Reading Civil War Maps
In this lesson, students will explore the Battle of Secessionville through a documentary film and then analyze two historical maps to understand the battle's location, troop positions, and the strategic importance of Fort Lamar. Following discussions and map analysis, students will create their own maps of their local area.
Lesson Created By: MegGaillard
Lesson Partners: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Essential Question
How did the use of maps during the Civil War, like those depicting Fort Lamar and the Charleston Harbor, influence military strategies and tactics?
Grade(s):
- 4
- 8
Subject(s):
Recommended Technology:
Other Instructional Materials or Notes:
Materials:
- “Civil War Map Analysis” Worksheet (questions may be adapted to better suit individual grades or classes)
- “Civil War Maps” Handout (optional – students may study the historical maps online.)
- Art Supplies (pencils, pens, paper, graph paper, markers, rulers, etc.)
Lesson Progression
Lesson
- Give a brief overview of Fort Lamar and the Battle of Secessionville. Reference the historical background information linked in the resources tab. Show your students the short documentary film The Challenge. You can also show the short documentary films The Confrontation, The Battle, and The Swamp Angel.
- Review necessary map skills, depending on grade level and prior class experience with studying maps. Review map vocabulary as necessary.
- Introduce the two maps your students will be using for this lesson:
- Map 1 - “Map of the Defenses of Charleston City and Harbor”, (linked in resources tab)
- Map 2 - “Map of Charleston Harbor with Morris Island and James, Broad, Folly, and Cole’s Islds.: showing the position of the Union and Rebel forts and batteries & November and December 1863”, (linked in resources tab)
- Distribute the “Civil War Map Analysis Worksheet.” (linked in resources tab)
- Have your students look at Map 1, “Map of the Defenses of Charleston City and Harbor”.
- As a class, discuss the contents of this map. Have your students contribute questions and observations, using the questions on the worksheet to guide conversation. Areas for discussion include:
- What do you immediately notice when looking at this map?
- Can you locate important map elements, such as the map’s legend, title, date, scale, coordinates, symbols, etc.?
- What do the red and blue markings mean?
- What was the map’s intended / original purpose? How was this map useful in the Civil War and to whom?
- How easy or difficult is it to read this map?
- Can you locate places mentioned in the documentary, such as Fort Lamar / Secessionville, the Swamp Angel, Fort Wagner, Fort Johnson, Fort Sumter, and Grimball’s plantation? Discuss the locations of these places in relation to each other. Does looking at a map provide a clearer view of the events depicted in the Fort Lamar documentary?
- How might this map be useful to historians and archaeologists today?
- Next, have your students look at Map 2, “Map of Charleston Harbor with Morris Island and James, Broad, Folly, and Cole’s Islands”.
- As a class, discuss the contents of this map. As with Map 1, have your students contribute observations and questions for discussion.
- Compare this map to the previous map. How are they similar? How are they different?
- What information does Map 2 convey that Map 1 does not?
- Can you identify key map elements, such as the map’s legend, title, author, date, scale, symbols, etc.?
- How did the mapmaker for Map 2 use color differently than the mapmaker for Map 1?
- What was this map’s intended / original purpose? How was it useful and to whom?
- Can you find the same locations you found with Map 1 on Map 2?
- Discuss with your students the necessity of accurate maps in the Civil War. How was having an accurate map important for certain weapons or military operations, such as the Swamp Angel?
- Find a detailed view of Charleston on a modern map, like Google Earth. Ask your class to compare how Charleston and its surrounding areas have changed since Map 1 and 2 were created in the 1860s. Zoom in on the locations your students identified on the historical maps (i.e., Fort Lamar, the Swamp Angel, Fort Wagner, etc.). Explore questions such as: Do these structures still exist? How has their surrounding area changed? Charleston has grown a lot since the Civil War. Should we be worried about losing or damaging these historical sites because of residential or business development?
- After your students have completed the worksheet, tell them that they will now be creating a map of their own. Distribute art supplies. Have your students create a map of their local neighborhood, town, community, or area. It is up to the students to determine what characteristics / information they want to represent on their maps. They can create a general reference map or a thematic map. Whatever their decision, a map must contain symbols, a title, a map key, and a scale. When creating their maps, students may use the historical maps used in this lesson as references.
Teacher Notes
It is recommended that students complete this activity in the computer lab, so students can move around the maps and observe details on their own. Alternatively, this lesson can be completed in the classroom by displaying the maps on the board.
differentiation: For struggling students, create a map scavenger hunt specifically for Map 1 ("Map of the Defenses of Charleston City and Harbor"). Provide a list of simplified questions or tasks that guide them to locate key features on the map, such as "Find the red star that marks Fort Sumter" or "Circle all of the blue symbols that represent Union forts."
extension: Challenge advanced students to research a specific aspect of the Battle of Secessionville beyond what was covered in class. This could be the role of a particular military unit, the engineering behind the Swamp Angel mortar, or the experiences of soldiers from a specific background (e.g., Black regiments, Irish immigrants).
Civil War Map Analysis Worksheet
Print a copy for each student. Use to assess student learning outcomes.
View ResourceThe Challenge
The Union Army decides the time is right to move into position on James Island and capture Charleston Harbor.
View ResourceMap 2
Map of Charleston Harbor with Morris Island and James, Broad, Folly, and Cole’s Islds.: showing the position of the Union and Rebel forts and batteries & & November and December 1863
View ResourceStandards
- 4.4.CE Explain the effects of military strategies utilized by the Union and the Confederacy.
- This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into the effects of military strategies to include but not limited to : wartime technologies, the Anaconda Plan, conscription, and Sherman's March to Sea.
- 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.
Assessments
Use the Civil War Map Analysis Worksheet (linked in resources tab) to assess student understanding.
