Name: Middleton, Janelle
E-mail: janelle_lynne@eudoramail.com
Topic: Role of Arkansas women in the Civil War period
Grade: 8th
Time: 1 class period
Ark. Hist. Framework: 3.1.11, 3.1.12, and 5.1.11
Objective: The student will describe the activities of Arkansas women during
the Civil War.
Set: Begin by reviewing what students know about Arkansas during the Civil
War period. Then say, " We know a lot about what men did in the Civil War, but
what did the women do? What was their role?
Materials: Arkansas history text book, used (or new) envelopes, glue,
pencils, paper
Key Terms: unionist, secessionist, confederates, confederacy
Key Facts: *When Arkansas voted to secede from the union in 1861, Mr. Isaac
Murphy was the only congressman who refused to vote unanimously with the
secessionists. For standing for his unionist values, Mrs. Frederick
Trapnell threw him a bouquet, therefore breaking the tension and possibly
preventing a large fight.
*During the Civil War, women had to run the homes.
*Because of war, women had to make substitutes for over 75% of common
items, foods, and medicines.
*Women were responsible for sewing the uniforms, socks, flags, tents,
bandage rolls, blankets, and other items for the soldiers.
*Women hid the soldiers. To protect the Confederate soldiers they had
aided, some Fayetteville ladies crawled up and down 200 yd. of dirt road to hide
the soldiers' horse tracks from the Union army.
*Miss Fannie Jacobs repeatedly tore down telegraph wires between
Clarksville and Ft. Smith to interrupt Federal communications.
*El Dorado women met at the courthouse to sew, including making blankets
out of carpets taken from their own homes. They also made opium from
poppies to send to battlefront hospitals, and even reused envelopes (by turning
them inside out and re-gluing them) to conserve paper.
Activities: First, discuss the key terms and facts. Then, divide the
class into groups. Have them discuss what they would have done to help
their nation if going to war was not an option, as it was not allowed for ladies
during this time. Have them discuss sacrifices that could be made now to
help our nation. One of the sacrifices was that the ladies re-used
their envelopes. Give students (used) envelopes. Challenge the
students to carefully unglue the envelopes, turn them inside out, and re-glue
them. Then ask the students what they think the Post Office would do if it
one of them put such an envelope in the mail box today. Finally,
have students write a letter from the viewpoint of a woman in the Civil War
period, written to her husband (or other male relative or friend), detailing her
efforts to help them in thier efforts of fighting the war.
Closure: Thankfully we do not have to war against our neighbors today, as
the people in the Civil War did. The women were behind-the-scenes people
in the Civil War, but they are still very important.
Assessment: The teacher should read the letters the students wrote.
She should check that each letter details at least three of the things that
women did in the Civil War.
Resources: An Arkansas History for Young People, 2nd ed., by Baker and
Browning. (Ch. 5: Secession and the Civil War)
"Activities of the women of Arkansas during the war between the states" by
Miss Clara B. Eno, in Arkansas Historical Quarterly, vol. 3, pp 5-27
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