 The freedoms we enjoy today are only possible because of the sacrifices of the soldiers who have served this great Nation in war at various times for over 300 years.  

Since 1641 there has never been a time in this country when African-Americans were unwilling to serve and sacrifice for America. (Powell 7). 

“Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters, U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pockets, and there is no power on earth on earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship in the United States.” ¾(Douglas 1 htl)   

These words spoken by Frederick Douglas moved many African Americans to enlist in the Union Army and fight for their freedom. With President Abraham Lincoln’s issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, the Civil War became a war to save the union and to abolish slavery. Approximately 180,000 African American’s comprising 163 units served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and many more African Americans served in the Union Navy. Both free African Americans and runaway slaves joined the fight. Many blacks were cited for bravery and acts of valor during the Civil War. The names of William Carney, Robert Smalls, John Lawson, Harriet Tubman, and Susan King Taylor are but a few who forever will be associated with the black America’s service to this nation during the Civil War. 

Rationale: 

No event in the story of the Negro in the New World is more important than the American Civil War, but slavery was not the only struggle. Some historians insist it was not even the only cause. (Bontemps 155) Many prefer to think that the belief in States’ rights, as opposed to the doctrine that favored a strong Federal government, split the country. Others point out that the plantation of the South, an agrarian economy, had found a strong rival in the new industrial life of the North.  

The leadership of both sides in the Civil War never expected the war to last for four years. As the war dragged on and took its toll, abolitionists and others urged President Lincoln to enlist Afro-Americans. The story of the Civil War is history at a high point of drama, intensity and importance.  It was a turning point for the nation. It was every bit as significant as the American Revolution. Some say the Civil War has never been completed.  For four years, this bloody conflict divided regions, communities, even families.  It dominated every aspect of life, and its impact has lingered for many decades. In fact, we still live in the aftermath.

The key issue at the heart of the conflict was slavery.  The nation paid a heavy price for the great flaws in its republican creed and institutions.  In the midst of the struggle, Lincoln summed it up best.  In his second Inaugural Address, he told the nation:

“Fondly do we hope-fervently do we pray that this mighty scourge of war may pass away. Yet if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man’s two hundred-and-fifty years of unrequited toll shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn by the lash shall be paid with another drawn by the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said ‘the judgement of the Lord are true and righteous altogether” (Minds Parks 2).           

The focus of the JROTC program is reflected in its mission Statement:  “To motivate young people to be better citizens.”  It prepares high school students for responsible leadership roles while making them aware of their rights, responsibilities and privileges as American citizens. 

Each culture has its own set of values, ideas or beliefs about which members of the group feel strongly enough to act on and live by that belief. These values are expressed in a number of different ways and forms, such as language, religion, history, the arts, and in a variety of other customs and traditions.  These are most frequently learned and passed down from generation to generation. We live in a nation which is made up of many cultures and it is, in fact, this multicultural and multiracial aspect which requires each citizen to learn and understand, values, respect, and appreciate diversity. 

Leaders must be able to assist persons in understanding and dealing practically with present thinking, deciding, feeling and action behaviors.  Persons are free agents, each in control of his/her own destiny.  A leader must also understand biases, i.e. an opinion or set idea about someone or something, whether positive or negative.  Young leaders must get to know each other and build relationships. From a military perspective, when we think of a leader, we think of someone who is in charge, someone with authority. However, to be an effective leader, one must possess certain traits and abide by certain principles. Militarily, leadership is the process of influencing others to accomplish a mission. The leadership skills you use are the same whether in the National Honor Society, a classroom, your neighborhood, church, home or JROTC.  

To be a good leader you must provide the team with a purpose, direction and motivation. Purpose helps the group understand why the project or task is performed. Direction shows what must be done and motivation gives the group the desire to do everything it is capable of doing to accomplish the mission. 

There are three basic styles of leadership in the army: directing, participating and delegating. Leaders use the directing leadership style when they tell subordinates what they want done and how they want it done, without getting advice or ideas. This style is clearly appropriate in many situations. When time is short and you know what needs to be done and how to do it, this style is the best way to accomplish the mission. 

The participating style is used when leaders consult with one or more subordinates and ask for their opinions in determining what to do and how to do it. Although the leaders ask for information and recommendations, they are the ones who make the final decisions. 

Leaders use the delegating style when they delegate decision-making authority to a subordinate or to a group of subordinates. This style is appropriate when certain essential subordinates are able to determine what needs to be done and how to do it.  

As leaders, there are several guidelines that will greatly assist a leader as he/she exercises his/her leadership style: 

1.      You must be resourceful in proposing new problems, applying principles and making suggestions

2.      You must demonstrate initiative in promoting school activities

3.      You must exercise positive influence on peers in upholding school ideas

4.      You must contribute ideas that improve the civic life of the school

5.      You must inspire positive behavior in others

6.      You must demonstrate academic initiative

7.      You must be the forerunner in the classroom, at work, and in the school or community

Finally, from the military perspective, to be a good leader, you must have an honest understanding of who you are, what you know, and what you can do. You need to know your strengths, weaknesses and limitations so you can control and discipline yourself to lead effectively.  

From the civilian perspective, leadership according to Bass (19) may be defined as exerting influence to help a group achieve a goal. He asserts, that influence is the ability to bring about changes in attitudes and actions of others. He further states that in the context of a task or problem solving discussion, this element of leadership means accomplishing the task or arriving at a solution that tests out to be the best solution available at that time. 

Leadership traits are essential in civilian society as well as the military because these leadership traits are individual characteristics that predict an individual’s success as a leader. Studies conducted over the years seem to show that the individual traits of ability, sociability, motivation, and communication skills are related to effective leadership. Marvin Shaw, a leading researcher in group studies, found that in the area of ability, leaders exceed average group members in intelligence, scholarship, insight, and verbal facility; with regard to sociability, leaders exceed group members in such things as dependability, activity, cooperativeness, and popularity, regarding motivation, leaders exceed group members in initiative, persistence, and enthusiasm; finally, leaders exceed group members in various communication skills. 

 Every group needs leadership. Whether or not a leader has been appointed (military) or elected (civilian), informal leaders often emerge from the ranks of the group on the strength of their leadership traits and skills. Although there is no one “right” way to lead, different group situations often require different leadership styles. Leadership styles are patterns of behavior adopted by group leaders. Most recent studies look at leadership styles as either task- oriented (sometimes called authoritarian) or person- oriented (sometimes called democratic).

Pioneer work by (White and Lippit 334) suggests the following advantages and disadvantages of each style: 

1. More work is done under a task- oriented leader than under a person-oriented leader.
2. The least amount of work is done when no leadership exists.
3. Motivation and originality are greater under a person-oriented leader.
4. Task-oriented leadership may create discontent or result in less individual creativity.
5. More friendliness is shown in person-oriented groups.

Finally, research by Fred Fiedler suggests that whether a particular style of leadership is successful depends on the situation: 

1. How good are the leader’s interpersonal relations with the group?
2. How clearly defined are the goals and tasks of the group?
3. To what degree does the group accept the leader as having legitimate authority to lead?

This curriculum unit will address all of the above leadership styles as to be them evident during the Civil War?

 “My job is to make your job easier. When you come to me, you’re saying you’re ready to make a commitment. You’re ready to put it all on the line to defend this country, so I train you. I teach you to be a soldier and I instill good discipline. Develop good discipline and initiative. Build your faith and trust in the chain of command. Set realistic objectives, allow you to grow and encourage you to learn from mistakes. My job being a leader is to make you job of becoming a leader easier.” 

The above quote was made in 1985 by the U.S. Army to promote their theme of The Year of Leadership. 

This seminar affords me the opportunity to write curricula that conveys to my students the idea that this same theme was present when African-American served faithfully during the Civil War.  This curriculum will be based on the premise that we must recognize basic human needs, as well as develop attitudes and behaviors that can positively influence prejudice and discrimination, even in its most subtle forms.  Students will learn to think carefully about their actions and analyze the outcome of the Civil War and how it affects them today.           

I concur with (Jones 533), Prejudice and Racism, when he supports Linville (1985), Thickett, Watts, Birman(1994) and others in that, collectively, our society benefits from diversity, because negative events or ill-advised courses of action can be corrected by the diversity of reactions and influences.  For that reason, this unit will focus primarily on the “Role of the African-American Soldier,” their values, as I attempt to demonstrate the positive aspects of their heroic past while motivating the JROTC students to become better citizens through learning about these unsung heroes. 

The value of Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) has been debated since its inception in 1916. Congress established JROTC in 1916 with the broad mandate to develop good citizenship and responsibility in young people. The movement to organize for youth development is very clear. Examples abound: The National Guard Youth Challenge Program, America’s Promise, STARBASE (Scientific and Technology Academics Reinforcement Basic Aviation and Space Exploration Program). The list has grown steadily and rapidly. In one way or another, these organizations all seek to channel the latent energies of our youth away from   “hanging out,” as individuals or in gangs, and toward realizing their potential for self- improvement and service to others in higher causes directed to the welfare of their communities and their nation. The oldest and largest public enterprise for youth development is JROTC. 

The future of our nation resides in young people. Youth development has a long history as a community activity in the United States, and many organizations, including JROTC, exemplify that spirit. Yet it is clear that a large number of our youth face significant challenges that can lead to serious legal, social, financial, educational, emotional, and health problems. Although it is not specifically the mission of JROTC to concentrate on the most troubled of our youth, it is helpful to view the program in the context of the overall federal government approach to youth development, which does involve a great effort at supporting youth classified as at- risk. A view of previous research yielded several studies (ranging from local school systems to the nation) suggesting that students benefited from involvement in JROTC. 

·        Disciplinary infractions: 5.18 percent of JROTC members V.S. 13.94 percent of the overall school population;

·        Attendance: 84.2 percent V.S. 74 percent;

·        Graduation: 94 percent V.S. 89.4 percent.

Army cadets perform better than the overall school population in every area that is routinely measured by educators, including academic performance: grade point average (GPA) 2.68 V.S. 2.57; scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) 901.2 V.S. 865; American College Test (ACT) 25.24 V.S. 24. Overall findings are that JROTC indeed is beneficial to communities. It strengthens our youth, our communities, and our nation. JROTC seeks to nurture individuals in the service of a common cause.  

JROTC is an elective course taught at George Westinghouse High School (GWHS) since 1994.  Classroom instruction is combined with extra-curricular activities.  Goals include enhancing awareness of rights, responsibilities, and privileges of citizenship. The JROTC Program (course) at GWHS is open to all students in grades nine through twelve.  However, this curriculum will be taught to the incoming ninth grade classes and select sophomores, juniors and seniors. 

This curriculum is appropriate in an inner-city school that suffers from all the problems associated with today’s inner-cities, i.e. a high incidence of violent crime and housing violations, single parent families, a large percentage of student absenteeism and dropouts. Although the background history of the students is rich and diverse, it appears to be a mind set that many of the students are limited in their scholastic abilities. These students possess the abilities to become positive and very strong students and subsequent leaders in their school, community, and the nation as a whole. 

Objectives: 

The overall objective of this curriculum unit is to take an in depth look at the African American soldier as he participated in the Civil War. The objectives include content standards of reading, writing, speaking and listening as well as citizenship.

Upon completion of this unit Cadets will be able to: 

1. Describe the contributions of African-Americans to the Civil War.
2. Develop leadership potential with the ability to live and work with others.
3. Gain an appreciation of the United States as a multicultural nation.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of how the North and South differed and how politics and ideologies led to the Civil War by explaining the causes of the Civil War and evaluating the importance of slavery as a principal cause of the conflict.
5. Evaluate how political, military, and diplomatic leadership affected the outcome of the war. (Assess the importance of the individual in history)
6. Demonstrate understanding of how the resources of the Union and the Confederacy affected the course of the war by evaluating provisions of the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln’s reasons for issuing it, and its significance. (Examine the influence of ideas).
7. Demonstrate understanding of the social experience of the war on the battlefield and home front by comparing the motives for fighting and the daily life experiences of Confederates with those of white and African-American Union soldiers. (Evidence historical perspectives)

Strategies: 

Public schools in the United States have become increasingly diverse in recent years. Students of color –Native Americans, African-Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos—are now the majority in 23 of the 25 largest school districts in the country. This diversity has led to a movement to modify curriculum and teaching methods that may not have been adequately addressing the needs of these students. This movement advocates a new approach to teaching called multicultural education. 

At the same time, there has been a change in approaches to the study of history, with a shift from an exclusive focus on the powerful to a focus on all groups who have contributed to historical events. In the study of U.S. history in particular, there has been a growing consensus that the achievements of many groups have been long neglected. 

In JROTC it is essential that the classroom have a positive environment where in students feel comfortable, relaxed and welcome. Banners, pictures, posters and identity cards about the Civil War are displayed on the wall (“The Wall of Learning), and are changed regularly. 

Some other selected strategies that will be used to teach the unit on African- Americans Role in the Civil War will be the Integrative Learning Teaching Strategies by Dr. Laurence D. Martel 1-7. JROTC instructors in basically all JROTC programs around the world use these strategies. They are: 

1. The Good and New – Using the process of good and new provides an excellent opportunity to set a tone of positive thinking for the rest of the day. This enhances opportunity for productive experiences. Emphasizing the good in our lives reduces stress and allows our energy to focus on finding solutions to problems or completing tasks. The good and new may be seen as a therapeutic cleansing or stabilizing strategy. It provides an avenue to give oneself recognition for having provided something positive for oneself and for others. The idea of expressing something that has happened to you may start out as a simple act, but when you are talking about it to someone else, it can take on a more meaningful aspect.

Objective: The cadets will be able to demonstrate their feelings about something good and new that happened to them recently. The purpose is for cadets in a group to feel good about themselves. 

2. The Go-Around – In this process Cadets sit in a circle. The allotted time is divided equally among them, with a share of time left for coming to a consensus if necessary. Cadets may speak at random, but no one is to speak four times until each has spoken twice. A cadet does not need to speak, and may use his/her time for silence should he/she desire. Strengths: This technique encourages participation of all cadets by giving them their own uninterrupted time slot. It promotes active participation. It can be used with the good and new and the self-estimation.

Objective: The purpose of the go-around is to enable each cadet in the group to speak and express his or her own opinion without interruption from other cadets in the group. 

3. Think and Listen- Since the solutions to many of our problems are already within us, the think and listen gives us a chance to examine various possible answers. For this activity you will need a partner. One cadet assumes the role of the speaker and the other the role of the listener. The first speaker may express any feeling that he or she may care to share about anything. The first speaker talks for no longer than a previously set period of time. At the end of the preset time period, the partners will switch roles, and the second speaker will begin speaking.

Objective: To sharpen listening skills while allowing cadets to express verbally.  

Leadership will be approached from “A Situational Leadership Model” compiled by Colonel Donald E. Waddell III. In this model, James L. Stokesbury states “Leadership remains the most baffling of arts… as long as we do not know exactly what makes men get up out of a hole in the ground and go forward in the face of death at a word from another man, then leadership will remain one of the highest and most elusive of qualities. It will remain an art.”  The art of leadership that Stokesbury alludes to is a subject studied more seriously in military schools than in civilian institutions. 

As a backdrop, the evolution of leadership theory in this century will be reviewed and compared. Almost all leadership theory is based on relative importance assigned to the leader versus the follower in mission accomplishment. Those who believe that leaders are sufficiently enlightened or heroic (to use Morris Janowitz’s term) must cite examples of bold leaders such as Napoleon, Alexander, and Frederick the Great, who favored the authoritarian model of leadership. Hersey and Blanchard conclude that no one theory of leadership is wholly correct and therefore developed the situational leadership model. This model holds that the leadership style used depends primarily on the maturity of the follower. 

Students will think logically and communicate effectively in reading, writing, listening, and speaking activities that will include briefings, researching and reporting.  

Cooperative learning situations will be created within the classroom through which students will participate in discussion, collaboration, problem solving. Each group will have a recorder, time- keeper, and group leader.  

The display of leadership evolves through leadership labs. This will give the cadets the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency as a drill participant and/or drill leader during drill (with or without arms), inspections, and/or ceremonies and to demonstrate leadership potential in an assigned command or staff position within the cadet battalion. 

Self-esteem and winning behavioral concepts of the students’ development as leaders will be observed and accessed. The instructor and cadets will articulate and summarize the different ways their unique personalities, strengths and positive attributes were “played out” in class activities.

Classroom Activities: 

 Week 1 

 “The Divided Nation”

a.       Time: 120 minutes

b.       Objectives

1.      Cadets will better understand how Americans experienced the break-up of the nation in 1861.

      2.  Cadets will better appreciate how hard it is for people to act in the face of uncertain               knowledge of the future.

c.       Competencies will be acquired that facilitate academics:

Recognize (apply) communication skills

Apply note taking, study habits, and test taking procedures

d.               Discuss illustrations (Divided Nations, pages 5-7)

e.              Do follow-up reading and writing activities

WEEK 2 

“Behind the Lines”

a.     Time:  120 Minutes

b.    Objective: Cadets will better understand some of the many economic, social and political factors behind the line of battle that influenced the course of the war and its ultimate outcome.

c.     Competencies: Develop Double T –Chart (Before, During, and                                     After)

d.      Discuss illustrations (Divided Nations, pages 12-15)

e.      Do follow-up reading and writing activities

WEEK 3 

“Warriors and Warfare”

1. Time: 120 minutes
2. Objective: Cadets will better understand some of the key characteristics of warfare during the Civil War.
3. Competencies:
• Illustrate the responsibilities of a good leader
• Examine the importance of self-image and self-awareness

WEEK 4 

“The Bitter End”

1. Time:  120 minutes
2. Objective: Cadets will appreciate the enormous price paid by the nation in the Civil War.
3. Cadets will better understand why the Civil War’s impact was felt for such a long time.
4. Competencies:
• Discuss illustrations (Divided Nations, pages 16-19)
• Do follow-up activities (Role playing various characters/soldiers in the Civil War)

WEEK 5

“African-American Heroes of the Civil War”

1. Time:  225 minutes
2. Objectives:  Cadets will describe the contributions of African-Americans to the Civil War.
3. Cadets will select and organize information from written sources
4. Read and interpret maps
5. Competency:
• Cadets will work independently to complete a journal on the Civil War.

Teacher Bibliography 

Army JROTC, Leadership, Education and Training. Introduction to JROTC: A character and Leadership Development Program, Headquarters U.S. Army Cadet Command, Monroe, VA. 2001, draft. 

Asante, Molefi Kete, Dr., African American History: A Journey of Liberation, The Peoples Public Group, Inc. Second Edition, Saddle Brook, NJ 2002. This book reflects the collective struggle of African people for development and then because of colonization and enslavement, for liberation and reconstruction. 

Banks, James. Multicultural Education: Theory and Practice, 3^rd edition. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1994. 

Bass, Bernard M, Bass and Stogdill’s Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research and Managerial Applications, 3^rd ed.; New York; Free Press, 1990 

Berry, Mary F. “Negro Troops in Blue and Gray: The Louisiana Native Guards, 1861-1863,” in The Day of Jubilee. Nieman, Donald (ed.). New York: Garland Publishing. 1994 pp.23-48 

Black Americans in Defense of Our Nation. Washington, D .C.: Supt. Of Docs, U.S. G. P.O., 1985. A pictorial documentary of the black American male and female participation and involvement in the military affairs of the United States of America. 

Bontemps, Arna, The Story of the Negro, 4^th Edition, New York: Alfred a. Knopf, 1955. This book gives an account of the history of the Negro with dignity as they fight for freedom.

Colonel Donald E. Wadell III, A Situational Leadership Model For Military Leaders, http://www. Airpower.Maxwell.ar.mn/airchronices/apj/apj94/wadell.ntmi. 

Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense in Equal Opportunity and Safety Policy; Black Americans in Defense of Our Nation, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1985. This updated version of Black Americans in Defense of our Nation serves to remind all Americans of the diversity and richness of our military heritage. 

Feidler, Fred E., A Theory of Leadership Effectiveness; New York: McGraw Hill, 1967 

Garrison, Webb, Civil War Curiosities: Strange Stories, Oddities Events and Coincidences; Tennessee: Rutledge Hill Press, 1994. Civil War Curiosities uncovers those unusual persons, attitudes, and events that take you beyond a textbook understanding of the Civil War. A collection of fascinating anecdotes and colorful stories. 

Garrison, Webb, More Civil War Curiosities: Fascinating tales, infamous characters, and strange coincidences; Tennessee: Rutledge Hill Press, 1995. This book contains strange but true stories from the four-year conflict that raged across a one thousand mile battlefront with more than three million men in uniform. Anything could and often did happen. 

Jones, James M., Prejudice and Racism, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill, 1997. This book is organized in three parts. Part one is a historical review and analysis, included on the premise that the problems of race relations cannot be understood without some understanding of events and their consequences that went before. Part two summarized the breadth of research and theorizing on the psychology of prejudice and Part three is a discussion of racism, making the point that racism is multicultural, historically derived, and culturally embedded. 

Low, Augustus W. and Clift Virgil A., Encyclopedia of Black America; New York; McGraw Hill, 1981. This book depicts the Black American who has endured burdens and this book gives tribute to their moral stamina and courage. In addition, this book recounts their significant achievements despite the adversity as shown and discussed in this volume. 

Maxwell, John C., The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork; Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2002. An excellent learning experience where in the author shares the vital principles of team building that are necessary for success in your business, family, church, or organizations. (Two Audio Tapes) 

Mindsparks, The Way we saw it. The Civil War, an Illustration and Art, A teacher’s resource booklet; Highsmith Inc, 1998. This booklet is divided into four lessons, with three illustrations per lesson. 

Morris Janowitz, The Professional Soldier: A Social and Political Portrait; New York: Free Press, 1964 

Paul Hersey & Kenneth H. Blanchard, Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources, Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1982, 86 

Quarles, Benjamin. The Negro in the Civil War. New York: Da Capo Press, Inc. 1953

This book depicts the active participation of black Americans in their own emancipation. 

Ralph White & Ronald Lippitt, “Leader Behavior and Member Reaction in Three ‘Social Climates’” in Dorwin Cartwright and Alvin Zander, Eds. Group Dynamics, 3^rd ed.; New York: Harper and Row, 1968 

Rudolph P. Verderber, The Challenge of Effective Speaking, 11^th ed.; Wadsworth and Thomas Learning, 2000. Students of the 21^st century are challenged by the diversity of media available to them in preparing for and giving speeches and the diversity of audience needs. 

Shaw, Marvin E, Group Dynamics: The Psychology of Small Group Behavior, 3^rd ed.; New York: McGraw-Hill, 1981 

Trickett, E. J., Watts, R. & Birman, D. (Eds.), Human Diversity; San Franciso: Jossey-Bass, 1994 

U.S. Army Cadet Command, “Army Junior ROTC. (JROTC) Fact Sheet”; ATCC-HS/4306, May 19, 1998 

U.S.Army ROTC, Cadet Command, “Leadership Education and Training”, Program of Instruction, No. 145-4, 1999

Walbridge, Mike. African- American Heroes of the Civil War, Portland, Maine: J. Weston Walsh, Publisher, 2000. A comprehensive book written specifically for teachers about the role of African Americans in the bloodiest conflict ever to take place on U.S. soil.

Student Bibliography 

The books listed below are recommended Trade Books for young students. They were found on www.smplanet.com/civilwar/civilwar.html 

Bateman, Robert L. III, Digital War, A View from the Front Lines, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 

Beatty, Patricia, Charley Skedaddle , Morrow, 1987. Charley Quinn, a former member of the New York City street gang the Bowery Boys, is determined to avenge the death of his older brother at the Battle of Gettysburg. At age twelve Charley is too young to enlist as a soldier in the Union Army, sneaks onto a troop ship and becomes a drummer boy. 

Beatty Patricia and Robbins Phillip, Morrow, 1990. Eben Tyne, Powdermonkey, Based on a crucial naval battle that happened in 1862, this book tells the story of Eben Tyne, age thirteen, a powder carrier aboard the Confederate vessel the Merrimack. 

Beatty, Patricia, Jayhawker, Morrow, 1991. At age twelve, Elijah Tulley has an experience that he will never forget. Radical abolitionist John Brown visits his home and blesses him and his sisters. Lije is forever committed to abolishing slavery, and he becomes even more passionate about the cause when his father is killed while attempting to free some slaves from a Missouri plantation.

Beatty, Patricia, Turn Homeward, Hannalee, Morrow, 1984. Twelve-year-old Hannalee Reed works in a Georgia textile mill. When General Sherman's troops pass through her town, they burn the mill, round up all the mill workers, and send them to work in the North. John Brick, Richmond Raid (Civil War) Publisher: Doubleday, 1963

Freedman Russell, Lincoln: A Photo biography, Clarion Books, 1987. This is a detailed and balanced account of the life and career of Abraham Lincoln. Illustrated with a wealth of photographs and prints, the biography gives readers a close look at the complex and fascinating man who led the nation through one of its darkest hours.

Lincoln Collier, James and Collier Christopher, With Every Drop of Blood, Delacorte Press, 1994. Fourteen-year-old Johnny promised his dying father that he would not go off to fight for the South but instead stay to take care of his family.

Hunt Irene, Across Five Aprils, Follett, 1964. Nine-year-old Jethro, who lives in southern Illinois, has an idealized view of war based on stories from history books about dramatic battles and their glorious heroes. When the Civil War breaks out, however, painfully dividing his family as it divides north and south.

Malone, Colonel Dandridge M. Mike, Small Unit Leadership, A Commonsense Approach, Presidio Press, 1983. This book vividly describes what it takes to get a job done. It discusses the confidence that an individual must do to get the job done.

McCurdy, Michael, Escape from Slavery: The Boyhood of Frederick Douglass in His Own Words, Alfred A. Knopf, 1994. Skillfully selected excerpts from Frederick Douglass's autobiography paint a vivid portrait of the great abolitionist.

McKissack, Patricia and Fred, The Story of Booker T. Washington, Children’s Press, 1991. This book provides a brief overview of the life of Booker T. Washington, with many photographs and other illustrations.

Murphy, Jim, The Boys' War, Clarion Books, 1990. Many of the soldiers who fought on both sides of the war were not men but children. Jim Murphy's book is an account of the war from the perspective of these young soldiers.

Reeder, Carolyn, Shades of Gray, Macmillan, 1989. The war has left twelve-year-old Will Page without any immediate family: his father and brother were killed by the Yankees; his sisters died of an epidemic spread from a Union encampment near his Virginia home; and his mother died of grief over these losses.

Ruggero, Ed, Duty First: West Point and the Making of American Leaders, West Point, New York, 1998

Shaara, Michael, The Killer Angels (Civil War) Publisher: Ballantine Books, 1992

Taylor, M. W., Harriet Tubman, Chelsea House Publishers, 1991. Part of the Black Americans of Achievement series, this biography tells the incredible life story of the architect of the Underground Railroad, which helped hundreds of slaves make their way to freedom.

 Von Clausewitz, On War, edited by Howard. Princeton, 1989. This classic work on the fundamentals of war and its political aspects remains unfinished. Clausewitz's wife Marie had her husband's manuscript published in 1832--as "Vom Kriege"--a year after his death.

Washington, Booker T., Up from Slavery, Doubleday, 1963. The great political activist and educator tells the story of his life in his own words. Washington was born into slavery and freed under the Emancipation Proclamation, after which he devoted his life to helping African Americans make a place for themselves in the economy and society of the United States. 

Warner, E.J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. 

Warner, E.J. Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. 

Weller, J. "Independent command: a study of the leadership of General Francis Marion." Armor, 1959, 68, 22-24. 

Whitney, C. MacArthur: His Rendezvous with History. New York: Knopf, 1956 

Films

Glory- The story of the first black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War. This Academy- award winning film tells the story of the 54^th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first unit of African American soldiers to fight for the Union cause.

Royal Federal Blues- The story of the African American Civil War soldier, 1991

Proudly We Hail- A historical review of the major American Wars.

Websites

www.usd.305.com/stewart/teachers/Caywood/history of Africa-Americas in htm

www.rockingham.k12.va.us/EMS/civilwar/civilwar.html

www.civilwar.com

www.smplanet.com/civilwar/civilwar.html

Appendix A 

Pittsburgh Public Schools Content Standards 

NOTE: JROTC is competency based for the most part, however, JROTC does address the content standards adopted by the Pittsburgh Board of Education in 1994. It should also be noted classes taught in JROTC are measured by Army standards too.  

1.      Family and consumer Sciences: 

All students demonstrate a basic understanding of life stages and their interdependence.

2. Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening:

All students use effective research and information management skills, including locating primary and secondary sources of information with traditional and emerging library technologies.           

All students read and use a variety of methods to make sense of various kinds of complex texts. 

All students respond orally in writing to information and ideas gained by reading narrative and informational texts and use the information and ideas to make decisions and solve problems. 

All students write for a variety of purposes, including to narrate, inform, and persuade in all subject areas. 

All students analyze and make critical judgments about all forms of communication, separating fact from opinion, recognizing propaganda, stereotypes and statements of bias, recognizing inconsistencies and judging the validity of evidence. 

All students exchange information orally, including understanding and giving spoken instructions asking and answering questions appropriately and promoting effective group communications.  

All students listen to understand complex oral messages and identify their purpose structure and use. 

All students compose and make oral presentations for each academic area of study that is designed to persuade, inform or describe. 

3. Citizenship:

All students demonstrate an understanding of major events, cultures, groups and individuals in the historical development of Pennsylvania, the United States and other nations, and describe the patterns of historical development. 

All students demonstrate understanding of themes and patterns of geography, know the location of major bodies of water, land masses and nations, and describe the relationships to those systems, and compare them to those in other nations. 

All students examine and evaluate problems facing citizens in their communities, state, nation and world by incorporating concepts and methods of inquiry of the various social sciences. 

All students develop and defend a position on current issues, confronting, the United States and other nations conducting research, analyzing alternatives, organizing, evidence and arguments and making oral presentations. 

All students demonstrate their skills of communicating, negotiating and cooperating with others. 

All students demonstrate that they can work effectively with others

All students demonstrate an understanding of the history and nature of prejudice and relate their knowledge to current issues facing communities, the United States and other nations. 

All students demonstrate an understanding of the various roles they can play as citizens through participating in a community service project. 

All students demonstrate the ability to resolve conflicts in peaceful ways, including but not limited to peer mediation, anger management, interpersonal skills and problem solving. 

4. Wellness and Fitness:

All students demonstrate their knowledge of the benefits associated with physical fitness and good personal health habits, including health promotion and disease prevention. 

All students demonstrate individual development in motor fitness and physical fitness including aerobic fitness and skills in lifetime sports and outdoor activities to promote life long physical activity. 

All students demonstrate leadership skills and the ability to work cooperatively in team sports or other developmentally appropriate games. 

5. Career Education and Work:

All students explore the multiple purpose of work and the range of career options, including entrepreneurship, and relate them to their individual interests, aptitudes, skills and values. 

All students assess how changes in society, technology, government and the economy affect individuals and their careers and require them to continue learning. 

All students understand and demonstrate the importance of relating their academic and vocational skills- for example- interviewing, creative thinking, decision making, problem solving, understanding and giving written and oral instructions-to their ability to seek, obtain, maintain and change jobs. 

All students have training and experience for a career through volunteering, internships, shadowing, and/or paid work experience.

Appendix B

Accountable Talk Rubric

Focus/Purpose/Participation                             Dialog/Style/Word Choice

Accomplishment of Task 

Appendix C

General Scoring Rubric (Writing) 

Focus Purpose         Content/Organization          Style/Work Choice 

Accomplishment of the Task