Civil War for Kids

My dad is a big history buff, and used to love to take us to Civil War battlefields whenever we traveled in the South. Sadly, I think his good intentions were lost on us – but if we went back today, I’d take my own kids to some! As I was putting together a list of the most important people of the Civil War, I learned a few things myself. I didn’t know that the American Red Cross grew out of Clara Barton’s work as a war nurse, nor that Harriet Tubman single-handedly saved so many people in the Underground Railroad.

Related Pages: Black History Kids Poems, Amelia Earhart for Kids, Greek Mythology Worksheets

Learn About Abraham Lincoln

A new website has been created recently that I think is a fantastic learning tool about Abraham Lincoln. It is a database of the daily chronology of his life – on any given day of the year, you can find out what Abe Lincoln was doing between 1809 and1865, aptly named The Lincoln Log. For example, on today’s date – August 23, 1864, it states:

At a cabinet meeting, President Lincoln asks each member to sign “the back of a” memorandum. Lincoln does not reveal the contents of the document, which reads,”This morning, as for some days past, it seems exceedingly probable that this Administration will not be re-elected. Then it will be my duty to so co-operate with the President elect, as to save the Union between the election and the inauguration; as he will have secured his election on such ground that he can not possibly save it afterwards.”

Not only is the information fascinating, but it will give kids a bit of a personal connection to one of our greatest presidents of all time!

Important Civil War People

There are so many (l-o-n-g) lists of famous people from the Civil War – but I wanted to make it a little simpler for kids. So I chose 12 diverse important people to feature on these printable Civil War fact cards.

These same people facts are repeated in the crossword puzzle worksheet below, which will make them good study tools that work together.

Civil War Worksheets

Here’s a Confederate states word search, major Civil War battles word scramble, and influential Civil War people crossword puzzle.

Check out all of our history worksheets and classroom activities while you are here!