Using Maps to Uncover a Soldier's Life

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As a class, discuss some of the features of this map. What is familiar already? Point out that when we look at maps, we should always consider the scale first. Discuss what that term means. Choose the Grid and Scale option from the choices at the right. The grid adds lines of latitude and longitude. If this is a familiar concept, review it.

Supplement the map on the screen with a map in your students’ textbook or on your wall where a larger perspective is given, e.g. the East Coast or the entire United States. Point out the latitude and longitude lines on the larger map.

Have students find the scale indication in the lower right corner. Discuss what scale means. An easy and quite dramatic example involves contrasting a blueprint of your classroom or a room in your house (this could just be a sketch to scale that you make on the board) with a map of the neighborhood of the school. It helps if the two maps are roughly the same size making the contrast even more clear. Use your supplemental map (US or East Coast) to provide another example. Compare and contrast the scale on your supplemental map with the scale on the map on the screen. Use a second piece of string to find the distance between Richmond, Virginia and Washington, DC on the on-screen map and another piece of string for the distance on your supplemental map. Don’t have students calculate the actual mileage yet, but simply have them measure the distance between the two cities on the map. Use the two different string lengths to discuss what scale is and why it is important. With the two pieces of string, have students attempt to approximate the actual mileage between the two cities. Students can check themselves by using Yahoo’s computer generated driving directions. Have students enter Washington, DC as the starting address and Richmond, VA as the destination address and click Get Directions. At the top of the new page, identify the distance between the two cities. This distance, of course, factors in where roads are and is not simply the distance as the crow flies, but in this case, it is a good approximation. Have students compare their answers from using the string with Yahoo’s.

Ask students to find the cardinal directions on the map. This map has the common orientation of North being up. Point out that all maps do not have this, and it is a good idea to check before beginning to use the map.

As a class, continue to familiarize yourselves with the features of this map. Add the Modern Cities option. Have them pick out the four capitals that are listed on this map. In pairs, have students write two sentences that geographically relate each capital to another one. For example, Annapolis is northeast of Richmond. Annapolis is southeast of Harrisburg. What geographical feature is common to all four capitals? This may be a vague question, but have them try to think about why capital cities would have been founded where they were. What does a city definitely need? See if they can make the connection between transportation and the need to exchange goods and services with these cities’ location on rivers or in harbors.

The most impressive part of this interactive map is its ability to map the troop movements of the Virginia 5^th Infantry throughout the war. Point out the timeline that runs along the base of the image and encourage students to watch that as they are seeing the troop movements. This indicates when battles were occurring. Students can pause the progression at any point by clicking on the middle button with two parallel bars. Have students play the sequence now. Initially, just have them watch without any narration from you. Ask them what they thought of the sequence. What surprised them? If they are reluctant, be more specific. Did it seem like they were always fighting, or were traveling more than fighting? Did they travel more or less than you expected? Students can learn more about each individual battle by clicking on the red stars representing each engagement.

Explain to students that they will be using this map to paint a clearer picture of what an average soldier in the Virginia 5^th Infantry’s life was like. For the first year of the unit’s life beginning in April 1861, it fought in seven engagements or battles. Explain that students will fill out the chart below based on information they gather from this map. An additional copy that is easier to print is available here.

Once students have completed their chart, have them discuss what they can conclude from this data. What does it tell us about a soldier in the 5^th Virginia’s life?

To add a more personal touch, have students read James E. Beard’s diary, particularly from the year covered in the chart. Beard, a 38-year-old farmer from Augusta County, joined the 5th Virginia Infantry in August 1861. His diary recounts his life as a soldier in this regiment, including details about engagements at Manassas and Winchester. Have students read Beard’s diary through April 1862 with their chart in hand and their map on the screen so they can follow his movements. Students should answer these basic questions (these are also printed below the student version of the chart):