Glory Discussion Questions

1) Why do you think the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Regiment is important in U.S. History?

2) Based on Glory and the America the Story of Us episode we watched, what did Civil War battles look like? Why did they look that way?

3) Based on Glory and the America the Story of Us episode we watched, what were the backgrounds of the people who fought in the war?

I. Key Figures in the Civil War

A. Terminology

•North – known as the Union, wore navy blue uniforms• South – known as the Confederacy, wore gray

uniforms• Term “Civil War” is historically inaccurate:• Civil war is a war within one country• Confederacy was technically a separate country• Common terms heard here: “The War Between the

States”, “The War of Northern Aggression”

B. Robert E. Lee

•Head commander of the Confederate army• First choice of Lincoln for the

Union army, but he did not want to fight against his home state of Virginia•Very respected leader

C. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson•Considered Lee’s top general in the Confederate army•Known for great military tactics•What happened to him?•Happened right before Gettysburg – many believed that had he lived, the South would have won the war.

D. George McClellan

• First head commander of Union forces• Known for being too cautious and hesitant to

attack -- fired twice by Lincoln.

E. Ulysses S. Grant•Started as Union general in the west•Assumed command of Union forces in 1864•General who accepted surrender of Southern forces

F. William T. Sherman• General in the Union army• Known for “Sherman’s

March”• Went up the coast from

Atlanta and burned and destroyed Southern cities • Trapped Lee between

himself and Grant before Lee surrendered

Guided Practice• Using pages 314-319, identify

the strengths and weaknesses of the North and the South. Organize this into a T-Chart.• Your T-Chart should include

information about the following for EACH side:• Financial situation• Weapon/factory production• Population size• Military skill• Transportation/railroad access

North South

Strengths

Weaknesses

If one is a strength of one side, it is a weakness of the other side. BE SURE TO EXPLAIN WHY EACH ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES IS A STRENGTH OR WEAKNESS FOR THE NORTH OR SOUTH IN 1 SENTENCE.