Newsela Civil War

Read the paragraph from the section "First Bull Run (July 21, 1861)."

At first, it seemed as if the Union Army would prevail, but as the battle raged throughout the morning, the Confederates held their ground. Once the Confederate Army received reinforcements early that afternoon, their counterattack defeated the Union troops. Union forces then retreated to Washington, D.C.

Which word from the selection shows a triumphant tone?

• prevail

• raged

• reinforcements

• counterattack

Read the selection from the section "Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863)."

Although Antietam was a setback to Lee's plans, the Union failed to take advantage of the situation. Lincoln replaced McClellan, but his new generals lost decisively at Fredericksburg, Virginia (December 13, 1862), and Chancellorsville, Virginia (April 30 – May 4, 1863).

Which two words would BEST replace “setback” and “decisively” in the selection above?

• obstacle; mysteriously

• impediment; clearly

• catalyst; courageously

• revitalization; horribly

How are the article's sections organized to help develop understanding?

• Each of the five sections after the introduction highlight a significant battle in the Civil War in order of importance.

• Each of the five sections after the introduction highlight a significant battle in the Civil War in chronological order by end date.

• The first three sections after the introduction describe battles that the Union Army won and the last two sections describe battles that the Confederate Army won.

• The first three sections after the introduction describe battles that the Confederate Army won and the last two sections describe battles that the Union Army won.

What is one reason why the author includes the information about the battles at Gettysburg and Vicksburg?

• The battles at Gettysburg and Vicksburg were the last two battles when the Confederate Army was victorious.

• The battles at Gettysburg and Vicksburg were the two battles that were the bloodiest and most ineffective.

• The battles at Gettysburg and Vicksburg were the last two battles fought between the Union Army and Confederate Army.

• The battles at Gettysburg and Vicksburg were the two battles where the tide turned in favor of the Union Army.

Read the following sentence about the meaning of propaganda from the article's introduction [paragraphs 1-2].

The term usually connotes selective omission or presentation of facts.

Which sentence from the article BEST supports this idea?

• Union recruitment posters made appeals to patriotism and liberty, often urging prospective conscripts not to wait to be drafted.

• In addition, cartoons in magazines such as Harper's Weekly supported the war and, in particular, encouraged enlistment.

• At the same time, Confederate newspapers downplayed military setbacks and played up successes.

• The London American supported the Union cause, while The Index supported the Confederacy.

Read the following selection from the section "Media."

Throughout the Civil War era, newspapers were the primary means of spreading information, and due to the recent development of the telegraph, newspapers were able to receive and report on remote events such as political debates, battle results and casualty reports. They were also able to editorialize and propagandize for one side or the other. Many published reports of battle results, enemy atrocities, and heart-rending testimonials of those affected by the conflict.

Which of the following conclusions is MOST supported by the selection above?

• The development of the telegraph required newspapers to take a more objective approach towards reporting war-related information.

• Before the development of the telegraph, newspapers seldom reported on remote events that occurred during a war.

• The development of the telegraph enabled newspapers to print current war-related information along with propaganda.

• Before the development of the telegraph, newspapers were unable to editorialize and propagandize for one side or the other during a war.

Read the following two details from the article.

Union propaganda was based on portraying the patriotism of the cause, depicting Southerners as duplicitous and treacherous rebels, and promoting the abolitionist cause.

Confederate newspapers supported the cause by vilifying Union soldiers and generally trying to inspire hatred of the North.

Which answer choice BEST explains how these details develop a central idea of the article?

• The details show that using propaganda was an effective way to rally support during the Civil War.

• The details show that multiple forms of propaganda were used during the Civil War.

• The details prove that both sides during the Civil War used propaganda to recruit soldiers.

• The details show that propaganda was used by both sides during the Civil War to malign the enemy.

Which of the following statements accurately represents the relationship between two of the article's CENTRAL ideas?

• The Union and the Confederacy needed public support and military aid to win the Civil War; however, the Confederacy was abandoned by Great Britain.

• The Union and the Confederacy used different kinds of propaganda during the Civil War; they did this to build armies and morale and vilify the other side.

• Propaganda can take many different forms including writing, posters and cartoons; during the Civil War, the written word was the least effective form of propaganda.

• Propaganda used during the Civil War had different themes; Union themes were more uplifting and patriotic than Confederacy themes, which led to the eventual Union victory.

What were the three main causes of the Civil War

• Tariff

• Power of Federal Republic

• Slavery

• Voting Restrictions

• Taxation without Representation

What was the South Called during the civil war?

• Union

• Confederacy

• Southerners

• Northerners