The field trip to City Point will provide a tour of the kitchen building, Appomattox Manor, and Grant's cabin. These three structures will be used to explain the life and experiences of a slave, a plantation owner, and a war general. Through the years, songs have been used as a medium to tell stories of peoples' lives and experiences. Just like songs today reflect the cuture of the people, songs of Civil War times also reflected the events and lifestyles of this time period. Students will look at songs from long ago and identify what stories they tell.
Students can explain how the lyrics reflect the culture and events of today.
Let's take a look at songs from another time. Handouts will represent the songs popularly sung by soldiers, slaves, or farmers. Students will need to identify whether the song would have been sung by a soldier, a slave, or a plantation owner. After the student pairs identify who would have sung this song, they must explain why the song reflects the lifestyle of the person they chose. Upon completing these questions, students will need to look for hidden meanings in the song.