War’s New Weapons: Teacher’s Guide
Grade Level: 9-12
Curriculum Focus: World History
Lesson Duration: One or two class periods
Program Description
This episode of the series on innovations in war and civilization features several inventions
developed during the industrial revolution that changed the face of warfare.
I. Advances in War (11 min.)
II. Segregation and War (10 min.)
III. Industrial War in America (10 min.)
IV. Redrawing Europe (19 min.)
Onscreen Questions
•
How did the new inventions of the 19th century influence the way wars were fought?
•
Why were the casualties in the American Civil War so high?
Lesson Plan
Student Objectives
•
Research how the North and the South used new technologies during the Civil War.
•
Imagine they are on-the-scene reporters writing about how these new technologies are changing
the course of the war.
Materials
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War’s New Weapons video and VCR, or DVD and DVD player
•
Paper and pencils
•
Computer with Internet access
•
Newspapers and magazines
War’s New Weapon: Teacher’s Guide
2
Procedures
1. Begin the lesson by asking students what they know about the Civil War. Record their
responses. Possible answers might include:
•
A conflict about slavery
•
The only time in U.S. history that one region of the country fought another
•
A conflict resulting in the end of slavery in the United States
2. Explain that the Civil War was the first conflict in which the train and telegraph were used. Tell
students that they will explore what role these and other “new” technologies played in the
war’s progress and outcome, and how the North and the South used them. Then they will
report what they’ve learned in an article written from the perspective of a Civil War reporter.
The challenge will be to describe these new technologies in a way that makes it clear to the
general public how important these inventions are becoming to the war’s progress. Along with
trains and telegraphs, students should include information about major medical advances as
well as the camera, including the birth of photojournalism.
3. Give students time in class to conduct their research. These Civil War Web sites contain relevant
information:
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http://www.aeragon.com/03/
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http://www.mmcwrt.org/2002/default0204.htm
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http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/oh/newspapers/civilwar/civilw3.txt
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http://www.visitpwc.com/history.html
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http://cgsc.leavenworth.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/gabel4/gabel4.asp
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http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/amh/AMH-12.htm
•
http://www.cl.utoledo.edu/canaday/quackery/quack8.html
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http://www.civilwarmed.org/exhibits.cfm
4. Have students write their articles at home or during the next class period. Encourage them to
include pictures.
5. Ask for volunteers to share their articles with the class. Then, discuss the technologies about
which the students wrote. What do students think were the most important technological
advances made during this time in history?
6. Conclude the lesson by asking students how their research changed their view of the Civil War.
What new insights have they gained about the conflict?
Assessment
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students’ work during this lesson.
•
3 points: Students actively participated in class discussions; wrote an interesting,
informative, and creative article that addressed how technology affected the progress and
outcome of the Civil War; showed a deeper understanding of the Civil War.
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War’s New Weapon: Teacher’s Guide
3
•
2 points: Students participated in class discussions, wrote a competent article that addressed
how technology affected the progress and outcome of the Civil War, showed a somewhat
deeper understanding of the Civil War.
•
1 point: Students did not participate in class discussions, did not complete their article, had
difficulty viewing the Civil War from a different perspective.
Vocabulary
Bull Run
Definition: Site of two early Civil War battles, both of which were victories for the South
Context: The First Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861) alerted the North to the seriousness of the
War; the Second Battle of Bull Run (August 27-30, 1862) resulted in the South’s recapturing of
Virginia.
Civil War
Definition: U.S. conflict between the Northern and Southern states that took place between 1861
and 1865; at issue was whether to allow slavery to continue or to abolish it
Context: The Civil War divided the country so deeply that, in some cases, brother fought against
brother.
photojournalism
Definition: The documentation of an event through articles and photographs; the Civil War was
the first conflict in which photojournalism played a role
Context: Thanks to the efforts of Mathew Brady, one of the first photographers to recognize the
value of photojournalism, we have a complete photographic record of the Civil War
railroad
Definition: Form of transportation that proved critical to the progress and outcome of the Civil
War; railroads were used to transport troops, ammunition, and supplies to the front because
they could move greater quantities at a faster rate
Context: Because railroads proved to be critical to the outcome of Civil War battles, each side
invented ways to sabotage the rail and other parts of the railroads’ infrastructure.
telegraph
Definition: Communication device invented by Samuel Morse in 1844 that was a key tool during
the Civil War
Context: During the Civil War, the telegraph was used to report battle information and
communicate military strategies.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
War’s New Weapon: Teacher’s Guide
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Academic Standards
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)
McREL's Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education
addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit link:
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp
This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:
•
United States History— Civil War and Reconstruction: Understands the course and
character of the Civil War and its effects on the American people
•
Language Arts—Viewing: Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret
visual media; Writing: Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process, Gathers
and uses information for research purposes; Reading: Uses reading skills and strategies to
understand and interpret a variety of informational texts
•
Technology—Understands the nature and uses of different forms of technology
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
NCSS has developed national guidelines for teaching social studies. To become a member of NCSS,
or to view the standards online, go to http://www.socialstudies.org
This lesson plan addresses the following thematic standards:
•
Culture
•
Power, Authority, and Governance
•
Science, Technology, and Society
•
Global Connections
Support Materials
Develop custom worksheets, educational puzzles, online quizzes, and more with the free teaching tools
offered on the Discoveryschool.com Web site. Create and print support materials, or save them to a
Custom Classroom account for future use. To learn more, visit
•
http://school.discovery.com/teachingtools/teachingtools.html
DVD Content
This program is available in an interactive DVD format. The following information and activities are
specific to the DVD version.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
War’s New Weapon: Teacher’s Guide
5
How To Use the DVD
The DVD starting screen has the following options:
Play Video—This plays the video from start to finish. There are no programmed stops, except by
using a remote control. With a computer, depending on the particular software player, a pause
button is included with the other video controls.
Video Index—Here the video is divided into four parts (see below), indicated by video thumbnail
icons. Watching all parts in sequence is similar to watching the video from start to finish. Brief
descriptions and total running times are noted for each part. To play a particular segment, press
Enter on the remote for TV playback; on a computer, click once to highlight a thumbnail and read
the accompanying text description and click again to start the video.
Curriculum Units—These are specially edited video segments pulled from different sections of the
video (see below). These nonlinear segments align with key ideas in the unit of instruction. They
include onscreen pre- and post-viewing questions, reproduced below in this Teacher’s Guide. Total
running times for these segments are noted. To play a particular segment, press Enter on the TV
remote or click once on the Curriculum Unit title on a computer.
Standards Link—Selecting this option displays a single screen that lists the national academic
standards the video addresses.
Teacher Resources—This screen gives the technical support number and Web site address.
Video Index
I. Advances in War (11 min.)
The Crimean War was the first war to employ such peacetime inventions as the steamship and the
telegraph. See how these and the invention of the camera changed warfare forever.
II. Segregation and War (10 min.)
The Civil War was supposed to begin and end in one day—at the first Battle of Bull Run. Thanks in
part to the railroad, the war lasted for four years.
III. Industrial War in America (10 min.)
The Civil War was the bloodiest war in American history. Learn about industrialized warfare while
exploring the decisive battles of the Civil War.
IV. Redrawing Europe (19 min.)
Taking lessons from the industrial warfare employed in the American Civil War, Prussia advanced
into Austria in 1866 in an attempt to unify all German-speaking people under Germany’s flag.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
War’s New Weapon: Teacher’s Guide
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Curriculum Units
1. The End of an Era
Pre-viewing question
Q: Do you think the invention of the camera influenced how war was fought?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: Which invention has had the most influence on society: the train, telegraph, or steamship?
A: Answers will vary.
2. New Weapons of the Crimean War
Pre-viewing question
Q: Why did Britain and France get involved in the Crimean War?
A: Britain and France feared Russian expansion. When Russia attacked the Ottoman Empire, Britain
and France sided with Turkey, hoping that the Allies could defeat Russia and prevent it from
taking over Turkish lands.
Post-viewing question
Q: Why was the rifle and Minie bullet a better weapon than the musket?
A: Because the Minie bullet had a hollow base, it expanded into the rifle’s grooved barrel,
harnessing the full power of the explosion and leaving the gun with a powerful spin. Shot out of a
rifle, this bullet had a range of 500 yards, about three times the lethal distance of the musket.
3. Peacetime Inventions, Wartime Uses
Pre-viewing question
Q: How do military journalists shape public opinion during times of war?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: How did Florence Nightingale’s work change wartime medical care?
A: The British nurse Florence Nightingale provided a clean environment for sick and wounded
soldiers during the Crimean War, reducing the number of military deaths. After the Crimean War
she helped establish the Army Medical School, which changed wartime medical care.
4. Trains and the American Civil War
Pre-viewing question
Q: Why was the American Civil War fought?
A: The major reason behind the Civil War was the issue of slavery. Led by Abraham Lincoln, the
industrialized North wanted to abolish slavery, while the less-industrial South wanted to have
slaves work their farms and plantations.
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War’s New Weapon: Teacher’s Guide
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Post-viewing question
Q: How was the railroad employed in the Battle of Bull Run?
A: Pierre Beauregard, the leader of the Confederate troops in the Battle of Bull Run, employed the
railroad to bring his men to the battlefield well rested and ready for battle. Union soldiers had to
march, under a blistering sun, more than 30 miles from Washington to the battleground; many
suffered from exhaustion and dehydration.
5. The Battle of Bull Run
Pre-viewing question
Q: Would the Civil War have been shorter and less deadly without the inventions of the railroad
and telegraph?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: How did the South turn the tide in the Battle of Bull Run?
A: Although the North appeared to be winning the battle, General Beauregard radioed for
reinforcements. Traveling by train, the reinforcements arrived quickly and helped turn the tide for
the South, overwhelming the exhausted Union troops.
6. Casualties of War
Pre-viewing question
Q: Would you die for your beliefs?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: Why do you think so many men enlisted to fight in the Civil War?
A: Answers will vary.
7. Digging In
Pre-viewing question
Q: What is the purpose of war trenches?
A: Trenches serve as protection for troops by providing a safe cover for supply and evacuation.
Post-viewing question
Q: How did medicine respond to industrial war?
A: Major John Letterman of the Union Army Medical Corps led the way in improving medical
response during the Civil War. He developed a system to separate those needing medical attention
into categories of injured, ill, dead, or dying, with field procedures for each group. His system
helped doctors save wounded men who would have died on the battlefield.
8. The End of the Civil War
Pre-viewing question
Q: What is total warfare?
A: Total warfare is an all-encompassing effort by entire nations to completely destroy an enemy. All
citizens are targets because they grow food for soldiers or work in factories that produce weapons.
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War’s New Weapon: Teacher’s Guide
An example of total warfare is Sherman’s “March to the Sea.” His men destroyed homes, farms,
and railroads to choke the South, depleting its industry and people, and ultimately causing the
Confederates to surrender.
Post-viewing question
Q: What was Sherman’s “March to the Sea” intended to do?
A: Sherman’s march was a deliberate campaign of terror meant to take away the livelihood of the
South, defeat the spirit of the people, and destroy the Confederates’ will to fight.
9. Uniting Germany
Pre-viewing question
Q: Why do you think the Prussian army sent observers to the American Civil War?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: What lessons did the Prussians learn from the Civil War?
A: The Prussians saw the value of railroads and telegraphs for military use. Before invading
Austria, Prussia constructed miles of strategically positioned railroad track, and extended its
telegraph network deep into enemy territory. With the help of both railway and telegraph,
commanders far from battle could move their troops.
10. The Prussian Needle Gun
Pre-viewing question
Q: How would you strategize a fight against an army that you knew had better weaponry than
yours?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: How did the needle gun work?
A: A needle-like pin, which pierced a percussion cap in the center of a paper cartridge, fired the
Prussian needle gun. It was loaded quickly from the breach, allowing the Prussians to reload and
fire faster than the Austrians.
11. A Battle in the Woods
Pre-viewing question
Q: How do you think it feels to be ambushed?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: How did the Prussians defeat the Austrians in the woods?
A: The Austrians walked into a trap. Prussian soldiers lay concealed on the ground in the Czech
forest. Using their needle guns, they fired relentlessly on the Austrians and destroyed their forces.
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War’s New Weapon: Teacher’s Guide
12. Prussia Targets France
Pre-viewing question
Q: Does having more advanced technology than your enemy always guarantee a military victory?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: Why did Napoleon attack Prussia?
A: France had been keeping its eye on Prussia for several years. The French watched as Bismarck
invaded Austria and knew that an invasion of France was imminent. Napoleon decided that the
best defense against Prussia would be to surprise them with an offensive attack.
13. Defeat But No Surrender
Pre-viewing question
Q: What would you do if a defeated enemy would not surrender to you?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: What were the terms of the French war settlement?
A: France gave Germany one billion dollars in war reparations and ceded the border provinces of
Alsace and Lorraine.
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