African American soldiers in the Civil War worksheet
Show Presentation U.S. History Primary Source TimelineIn 1862, President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation opened the door for African Americans to enlist in the Union Army. Although many had wanted to join the war effort earlier, they were prohibited from enlisting by a federal law dating back to 1792.
President Lincoln had also feared that if he authorized their recruitment, border states would secede from the Union. By the end of the war, approximately 180,000 African-American soldiers had joined the fight. In addition to the problems of war faced by all soldiers, African-American soldiers faced additional difficulties created by racial prejudice. Although many served in the infantry and artillery, discriminatory practices resulted in large numbers of African-American soldiers being
assigned to perform non-combat, support duties as cooks, laborers, and teamsters. African-American soldiers were paid $10 per month, from which $3 was deducted for clothing. White soldiers were paid $13 per month, from which no clothing allowance was deducted. If captured by the Confederate Army, African-American soldiers confronted a much greater threat than did their white counterparts. In spite of their many hardships, African-American soldiers served the Union Army well and
distinguished themselves in many battles. Of their service to the nation Frederick Douglass said, "Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pockets, and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right of citizenship in the United States." African-American soldiers comprised about 10 percent of the Union Army. It is estimated that one-third of all African Americans
who enlisted lost their lives. Part of
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Interpreting DataAll documents and text associated with this activity are printed below, followed by a worksheet for student responses. IntroductionRead both pages of this Government poster for recruiting recently freed slaves for the Union Army during the Civil War. It promised freedom, protection and pay if they joined. It refers to the Emancipation Proclamation and to President Lincoln's order to provide equal pay for black soldiers and equal protection if they were captured by the Confederacy and became prisoners of war. Click on "+ Add Text" in the bottom left corner and label on the pages any references you find to:
Then click "When You're Done" to answer the conclusion questions. Name: WorksheetBlack Soldiers in the Civil WarInterpreting DataExamine the document or documents below. Use the numbers to refer to the questions or hints provided. Then label the documents(s) with additional numbers or symbols based if you were asked to do in the introduction and explain them in the margins. Write your conclusion response in the space provided. 1 Number: 1 1 Activity ElementTo Colored Men!Page 12 Activity ElementTo Colored Men!Page 2ConclusionBlack Soldiers in the Civil WarInterpreting Data
Your ResponseDocumentTo Colored Men!ca. 1861 - 1865After President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, the U.S. Army began recruiting black men in earnest. The Confederate government regarded captured black soldiers as fugitive slaves, not prisoners of war. It threatened to execute or sell them into slavery. This broadside reassured potential black recruits that the U.S. Government would treat all of its troops as soldiers – and retaliate in the event of Confederate mistreatment of black U.S. soldiers. Text adapted from "The Fight for Equal Rights: A Recruiting Poster for Black Soldiers in the Civil War" in the February 1992 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) publication Social Education. This primary source comes from the Records of the Adjutant General's Office. National Archives Identifier: 1497351 Full Citation: To Colored Men!; ca. 1861 - 1865; Letters Received, 1863 - 1888; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, ; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/to-colored-men, November 19, 2022] To Colored Men!Page 1To Colored Men!Page 2 |