Looking at Media Bias in the Civil War

• The assessment that the student will be given will be to see first, if they can write a news article that can be determined clearly to view from one side or the other. Also, that they can follow directions and follow the rubric. Also, to see how creative that they can be in their writing and to take things from the chapter and incorporate them into their writing.

Civil War Newspaper Article

In order for you to get ideas on how people viewed what went on in the Civil War, you will need to do some research on how people viewed what was going on. You may use any approved Civil War website to do your research, but one that should definitely be checked out is the Library of Congress website:

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/features/timeline/civilwar/civilwar.html

Another website that will help you with overall facts about secession and the bombing of Ft. Sumter is the American Civil War Homepage:

http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/warweb.html

Other pages that could be helpful to you:

http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/vshadow2/outlines/spring.html#sumter

http://www.civilwarhome.com/ftsumter.htm

http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/sc/sc001.html

Assignment

You are living in the 1860s and are to witness the Civil war that will be fought on American ground...the war that will divide the Union. As a newspaper reporter you will present the facts as you see it.

The class will be divided in half. One half will create newspaper articles to present the North’s point of view; the other half will create a newspaper articles to present the South’s point of view.

Your newspaper article will contain the following features:

• ·         You will write about the secession of the southern states and the bombing of Ft. Sumter.
• ·         Especially focus on the causes of the war.
• How would the South present the “facts”? How would the North present the “facts”?

 INFORMATION ON FORT SUMTER

In 1860, South Carolina seceded from the Union and prepared to seize the United States forts in the harbor at Charleston, South Carolina. Major Robert Anderson (1805-1871) directed the harbor defenses. He made his headquarters in Fort Moultrie. He realized that South Carolina troops would soon attack Fort Moultrie and that it would be difficult to defend his position. He moved his headquarters and his sixty-one soldiers to Fort Sumter, an island in Charleston harbor.

On April 12, 1861, Pierre Beauregard, the Confederate general, demanded the surrender of the fort. Anderson refused. At 4:30 a.m. forty-three Confederate guns in a ring around Fort Sumter began the bombardment that initiated the bloodiest war in American history. Although the bombardment lasted 34 hours, there were no casualties. On April 14, Union troops evacuated the fort. The Confederates permitted Anderson and his command to leave with their weapons and their flag.

Directions: Your task is to write a front page Headline story about the outbreak of the Civil War. Your main objective is to focus on the causes of the war. Again, write for the South or write for the North.

Format

1. TITLE OF HEADLINE STORY: Give a headline that expresses your point of view, for example:
South: A VICTORY FOR THE SOUTH!
North: THE NORTH IS ATTACKED!

2. DATELINE, BUG (Where and when did the story happen; the "bug" is your initial), for example:

Charleston, S.C., April 14, 1861 (your initial)

3. LEAD PARAGRAPH: This paragraph gives a summary of what happened.
Make the lead paragraph a real attention getter so that people will want to read more, for example:

for the North........

REBELS ATTACK!

Charleston, S.C., April 14, 1861 (initial) Southern rebel forces fired upon federal troops in Fort Sumter and forced the surrender of the fort into rebel hands. The South is ready to use violence to establish their independence from the Union.

For the South.......

SOUTHERN VICTORY!

Charleston, S.C., April 14, 1861 (initial) The people of Charleston rejoiced as Southern troops bombarded federal troops in Fort Sumter and forced their surrender of the fort. This victory sends a clear message to Abraham Lincoln that the South stands firm in its declaration of independence.

4. Paragraph Two: Give details about the story....

Tell Who: Leader for the North - Major Robert Anderson

                Leader for the South - General P.G.T. Beauregard

       What: Union fortification, Fort Sumter, was attacked and taken
by the Confederacy.
       When:  April 12 and 13, 1861
(bombing began at 4:30 a.m. and lasted thirty-four hours)
       Where: Charleston, South Carolina harbor.

5. Paragraph Three and Four:

Explain two reasons why the Civil War began.
Use your worksheet, "Causes for the War".
You could write about the tariff laws, States’ rights, or slavery.

6. Paragraph Five:

Wrap it up. Describe the feelings of the North or the South about secession and the beginning of war. You could state that the South wants to break away from the United States and become their own country in much the same way as the U.S. did in the Revolutionary War. Remember, this is a factual article so show your bias in a subtle way.

Guidelines:

1. Write in black ink or type
2. Write on one side only
3. Be neat.
4. Write in the "third person" (e.g. the North, the South, or they)...
Do not use the "first person" (e.g. "I" or "we")

5. Follow the rubric!

Civil War Headline Article Rubric

An "3" article

*Takes a very clear point of view  
*Skillfully organizes information to support it.
*Demonstrates detailed, accurate knowledge of the time period.
*Deals with the most significant issues and trends relevant to the question.
*Supports ideas and conclusions with appropriate and accurate reasons and evidence; provides relevant, specific examples (names, events, places, etc.)
* Follows directions in formatting and organizing the article
* Article is very creative and neat.

A "2" article

*Takes a point of view and
*Adequately organizes information to support it.
*Demonstrates some knowledge of time period.
*Deals with relatively significant issues and trends.
*Supports ideas and conclusions with at least some reasons and evidence; provides examples, but in limited depth.
* Some errors in following directions for formatting and organizing the article.
* Article is neat.

A "1" article

*May not take a point of view  
*Organization is erratic.
*Little evidence of historical knowledge
*Demonstrates very little understanding of most significant issues and frequently goes off on tangents.
*Little attempt to support conclusions with examples.
* Did not follow directions in formatting and organizing the article.
* Article needs to be "cleaned" up.