RI.6.1-6.6 Spies in Petticoats

RI.2 Which quotation states a central idea?

• A “Women of all ages worked as spies on both sides during the Civil War (1861–1865). They

  had some advantages in those roles.” (paragraph 1)

• B “As soldiers learned about female agents, however, women were more likely to be stopped.

  Here’s a look at some women who served as spies during the Civil War.” (paragraph 1)

• C “But she strongly believed that the South had a constitutional right to secede from the Union.

  She vowed to help the Confederacy achieve that goal.” (paragraph 2)

• D “Union secret detective Allan Pinkerton grew suspicious of Greenhow and eventually arrested

  her. She was ordered to leave the North.” (paragraph 2)

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RI.4 Part A: What is the meaning of the word reluctant in paragraph 1?

• excluded

• fearful

• hesitant

• motivated

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RI.4 Part B: Which quotation from paragraph 1 provides context

for the word reluctant in Part A?

• “Women at that time were believed to be weaker.”

• “…no one at first suspected that women…might be carrying secret information.”

• “…only a woman’s husband or her doctor was permitted to touch her.”

• “Hoop skirts and petticoats made it easy to hide messages…

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RI.1 Based on the information in the text, what inference can be drawn about women in wartime?

• Women were not permitted to fight alongside men, but women wanted to support war efforts.

• Women were not believed to be intelligent enough to spy or accomplish secret missions.

• Women preferred to work with other women during dangerous missions, but they often had to rely on men instead.

• Women as young as teenagers were able to gather intelligence and secrets.

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RI.7 How does the illustration help the reader understand paragraph 1?

• It shows why men were powerless to search women due to their elaborate dresses.

• It shows how women were able to disguise themselves during secret missions.

• It shows why men did not believe women were able to participate in war efforts.

• It shows how women were able to conceal items and messages under their dresses.

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RI.3 How do the authors develop the idea that women were successful spies during the Civil War?

• by presenting facts and statistics about undetected women spies of the war

• by providing examples of the ways in which women sacrificed their lives in order to support

  war efforts

• by describing the ways in which women were able to gather and transmit important

  information during the war

• by retelling the events of prominent battles supported by women during the war

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RI.5 Read the sentences from paragraph 8.

Actress Pauline Cushman was pro-Union, but she pretended to be a loyal

Confederate. She wore disguises and roamed the Tennessee countryside in 1863. She

used a cover story of being kicked out of the North for supporting the Confederacy.

She said she was looking for her brother as she traveled with Confederate forces and

learned about their defenses.

How do the sentences support the development of ideas in the text?

• They provide an example of the ways in which women were unassuming and creative in their

  spy efforts.

• They contrast one woman’s methods with traditional spy methods used by the military.

• They shift the text from a historical account of women spies to a humorous episode of a

  woman deceiving an army.

• They show the drastic measures women spies often used to remain undiscovered by enemies.

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RI.6 What is the authors’ purpose for writing this text?

• to describe how women helped the North win the Civil War

• to highlight the most famous women spies in history

• to inform readers about notable women spies during the Civil War

• to explain to readers the ways in which women spies transmit secret messages

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RI. 2 & .8 Which quotation supports the claim that spy work was dangerous?

• “She volunteered in the city’s Libby Prison, where she learned information from Union prisoners. She led an efficient group of spies.” (paragraph 3)

• “Belle Boyd was 18 years old when Union troops invaded her hometown in western Virginia.”

  (paragraph 5)

• “Tubman also convinced other brave African Americans to join her as spies, even though they

  risked death if they were caught.” (paragraph 6)

• “Willard had fallen in love with Ford and tried to get her freed. She was released after she

  took a loyalty oath.” (paragraph 7)

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