The interactive Who, What, Where, and When? Timeline displays local, state and national events by decade, from the 1850s through the 1880s. Historical information, illustrative images, vocabulary definitions, and relevant primary source documents help students paint a picture of Ransom Williams’ life during the turbulent period before, during, and after the Civil War. The activity is designed for 7th and 8th grade students, but can be easily adapted to other grade levels.
After students explore the timeline, ask the following questions:
- What do you see as the main difference between life for African Americans in Ransom Williams’ time and life for them today?
- If you could meet Ransom Williams today and ask him three questions about his life and times, what would you ask? What three questions would you ask his wife, Sarah?
- The Williams family had no radio, television, telephones, or computers and little access to written materials. How do you think they might have learned about events in their community? In Texas? In the United States?
- How are primary sources different from other sources? How are they valuable in studying history?
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
7th Grade
History
- 1A - identify the major eras in Texas history including Texas in the Civil War and Reconstruction, Cotton, and Railroads.
- 1B - Apply absolute and relative chronology through the sequencing of significant individuals, events, and time periods.
- 1C - Explain the significance of the following dates: 1861, Civil War begins.
- 5A - Explain reasons for the involvement of Texas in the Civil War, such as slavery.
- 5B - Analyze the political, economic, and social effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction in Texas.
- 5C - Identify significant individuals and events concerning Texas and the Civil War, such as the Battle of Palmito Ranch.
Citizenship
- 16A identify rights of Texas citizens.
Culture
- 19B - Describe how people from various racial groups attempt to maintain their cultural heritage while adapting to the larger Texas culture.
Social Studies Skills
- 21A - Locate and use valid primary and secondary sources such as computer software to acquire information about Texas.
- 21B - Analyze information by sequencing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, and drawing inferences and conclusions.
- 21C - Interpret information from timelines and maps.
- 21D - Identify points of view from the historical context surrounding an event and the frame of reference that influenced the participants.
8th Grade
History
- 1A - Identify the major eras and events in U.S. history through 1877, including Civil War and Reconstruction.
- 7B - Compare the effects of political, economic, and social factors on slaves and free blacks.
- 7C - Analyze the impact of slavery on different sections of the United States.
- 8B - Explain the causes of the Civil War, including slavery, and significant events of the Civil War, including the firing on Fort Sumter; the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
- 9C - Explain the economic, political, and social problems during Reconstruction and evaluate their impact on different groups.
Government
- 16B - Describe the impact of 19th-century amendments, including the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, on life in the United States.
- 18C - Evaluate the impact of selected landmark Supreme Court decisions, including Dred Scott v. Sandford, on life in the United States.
Culture
- 23D - Analyze the contributions of people of various racial groups to our national identity.
Science, Technology, and Society
- 27B - Analyze the impact of transportation on the growth, development, and urbanization of the United States.
- 28B - Identify examples of how industrialization changed life in the United States.
Social studies skills
- 29A - Locate and use valid primary and secondary sources such as computer software and artifacts to acquire information about the United States.
- 29B - Analyze information by sequencing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions.
- 29C - Organize and interpret information from visuals, including timelines and maps.
|