A Series of Lessons on Savannah and Chatham County, Georgia, WWII Heritage City

The postcard, postmarked May 5, 1943, depicts scenes from Savannah’s military presence within the letters.

Photo courtesy of the City of Savannah Municipal Archives

Introduction

The three lessons, and culminating fourth lesson, support the development of understanding the significance of Savannah and Chatham County, Georgia designated as an American World War II Heritage City. Highlights include shipbuilding and defense industries, the Armed Forces presence at Hunter Field, and civilian home front contributions in both paid and volunteer work. The lessons highlight specific contributions but connect to larger themes and understandings of the U.S. home front during wartime. A mix of primary and secondary sources are used, along with photos and media.

The standards listed beneath the lesson links are a collection of standards covered in the lesson collection. The lessons have been aligned to national standards and topics, as well as to the Social Studies Georgia Standards of Excellence. Objectives for each lesson, materials, and resources are listed within the lesson.

The first three lessons listed can be taught individually or collectively, in any order. The final lesson is to support students in combining learning across the three lessons, and/or comparison to other World War II home front cities in a culminating activity.

Lessons (with World War II home front topics):

Shipbuilding in Savannah and Chatham County, Georgia, World War II Heritage City

• Shipbuilding, Liberty ships, minesweepers, women in war industries, National Youth Administration

Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah and Chatham County, Georgia, WWII Heritage City

• Army Air Force, 3rd Air Force, Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), training and staging operations

Home Front Civilian Contributions in Savannah and Chatham County, World War II Heritage City

• Savannah Quartermaster Depot, Army Service Forces Depot, women in war industries, African Americans in war industries, civilian defense, scrap and salvage drives

Savannah and Chatham County, Georgia: Comparing and Connecting WWII Home Front Cities

Positioning These Lessons in the Curriculum

Time period: World War II 

Topics: World War II, women’s history, African American history, workforce migration, science and technology 

United States History Standards for Grades 5-12 

This lesson relates to the following National Standards for History from the UCLA National Center for History in the Schools: 

Era 8: The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945) 

Standard 3: The causes and course of World War II, the character of the war at home and abroad, and its reshaping of the U.S. role in world affairs 

Curriculum Standards for Social Studies 

This lesson relates to the following Curriculum Standards themes for Social Studies from the National Council for the Social Studies: 

Theme 2: Time, Continuity, and Change 

Theme 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions  

Theme 8: Science, Technology, and Society 

Theme 9: Global Connections 

Relevant Common Core Standards  

These lessons relate to the following Common Core English and Language Arts Standards for History and Social Studies for middle and high school students: 

Key Ideas and Details 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-12.1 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY. RH. 6-12.2 

Craft and Structure 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-12.4 

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-12.7 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-12.9 

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH. 6-12.10 

Social Studies Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE, 2023) 

The lessons align to the Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies (RHSS) in both Grades 9-10 and 11 – 12.  

Skills practiced include: citing textual evidence, identifying central ideas, determining the meaning of words and phrases, and comparing and contrasting treatments of the same topic in many primary and secondary sources.  

The lessons also align to: 

U.S. History 

SSUSH19 Examine the origins, major developments, and the domestic impact of World War II, including the growth of the federal government. 

d. Investigate the domestic impact of the war including war mobilization, as indicated by rationing, wartime conversion, and the role of women and African Americans or Blacks. 

Want More World War II Resources?

Connect with lessons from other World War II Heritage Cities or more general place-based World War II Lessons.
These lessons and resources from across US History are part of Teaching with Historic Places.

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The lesson series was written by Sarah Nestor Lane, an educator and consultant with the Cultural Resources Office of Interpretation and Education, funded by the National Council on Public History's cooperative agreement with the National Park Service.