Civil War Medicine - Fact or Fiction?
Leveraging a KWL chart, this lesson activates students' prior knowledge of Civil War medicine before delving into the history of Fort Lamar. Through analysis of primary and fictional sources, students will critically evaluate historical myths surrounding Civil War medical practices.
Lesson Created By: MegGaillard
Lesson Partners: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Essential Question
How can historical myths about Civil War medicine obscure the realities faced by soldiers and medical personnel?
Grade(s):
- 8
Subject(s):
Recommended Technology:
Other Instructional Materials or Notes:
- K.W.L. Chart
- “Fictional vs. Informational Texts” handout with reading excerpts
- Optional: Other Historical Fiction & Nonfiction reading examples
Lesson Progression
- Distribute copies of the K.W.L. Chart. (linked in the resources tab). Tell your students they will be learning about medicine in the Civil War.
- Ask them to write what they know about Civil War medicine in the “K” column and what they want to know about Civil War medicine in the “W” column. Either draw a large K.W.L. chart on the board or use a projector to display a “master” K.W.L. chart. Ask the students to share some of their answers with the class and record these answers in the appropriate column.
- Tell the students they will also be learning about Fort Lamar. Give a brief overview of Fort Lamar and the Battle of Secessionville. Reference the historical background information linked in the resources tab.
- Show the Fort Lamar documentary film (linked in the resources tab).
- Review key historical events that took place on and/or near the Fort Lamar Heritage Preserve.
- Next, distribute the “Fictional vs. Informational Texts” handout. Have the students read the three excerpts and list any facts, claims, or observations the excerpt makes about medicine or medical practices in the Civil War. The fictional account comes from Gone with the Wind, while the two informational documents come from a memoir written by a nurse in Columbia, S.C., and from a letter written by a Union soldier stationed in Beaufort who later fought at the Battle of Secessionville. Note: alternative text examples may be used depending on grade level and/or subject.
- Ask the students to share their thoughts on the excerpts, including any similarities and differences between the three.
- Have the students consider and answer the following questions:
a. What is a myth about medicine in the Civil War?
b. What is one medical fact we know and practice today that wasn’t known or used during the Civil War?
c. How do myths become accepted as facts in our society?
d. After comparing informational to fictional texts, what is the role of historical fiction? - Finish the lesson by having the students fill out the “L” column of their K.W.L. chart. Have your students share what they learned and use these answers to fill out the class K.W.L. chart on the board or projector.
- To continue this lesson plan for upper level classes, students can write a short paper and create a class presentation on a historical fiction novel of their choice and corresponding primary documents. Students should use their paper and presentation to compare their novel to historical documents/accounts, and assess the novel’s accuracy and utility for teaching history.
Teacher Notes
extension: Have students choose a specific medical practice from the Civil War era (e.g., amputations, anesthesia, wound care) and research its effectiveness compared to modern medicine. Students can create a presentation or paper comparing and contrasting the historical practice with its contemporary counterpart, analyzing its impact on soldier survival rates and potential long-term health effects.
differentiation: Provide a pre-populated "K" section for the KWL chart with basic facts about Civil War medicine (e.g., limited antibiotics, reliance on amputations). Students can then focus on adding their existing knowledge and using the "W" section to identify areas of interest. This scaffolding will help guide their learning and ensure they have a foundation before analyzing the sources.
Fort Lamar History + Medicine & Disease in the Civil War
Reference this background information for the whole group discussion during the lesson.
View ResourceThe Planter at the Gate
June, 1862. Capturing Charleston, the gateway to the South, would cripple the Confederacy. Impatient with their Naval blockade of the Holy City, the Union Army decided to go for the back door. One man, Thomas Gresham Lamar, held the keys.
View ResourceStandards
- 8.3.CE Examine consequences of the major Civil War military strategies.
- This indicator was designed to encourage inquiry into the Civil War focusing on the impacts of military strategies and major turning points on South Carolina and the U.S.
- 8.3.CC Analyze debates and efforts to recognize the natural rights of marginalized groups during the period of expansion and sectionalism.
- This indicator was designed to encourage inquiry into the continuities and changes of the experiences of marginalized groups such as African Americans, Native Americans and women, as the U.S. expanded westward and grappled with the development of new states.
- 8.3.E Utilize a variety of primary and secondary sources to analyze multiple perspectives on the effects of the Civil War within South Carolina and the United States.
Assessments
Use the KWL chart linked in the resources tab to assess student learning outcomes.
