The Eve of the Civil War:  Oral History Lesson
Grade: 8

Tanesha Seals
Jessica Travis
Kristie Morris

Perspective:  Historical
Benchmark:  Compose Narratives of events form history of Michigan and of the United States prior to the era of Reconstruction.

The teachers will role-play a narrative written by Slave Maria Perkins who wrote this letter in October of 1868.  Ask students to listen to the narrative to determine the feelings of the narrative, when they think this event took place.  Oral histories are important because it is authentic information given to us from different perspectives of people who lived during a certain time period.

Objectives:

Students will :

1. Identify with the concept of oral history.
2. Create their own.
3. Compare oral history narratives from the Pre Civil War Years.

• Valley of the Shadow Web Site
• Maria Perkins' Letter
• Augusta County, Virginia Personal Letters and Diaries

Students will be given 3 narratives to read.  Have students to discuss the following:

a. The setting of the narrative
b. The feelings of the people who lived during that time.
c. The language that was used
d. The type of narrative
e. The authors of the narratives.
f. The living conditions
g. Students will create their own narrative, reflecting upon September 11.  Have students write answers to the following questions to help them start their personal letters.

1. Where were you on September 11?
2. How did you feel about the news regarding September 11?
3. To whom did you express your feelings?
4. What did you do after you heard the news?

1. What is the importance of oral history?
2. Which narrative did you like the best?
3. Where might we find oral histories?