The Civil War is still one of the bloodiest wars in which Americans have fought. It not only split the country between North and South, but in many cases it also split families. Students will read speeches, newspaper articles, letters, and diaries entries from those both at war and on the home front. Through these primary sources, students will learn about the events that led to the Southern secession, the battles fought between the Union and the Confederate armies, and life in the midst of the conflict from the people whose lives were changed by it, including women and African Americans.