Library Digital Content Access

Civil War: Matthew Brady Photos

Created By: Marilyn Cimino, Dr.Howard Elementary School (Champaign, IL)
Grade Level: 4th
Content Area: Social Studies
Database Integration: Students will access TDC database to locate examples of different map projections and compare their uses.

Objective

Students will be able to visualize the setting of many major happenings during the Civil War.

Student Materials:

Matthew Brady Photographs
Photograph Analysis Worksheet
Background Information on Mathew Brady
Pencil

Procedure:

At this station, students will study photographs taken during the Civil War by Matthew Brady. First, the students will have to read the background information card on Mathew Brady.
After reading the information students will then choose two to three photos to study in depth and fill out the photo analysis worksheet.
Students are to be working at this station for the whole time and turn in their papers when done.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed on the completeness of their worksheet and the thoughtfulness in which they completed it with.
Read this information about Matthew Brady, the Civil War photographer.
Matthew Brady started his career as a graphic artist but became interested in a new medium- photography. Soon he was one of the most successful portrait photographers of his time, with several flourishing studios. When the war began, Brady had an idea. He wanted to photograph every aspect of the war, from the camps to the battlefields. He requested permission to accompany the Union army. Brady and his 20 assistants took over 3,000 photographs during the war. It was tricky work. Early photographers used several different processes to create images: "daguerreotypes" were printed on silver-plated metallic sheets; "ambrotypes" were made with glass coated with special chemicals; "tintypes" were made on thin sheets of iron. The equipment Brady's photographers used needed long exposure times. It was nearly impossible to get action shots of battles. They had to wait until the battles were over to take their photographs.
Many historians have written about the Civil War. There are full-length histories, dictionaries, atlases of battles, biographies of generals, and histories of regiments. People have devoted their lives to understanding the events of this era and sharing their findings with others.
The historians, novelists, artists, photographers, and just plain folks who recorded their experiences of the war have given us a great gift. Because of them, we can reach back over the years and gain an understandiing of what it was like to have lived through this important era.

Sample Worksheet:

Photograph Analysis Worksheet

Name: _____________________________

Title of the photo: ____________________________________________________________________________

Date photo was taken: ________________________________________________________________________

Describe what is happening in the photo.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

How does this photo make you feel?