Last updated: February 4, 2021
Lesson Plan
Fortifications
- Grade Level:
- Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subject:
- Science,Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- Common Core Standards:
- 8.G.9, 5.NF.2
- Thinking Skills:
- Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words.
Essential Question
Why were fortifications necessary? What was the purpose of the earthen fortifications at Forts Henry, Heiman, and Donelson?
Objective
Three objectives:
1. To help students understand Civil War fortifications at Fort Donelson (polygonal shapes, locations on maps, Civil War terminology)
2. To help students understand why rivers were important during the Civil War, and why forts were needed
3. To encourage thoughts and reflection on historic preservation and resource protection
Background
When the Civil War began, Tennesseeans did not immediately cast their votes for secession. It would not be until June 1861 that the state would officially secede and join the Confederate States of America. After this, political and military leaders began plans to defend the long boundaries and access by water. The state was surrounded by three major rivers: the Cumberland, Tennessee, and the Mississippi. To the east, the state's boundary consisted of the Appalachian Mountains.
Leaders decided to construct earthen forts, various places on these rivers, to prevent invasion by water from the U.S. military. While it would have been easier to defend the state's boundaries in further points to the north, the engineers and leadership could not violate the neutrality of the state of Kentucky. Thus, three fortifications were built just south of the line near the point where two rivers come very close together --within 13 miles of one another. There were other forts built on the Mississippi River.
Today, you can still visit the remains of Forts Donelson and Heiman, but Fort Henry is now covered by the waters of Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River.
Preparation
Teachers should provide students with access to the Internet, the Fort Donelson NB website, and if necessary a calculator.
It may also be a good idea to show the 20 minute film Fort Donelson: A Place for Heroes.
Additional resources and information may be found here:
Fort Parks - Forts (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Materials
A quick lesson about Civil War earthen fortifications, and how they were used at Fort Donelson NB
Procedure
Students should be able to complete this lesson during one class period.
1. Provide the worksheet
2. Explain that students may need to access the National Park website to view the park map
3. Students may want to access virtual museums of the Library of Congress to view other Civil War fortifications.
Vocabulary
- abatis - felled trees with tops sharpened to a point, forming a barrier around the earthworks or fortifications
- earthworks - earthen barriers, used by infantry soldiers, for additional cover during combat. The earthworks were constructed by cutting trees and covering the trunks with earth. Sometimes an additional log was added on top of the earthwork for more protection. Earthworks at Forts Henry and Donelson were extensive, surrounding the fortification. At Fort Heiman, they were not completed.
- star fortification - a fort, either stone, brick, or earthen, that has a series of angles to prevent easy attack by the enemy: CWFF Website: Dictionary of Fortification: Star Fort (lly.org)
Assessment Materials
Writing PromptTeacher should consider using this as an assessment of student understanding.
Teacher may suggest two options:
1) write a two paragraph essay on what you've learned about the earthworks, or
2) sketch an image of how the fort or earthworks may have looked.
Suggested reminders for students:
- what was the shape of the fort?
- why was the fort built near the river?
- where were the earthworks built? why?
- how did they build the earthworks and fort?
- who built the earthworks and fort?
Rubric/Answer Key
Students will likely draw a large circle or modified star shape for the fort.
The three forts, Henry, Heiman, and Donelson were built on the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers to protect and try and control the rivers from invasion by the Union military, as well as protecting the northernmost boundary of the Confederate States of America. Fort Donelson especially was important to slow or stop the advance toward the state capitol at Nashville. A Confederate depot was also located there. Earthworks were built as an additional barrier around the fortification. Earthworks were primarily built by Confederate soldiers; enslaved workers built the star-shaped fort over a period of six months.