Civil War | Civics and U.S. History for Middle School

In this middle school history lesson, step into the years surrounding Abraham Lincoln’s 1860 election to explore how the nation fractured over slavery and its expansion. Using Thomas Nast’s political cartoon The President’s Inaugural, students analyze how one powerful image captured the sharply divided perspectives of the North and South on the Civil War.

Through the VIEW method, Voice, Intent, Environment, and Who, students uncover how differing interpretations of Lincoln’s leadership reflected deeper tensions about freedom, justice, and national unity. By examining historical context, symbolism, and audience, students develop historical thinking skills that guide them in crafting a thesis and supporting it with evidence for the unit’s Document-Based Question (DBQ) assessment.