African Americans in the Civil War:

The Rallying Cry Battle Hymn of the Republic: Origins and

Impact on the African American Community
Overarching Theme: Fighting for Our Liberation and Freedom
Overview
Historical events often influence popular music. During the Civil War era, music
played a key role in dramatizing the rightness of the war from both the Northern and
the Southern perspectives. Music was also used to promote the abolitionists cause,
and the steady rhythms and catchy choruses of some musical scores made them
natural marching songs. The Battle Hymn of the Republic, written by the
abolitionist Julia Ward Howe, was a popular marching song with African American
troops during the Civil War that has endured the test of time for more than 150
years. In this skills-based lesson module that is aligned to the Common Core State
Standards (CCSS) and supports literacy development, students will analyze a
variety of informational texts to learn more about the origin of The Battle Hymn of
the Republic and the impact that this song (and other Civil War songs) had on
African American and nonAfrican American soldiers.
Content Focus
Historical events often influence popular music.
Lesson Understandings
Students will understand that:
Historical events often influence popular music.
Music can provide great insights into a topic.
Music can have a great impact on a community.
Instructional Resources

Civil War Music: The Battle Hymn of the Republic:

(http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-the-homefront/culture/music/thebattle-hymn-of-the-republic/the-battle-hymn-of-the.html)
Battle Hymn of the Republic (lyrics):
(http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/songs/docs/battle_hymn.pdf)
Battle Hymn of the Republic (audio recording):
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.100010455/default.html

Music of the American Civil War website: (http://www.pdmusic.org/civilwar.html)

Summarizing graphic organizer:
(http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/vocabulary/pdf/sr_allgo.pdf)
Thinking about Songs: As Historical Artifacts (document analysis worksheet):
(http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/tools/docs/songs.pdf)

Sources/Additional Resources

Teaching with Documents:The Fight for Equal Rights: Black Soldiers in the Civil
War: http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/blacks-civil-war/
Library of Congress:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200000003/default.html
Civil War.org: http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-thehomefront/culture/music/the-battle-hymn-of-the-republic/the-battle-hymn-ofthe.html
Library of Congress: American Memory (printable lyrics):
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/songs/docs/battle_hymn.pdf
Library of Congress: American Memory (audio recording):
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.100010455/default.html
PDMusic.org (lyrics and audio recording of Civil War songs):
http://www.pdmusic.org/civilwar.html
Library of Congress: American Memory (recording of Civil War music):
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/civil-warmusic/
Library of Congress (document analysis worksheet):
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/tools/docs/songs.pdf

The African Americans in the Civil War: Active Partners in the Fight for Liberation and
Freedom
curriculum was created by Learning Dimensions for DuSable Museum of African
American History. To contact Learning Dimensions, please email
learningdimensionschicago@gmail.com. For more information on this educational guide
or other educational materials from DuSable Museum of African American History
please contact Pemon Rami, director of educational and public programming,
atprami@dusablemuseum.org.

Lesson Plan

Grade Level(s)

The Rallying Cry Battle Hymn of the Republic:

Origins and Impact on the African American Community
912, can be adapted to middle school

Unit and Time Frame

45 minutes + 90 minutes for the Extended Learning Activity

Common Core
Learning Standards

Lesson Goals

Materials/Resources

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.7: Conduct short as well as more

sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or information
of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the
source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. (Middle School)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-12.2: Determine the central ideas or
information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate
summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text
and make clear the relationships among the key details and ideas. (High
School)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in
charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in
print and digital texts. (Middle School)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources
of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, as well as words) in order to address a question or solve a
problem. (High School)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1: Prepare for and participate effectively
in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners,
building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.

Increase students understanding of the origin of The Battle Hymn of the

Republic and the impact that this song (and other Civil War songs) had
on African American and nonAfrican American soldiers
Help students make connections between this period and today

LCD projector/screen or whiteboard

teacher computer with laptop and speakers
paper (notebook, loose-leaf, copier, construction)


Key Terms and
Concepts

journal/spiral-bound notebook (optional)

primary source: original materials from the time period involved that have not
been filtered through interpretation or evaluation; a firsthand source.
abolitionist: a person who wants to end slavery.

Interdisciplinary
Connections

Art: Analyze both the lyrics and audio recording of songs and create song lyrics
that discuss the roles, responsibilities, and challenges confronted by African
Americans (men and women) who participated in the Civil War.
Learning Plan
1. Hook: To begin this lesson, engage students in a brief discussion about
the significance of music to society. Focus the discussion on the following
understandings:
Historical events often influence popular music.
Music can provide great insights into a topic.
Music can have a great impact on a community.
Teachers Tip: Teacher could play a song for students (e.g., Whats
Going On by Marvin Gaye or We Shall Overcome by Charles Albert
Tindley) before engaging them in discussion.
2. Building Background Knowledge: To build background knowledge on
the origins and impact of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, have students
read the background essay Civil War Music: The Battle Hymn of the
Republic (http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-thehomefront/culture/music/the-battle-hymn-of-the-republic/the-battle-hymnof-the.html), identify important ideas from the article, and summarize the
significant points raised in the online essay using the summarizing graphic
organizer
(http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/vocabulary/pdf/sr_allg
o.pdf).
Go over activity by reviewing key points students wrote on their
summarizing graphic organizer.
3. Informational Text Reading: Direct students to read the lyrics of The
Battle Hymn of the Republic
(http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/songs/docs/battle_hymn.pdf) and listen
to an audio recording of this song (Battle Hymn of the Republic: Audio

Recording [3:04]
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.100010455/default.html). To
analyze both the lyrics and the audio recording of this song, students
should complete the Thinking about Songs: As Historical Artifacts
document analysis worksheet
(http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/tools/docs/songs.pdf).
Go over this activity by reviewing students responses to the questions
raised in the document analysis worksheet
Assessment

Summarizing graphic organizer, document analysis worksheet

Extension
(Homework and
Projects)

Extended Learning Activity: Have students choose a song from a selected

list of Civil War songs and conduct research to respond to the following
questions:
Who wrote the piece?
Who was the piece written for?
What is the topic of this piece?
What does this piece tell us about the artist and the artists
perspective?
What impact do you think this song had on the intended
community?
What questions does this piece raise? Where should you go to
find the answers to those questions?
Note: For a list of additional Civil War song titles, lyrics and audio
recordings, go to the Music of the American Civil War website
(http://www.pdmusic.org/civilwar.html).
As a culminating activity for this lesson module, have students create song
lyrics that discuss the roles, responsibilities, and challenges confronted by
African Americans (men and women) who participated in the Civil War. Allow
time for a few students to read their lyrics to the rest of the class.