We read about the Battle of Antitam, which became the deadliest one-day battle in all of US history and why Lincoln fired McClellan (who Lincoln had hired to lead the Union army). We then learned about Lincoln's plan under his Emancipation Proclamation order which would free all enslaved people in any areas controlled by the Confederate army - even though the Union army could not actually enforce it. We read about what was going on in the home front such as women took on more responsibility and supported the war effort as nurses - and read about Clara Barton as an example. We reviewed why the Union generals, McClelland, Burnside and Hooker that were not considered great leaders and will learn about the Battle of Gettysburg in tomorrow's class to finish up the unit. Ben was reminded to bring in his homework which he said he brought back home the other day before i could get a chance to review however much he had completed.

We recapped the type of war the North and South had to fight in the Civil War and Ben was surprised to learn that both armies consisted mostly of inexperienced volunteers who signed up for only 90 days of fighting. Ben commented on the reality that the civil war pitted countrymen against one another. We then read about the first battle of Bull Run. We learned how General Stonewall Jackson who got the name "Stonewall" for refusing to move when attacked by Union forces. Both the North and the South learned that the war would be more difficult and dangerous than expected. We read about the new military technology that also made it more dangerous. We learned the strategies of historical figures such as George McClellan and Ulysses S. Grant and learned that Lincoln did not like General McClellan because he was too hesitant to attack Confederate forces whereas Union forces in the West were gaining ground and seizing control over trade and supply routes thanks to the leadership of Ulysses S. Grant. We finished today's session reading about additional battles fought, including the Battle of Shiloh and the Second battle of Bull Run and shares thoughts and opinions about the content discussed.

We refreshed our prior learning reviewing how the Civil War started in 1861 when the Confederacy attacked Fort Sumpter. We then read about border states who seceded because they refused to bear arms against their fellow Southerners and saw Lincoln's actions as unjust. Other border states, in the north, stayed in the union because while slavery was legal, it was not such a big part of the economy. We examined the strategies to fight a war from both sides - the North and the South. Our take-away was that the South, who had influence on the world's cotton market, needed to fight a defensive war and hoped for foreign intervention, whereas the North needed to fight an active war to subdue the Rebels. I wrote the different border states on the whiteboard and Ben looked at them on a map to note their breakdown or divisions into the North and South. Ben was encouraged to take a picture of the whiteboard as it contained a great deal of information. He also told me that he found his homework and asked if he could complete it during lunch or later today before submitting it. It was very encouraging. I was very happy he brought it in and allowed him to continue to work on it in class or in his free time.

We began a new unit learning about the Civil War. We read about the attack by the Confederacy on Fort Sumter, which started the war, and learned which side each border state took during the war. We watched a video the last few minutes of class to consolidate gains.

We read about the raids on Harper's Ferry and the tactical errors that led to the failure of the mission. We also read about the election of 1860, the Confederate States of America, who elected Jefferson Davis as president, and the main points of Lincoln's first inaugural address. Ben did not remember to bring in his homework. I have mentioned that his grade will unfortunately suffer as a result - and while apologetic for forgetting repeatedly, he has stated that he really he does not care.

We covered content addressing 'popular sovereignty' - the political position that people living in the state should be allowed to vote to decide about slavery. This lead to debates between Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln, who was then not well known. Douglas was a strong proponent of popular sovereignty and Lincoln argues against the expansion of slavery and centered his campaign on the immorality of it, We also read how the Supreme Court case about an enslaved man, Dred Scott fueled the abolitionist cause and learned the reasons why the Supreme Court ruled against Scott.

Today we read about the compromise of 1850 proposed by Henry Clay and its basic tenets. We learned about a controversial part of the Compromise of 1850 called the Fugitive Slave Act and why it divided the nation even further; it required Northern citizens to assist slave-catchers and denied fugitives a fair trial. The North hated it and some practiced Civil Disobedience. We learned about this essay, written by Henry David Thoreau, and about Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, depicting the harsh realities of slavery, which was one of the most influential books of the 19th century.

We began a new unit covering the Civil War and Reconstruction from the 1850's-1870's. We read that slavery remained a contentious issue even as the US approached its 70th year of independence and that the debate over abolition continued into the mid 19th century. This resulted in civil War because the North and South were unable to reconcile their differences. We began to read about the platform of the Free Soil Party who believed that new states and territories ought to be free of slavery. Ben's attention and engagement was sporadic and remained primarily dependent upon prompts and supports.

Ben was absent for this morning's class. He is to come in later in the day.

Ben spent a while in the restroom at the onset of class. He stated that he is feeling better than yesterday, but is still experiencing stomach issues. He apologized for yesterday and attributed it to feeling very sick, so we discussed a different kinder manner he could have expressed himself to better manage and clarify the reasons for his resistant behaviors. I brought up the subject of homework and Ben told me he did it but keeps forgetting to bring it in. For our lesson today, we reactivated prior knowledge about the motivations that spurred Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott to organize a women's right convention in the mid 19th century. We read how activists drafted a Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions and noted its similarity to the Declaration of Independence in wording in order to lay out the injustices of gender relations. For example, it stated that "all men AND WOMEN are created equal." Ben and I noted that it took another 70 years for women to get the right to vote!