Modern photography was just coming of age when the Civil War broke out. Hundreds of photographers began capturing pictures of the war's leaders, soldiers, supplies, buildings, casualties, and more -- images that seemed very real and, often, disturbing to a public unused to images of war. However, even at this early stage, artistic license shaped how authentic visual imagery was presented -- just as it often shapes how images are presented today. In this session, you will examine the battlefield conditions experienced by men and women on both sides of the conflict, and focus on strategies that teach students how to analyze, interpret, and become informed consumers of visual media.

Content Focus

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• describe several critical issues related to the battlefield conditions of the Civil War and their significance in gaining a meaningful understanding of the Civil War era; and
• describe aspects of human experience during the Civil War conflict as evidenced in photographic images.

Strategy Focus

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• explore the human experience of a particular historical event or era through visual records;
• analyze a Civil War photograph to understand the photographer's intent and whether the photo presents a particular value or message;
• understand how a historian's analysis of photographs differs from a casual observer's or artistic critic's analysis; and
• develop a media viewing "tool" for your students to utilize when working with photographs from any historical era.