Iowa Past to Present Teacher's Guide: Chapter 7: A Nation Divided

Introduction

In the 1860s, Americans fought a civil war. It is difficult to understand completely why Americans in the North and South fought each other. But there are certain things we know about the views of the North and South and about Iowa's part in that conflict. We know that slavery was one reason why people fought the war. Southern people owned about four million black (African-American) slaves in 1860. Southerners believed that there was nothing wrong with owning slaves and even that it was the proper way to live. Slavery was partly why eleven southern states left the union (United States) to form their own government, the Confederate States of America. Northerners disagreed. They believed that slavery was wrong and that it should be ended. We also know that many Iowans took part in the war. Seventy thousand Iowa men fought and many died or were badly wounded. Women also were involved in the war effort, making bandages, clothing, and food for the soldiers. Many took over farm work when their husbands went off to fight.

Explore the resources on this page to find out more about ideas in the chapter:

• Pathways: Find related articles and make connections with other ideas in Iowa history.
• Artifacts: View related images, videos and more.
• Side Trails: Explore more on this topic on other websites.

Suggested Classroom Resources and Lesson Plans

• Iowa Past to Present Teacher Guide: Chapter 7
• The Civil War, A Film by Ken Burns Classroom Activities, PBS
• Iowa Pathways Quest and Challenges
  The Iowa Pathways Quest and Challenges are a collection of tasks that support students as they make and interpret connections among the people, places, events, and ideas of Iowa. Worksheets that model the thinking and research process are provided, as well as rubrics to aid you and your students.
  • More information about Quest and Challenges
  • Start a Quest or Challenge

Iowa Past to Present Chapter Listing

This online teachers guide was developed as a companion to the textbook Iowa Past to Present: The People and the Prairie (Revised 3rd Ed.); written by Dorothy Schwieder, Thomas Morain, and Lynn Nielsen; published by University of Iowa Press. Select a chapter from the list below to find related content and classroom resources.

• Chapter 1: The Changing Land
• Chapter 2: American Indians, The Earliest People in Iowa
• Chapter 3: Many Flags over Iowa
• Chapter 4: Pioneers on the Prairie
• Chapter 5: Pioneer Life on the Prairie
• Chapter 6: Rivers, Trails, and Train Tracks, Transportation in the 1800s
• Chapter 7: A Nation Divided
• Chapter 8: Settlers from Many Lands
• Chapter 9: Providing a Government
• Chapter 10: Schools for a New State
• Chapter 11: Keeping Faith on the Frontier
• Chapter 12: Experiments in Community Living
• Chapter 13: Life on the Farm—Iowa Style
• Chapter 14: New Inventions Bring Change
• Chapter 15: Business and Industry in Iowa
• Chapter 16: Word War I and Hard Times After
• Chapter 17: Depression, Changing Times, and World War II
• Chapter 18: A Time of Many Changes
• Chapter 19: Iowa in the World