Lesson Plan

• Describe the primary causes of the American Civil War (slavery, economic divergence, political breakdown).
• Explain how key events such as Lincoln’s election, Fort Sumter, and the Emancipation Proclamation escalated the conflict.
• Analyse the major results of the war for the United States, including preservation of the Union, abolition of slavery, economic transformation, and increased federal authority.
• Compare the Civil War’s impact on nation‑state development with similar 19th‑century processes in Europe.

• Projector and screen
• PowerPoint slides outlining causes and outcomes
• Printed handout of a Civil War timeline
• Primary‑source excerpt (Emancipation Proclamation)
• Cause‑effect worksheet
• U.S. map showing free vs. slave states
• Whiteboard and markers

Begin with a vivid hook: “Imagine a nation split in two, brothers fighting on battlefields.” Ask students what they already know about slavery and the 1860 election. State the success criteria: by the end of the lesson students will identify the war’s causes, outline key events, and evaluate its outcomes.

1. Do‑now (5’) – quick quiz on prior knowledge of slavery and 1860 election.
2. Mini‑lecture with slides (10’) – present the three main cause categories.
3. Timeline activity (15’) – groups place major events on a printed timeline and discuss significance.
4. Primary‑source analysis (10’) – read a short excerpt from the Emancipation Proclamation; identify its purpose and limits.
5. Guided discussion (10’) – connect causes to outcomes; use the cause‑effect worksheet.
6. Exit ticket (5’) – write one cause and one result of the Civil War.

Recap the key causes, pivotal events, and lasting results of the Civil War, emphasizing how the conflict helped shape the modern United States. Collect exit tickets as a retrieval check. For homework, assign a short paragraph comparing the American Civil War’s nation‑building impact with another 19th‑century conflict (e.g., Italian unification).