The Civil War as Photographed by Mathew Brady

Suggested Teaching Instructions

This activity can be used during a unit on the Civil War. For grades grades 6-12. Approximate time needed is 90 minutes.

To begin, ask students to quickly scan through all of the photographs in the activity before choosing 3–4 for deeper analysis. For the photographs that students choose to analyze, tell them to:

• Study the photo for 2 minutes.
• Create a chart listing the people, objects, and actions in the photo.
• Answer: What can you infer from the photo?
• Answer: What questions does this photo raise in your mind?

After analyzing 3-4 photographs individually, place students in small groups to compare and contrast their findings. Once they are familiar with the photographs of the group, ask them to compile a list of adjectives that they think describe the life of a soldier during the Civil War.

After students discuss these adjectives in small group, bring the class back together and discuss their findings; post them for the whole class to see. For specific adjectives, prompt students to explain their choices with specific evidence from the photographs.

After listing these adjectives, lead a discussion around the following issues:

• What motivated these men to put up with such difficult circumstances?
• If there had been television or the internet, would the Civil War have lasted as long as it did?
• How did soldiers cope with the death of their friends and fellow soldiers?

Extension Activity: Direct students to the Series of Mathew Brady photographs in the National Archives online catalog to find other photographs that additional aspects of war life for Union and Confederate soldiers. Students can browse or search within the series for specific terms to find photographs. Ask them to print out these photos and add them to a classroom gallery.