Civil War

We have completed our study of the Civil War period. Continued below you will find the supplemental material that we covered in class:

•Battle Flags
http://www.oldstatehouse.com/collections/flags/

•Robert E. Lee
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Lee

•Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
http://www.civilwarhome.com/jackbio.htm

•The Black Flag
The Black Flag was flown by certain irregular Confederate Army units to symbolize that they would neither give, nor accept quarter; symbolizing the opposite of the white flag of surrender.

•Dates of Secession
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215469/secession.htm




First Manassas/Bull Run:

http://www.historyanimated.com/BullRunAnimation.html


Birth of the Rebel Yell:


One of the first accounts of the yell was given at the battle of First Battle of Manasses (Bull Run) during then Brig. General Thomas Jonathan Stonewall Jackson's assault at Henry House Hill where the order was given during a bayonet charge to "yell like furies", and was instrumental in routing the Federal forces under General Irvin McDowell back to Washington D.C.



“Then arose that do-or-die expression, that maniacal maelstrom of sound; that penetrating, rasping, shrieking, blood-curdling noise that could be heard for miles and whose volume reached the heavens–such an expression as never yet came from the throats of sane men, but from men whom the seething blast of an imaginary hell would not check while the sound lasted.” -Colonel Keller Anderson of Kentucky's Orphan Brigade



Zouaves


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zouave#Zouaves_of_the_United_States_of_America_and_of_the_Confederate_States


Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain




http://learn.bowdoin.edu/joshua-lawrence-chamberlain/overview/



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Chamberlain





Military Drill (Including moving from Column of Fours to Line of Battle)



http://www.public.asu.edu/~roblewis/ACW/hardee%20toc.htm



Fredericksburg



http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/civilwar/p/fredericksburg.htm



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fredericksburg



Irish Brigade



http://irishvolunteers.tripod.com/irish_brigade_history.htm



http://88ny.net/Battles.htm



http://www.28thmass.org/history.htm



A Civil War Christmas


http://www.awod.com/gallery/probono/cwchas/fredxmas.html




http://www.premiumchristmastree.com/a39/Christmas-During-the-Civil-War/article_info.html





William Pendleton --Artillery Chief of the Army of Northern Virginia



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_N._Pendleton




Civil War Music



http://www.civilwarmusic.net/



Origin of the Term "Dixie" to Describe the South


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_(song)




The Emancipation Proclamation



http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/




Symbolism of the Pineapple



http://www.mindspring.com/~sixcatpack/pineappl.htm



Chancellorsville



http://www.civilwaranimated.com/index.php/chancellorsville-east-35



Gettysburg



http://www.civilwaranimated.com/index.php/gettysburg-east-50

http://www.usa-civil-war.com/Gettysburg/g_view_f.html



Iron Brigade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Brigade


Artillery Drill

http://www.nps.gov/archive/vick/interp/lhcannon.htm

1863-1865 Timeline

http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~eagleton/e-gov/e-politicalarchive-CivilWar2.htm

Test Handed Back and the Civil War

Just a note here as a means of record keeping. We finished going over the test today and we have spent several classes looking at material from the Civil War. I will be putting together a few blog entries concerning this material over the next little while and then we will proceed with a research assignment.

A Test and An Election... Hmmm... Let's Call it Judgement Day!

Hope you enjoyed the test. Now it's time to enjoy the election. Thought you might like the poster, given the title of the blog entry and the tone for today's activities... Even better that the star of the film is none other than the Governator himself. Although I like President George H.W. Bush's nickname for Arnold better -- Conan the Republican.

You can use this blog entry to keep up with the election results tonight. It will be interesting to see if the pollsters and pundits are right. Republicans are poised for a big win in the House and maybe a chance to tighten things up in the Senate. Let's see how it actually turns out. Does President Obama duck under the Republican wave, or does he just become a lame duck?

Here's a few items which will assist you in getting the dirt before it's just old dirt...




6 pm CST



Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia


Indiana and Kentucky need to go for the GOP, if Republicans are going to have any chance to win the Senate.

In the House, watch John Spratt of South Carolina - 14 term Democrat is in a tight race.

Also, watch Ben Chandler, a three term moderate Democrat in Kentucky who could perhaps distance himself from the party leadership and the President. If he goes down, it could be a long night for the Democrats.

In Virginia, Republican Robert Hurt is trying to unseat Democrat Tom Perreillo, a big time liberal and staunch Obama supporter. Perreillo will likely lose, but if he can make it close, maybe the death of the Democrats will be greatly exaggerated.

Also, in Virginia, it will be interesting to see if Democrat Rick Boucher (a member since 1983) and freshman Democrat Jerry Connolly can survive. If so, it will be an important hold for Democrats. If not, it will be a sign that traditionally democratic voters are swinging towards the GOP. This might be the first sign of a landslide rout for Republicans.

6:30 pm CST

Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina

Bottom line - West Virginia is where Democrats can draw a line in the sand over the Senate. If Democrat Joe Manchin (replacing old Robert C. Byrd) wins, Republicans are going to have to probably win two of California, Connecticut, and Washington.

In the House, a loss by Democrat incumbent Nick Joe Rahall is another sign that for Democrats ...

Ohio might be another place for Democratic hope... Republicans look solid to roll in the Senate, but the Governor's race is very tight. This suggests that local politics might be more important to some people than national issues -- and given the mood of the country, that would be good for Democrats.

And check out the Ohio House races ... As ESPN would say... Here they are...By the Numbers...

3 Democrats go down - good night for the GOP
4 Democrats lose - Republicans will be back to where they were in 2002
5 or more Dems fall - there's going to be the sound of champagne popping at GOP headquarters, as that will mean a real sea change

7 pm CST


Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee

Both Dems and the GOP have strong people who will win back their seats in these parts, but here are the game changers...

Illinois, President Obama's old Senate seat may well go Republican, but it will be close. In Connecticut, it looks like Democrats will hold on, but if former WWE CEO Linda McMahon wins for the Republicans, it will be a major upset and the Senate will be in play.

Democrats might actually have a shot to steal one from Republicans in the Illinois House race -- watch the 10th district.

However, most of the attention will be on Florida.

Republicans are gunning for 4 pickups in the House, but if they get more, once again it will be an indication of a landslide.

Western New Hampshire's 2nd district and Massachusetts' 10th district are open seat contests that would also show Republican strength. Longtime Democrat Barney Frank is also in a real fight -- his loss would be devastating to Democrats in what has been a safe seat.

8:00pm CST

Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming

If projections are right, this will be the hour that the networks will declare a Republican majority in the House. If the Senate is still in play by this time, Colorado will become very critical. Watch for this one.

Also in Colorado, the House 7th district will be a thermometer for the rest of the west. If Democrat Ed Perlmutter wins by a wide margin, the Senate race in Colorado could go for the Democrats, but if Republican Ryan Frazier is even close, the Senate seat could go for the GOP.

Another key sign of a Republican landslide in the works would be if New York House seats go their way. Right now the magic number for the GOP is 6 or better.

Minnesota's Democrat James Oberstar will be an interesting person to watch. He has been in Congress for 34 years and has never had anyone really challenge him. If Chip Cravaack is even close for the Republicans, it is another sign of big changes. Should Oberstar win 60% of the vote, it will be business as usual.

9 pm CST

Arizona, Iowa, Montana, Nevada and Utah

Will this hour be witching hour for Harry Reid? The Democratic Majority leader in the Senate is in for a close night, and Republicans would love to send him into retirement. More importantly, this a fight between labor and the Obama folks who have come out strong to save Reid and Republican Sharron Angle, who is a poster child for the Tea Partiers. If Democrats are getting wiped out all over the country and Angle can't get Reid, it will be a blow to the Tea Party movement.

The Nevada 3rd district battle in the House will see Republicans trying to take back what they lost in 2008. Democrat Dina Titus is under pressure from Republican Joe Heck. If Heck looks good, Harry Reid can likely start sharpening his resume.

10 pm CST

California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington

It might be all academic by this time, but either a strong Republican showing or a weak Republican showing nationally would mean good late night tv. On a good night, the Senate might still be up for grabs. On a bad night, control of the House might still be undecided.

California and Washington senate races are in play. Again, a House race will help clear things up. Democrats are vying to take the 8th district from Republican Dave Reichert. But if Reichert wins big, it might mean that those same folks will vote to oust Democratic Senator Patty Murray.

And Senator Barbara Boxer will need a big turnout of minority voters to seal the other Senate seat for California in the Democratic column. A low turnout will hurt her and might mean traditional Democratic voters are staying away, something President Obama has been concerned about.

11 pm CST

Hawaii and Alaska

Aloha, from the Sandman!

If you are still up by this point, go to bed!

The Alaska senate seat might make for some good drama, but you can read about it the next day.

The Test is Coming! The Test is Coming!

Be ready to write on Tuesday,November 2, 2010!!!!

The Crossing

The Crossing is a dramatization of George Washington's brilliant victory at Trenton the day after Christmas in 1776. Had the desperate Continental Army not attempted to surprise the Hessians at Trenton or had the Hessians won the battle, the American Revolution would probably have failed. This engagement, between a little more than 3,000 men, was a turning point in history.

In order to present more history, the screenwriter has changed a number of the details and subsidiary events. However, the The Crossing gets the broad scenario right. It presents the desperate situation of the Continental Army and of the Revolution. It shows Washington's resolve to make a last ditch effort to show that American soldiers could defeat the British Empire's best troops. The movie brings to life the frigid crossing of the river, the miserable march to Trenton, the battle, and the victory. Washington, often seen as distant and aloof, is presented as a human being contending with vastly superior British forces, a crumbling army, and resistance to his leadership from some of his fellow generals.

Details Surrounding the Battle of Trenton

Here are a few supplementary details from The Crossing...

Artillery history relevant to the Revolutionary War…

Smooth-bore cannon were the universal choice. No other invention except the wheel was better-suited to its duty, and remained less changed in fundamental nature from its inception in the 15th century, to its final disappearance in the middle of the 19th. The shock power of this instrument, on land as well as on sea, cannot be overestimated. The cannon was first of bronze, then of cast iron as this cheaper material became available. It was simply a smooth bore, closed at one end, with a touch hole drilled to the surface of the breech. It projected solid shot of cast iron or stone, later also bags of musket balls or grapeshot, and even lengths of chain, and other inventive loads for special purposes. Iron shot could be heated red-hot in a furnace to cause fires when embedded in a wooden hull or palisade. A shell was a hollow ball filled with powder and provided with a fuse that would be lighted when the shell was fired, sputtering as the shell flew, and finally setting off the powder, shattering the casing. This was purely an antipersonnel load. To fire a cannon, the bore was first swabbed with water to extinguish any sparks that would make loading unsafe. A measured quantity of gunpowder was then poured into the bore, and rammed down behind a wad of some material. A small amount of powder was also poured down the touch hole. The load was then rammed onto the wad. The gun was set to bear, and a match (a glowing stick called a slow-match was popular) touched to the touch-hole. A flash, a boom, a cloud of smoke, and the load was sent on its way at the speed of sound. The gun recoiled, hurling its mass backwards against any restraint provided. A gun rigidly mounted had to be very well mounted indeed, to prevent destruction of its mount. By 1800, the match had been replaced by some kind of lock that ignited the powder in the touch hole (or other kind of fuse) by a spark when a lanyard was pulled. Also, the powder, wad, and load could be pre-measured and packed in bags or cartridges to make loading faster. The phrase 'to spike a cannon' meant to disable it by driving a tapered wrought iron plug, or spike, down the touch hole with a hammer until it was level and firmly embedded.


Alexander Hamilton

http://americanrevwar.homestead.com/files/hamilt.htm



General Hugh Mercer


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Mercer


Hessian Soldiers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hessian_(soldiers)


John Glover

http://www.revolutionarywararchives.org/glover.html


Henry Knox

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1196.html


Colonel Johann Gottlieb Rall

http://www.revolutionarywararchives.org/rall.html

And We Are Off...

The preliminary research projects will be due on Monday, October 18. This means you will have to have completed the following:

research - the background to your problem or question

hypothesis - a prediction concerning what your study will find or attempt to answer

variables - things that can change, depending on conditions (independent/dependent)

procedure - what will be done, in order to get an answer to the hypothesis