Field Trips
- Grade Level:
- Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- State Standards:
- Applicable GA Performance Standards
Middle School (8th Grade GA Studies)
SS8H6: The student will analyze the impact of Civil War and Reconstruction on Georgia
There is a whole different side to Civil War history besides the study
of tactics and politics; the consequences of the war were wide and
complex and affected the lives of millions of Americans. What
happened to prisoners confined behind the stockades of military
prisons during the Civil War tells us something about just how uncivil the Civil War truly was. Nowhere is this harrowing story told more completely than during a field trip to Andersonville National Historic Site.
The site of Camp Sumter Military Prison, commonly known as
Andersonville, is preserved as part of the Andersonville National
Historic Site. Today a grassy field surrounded by white stakes marks the location of the original prison site, and serves as a unique space in which to explore the experiences of the 45,000 prisoners of war held here in 1864-65. This document provides a guide for teachers leading students around the prison site with information about prison site features, prisoner experiences, and questions for students.
Materials
This self-guided walking tour provides background information on the historic prison site as well as suggested discussion questions.
Last updated: January 18, 2018