andersonville prison. the cemetery. the journals. the deaths.
the camp of the confederacy
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The Camp of the Confederacy
Chase Harrington and Lily Zhang
Team 21
December 15, 2014
Andersonville Prison: The Camp of the Confederacy
Introduction
This project is one that will truly capture the effects and ideas of the Civil War. Of many prison camps, Andersonville Prison in Georgia was one of the worst. Regarded as a national catastrophe and as an Auschwitz in America, we look upon it in confusion and anger. This projects aims to clear the air of what really happened at this atrocious place.
From the malnourishment of the prisoners to the relentless Raiders, we will explore the horrors of Andersonville Prison. From the first prisoner, there had been a stable, large prison, with enough food planned for its maximum capacity. But soon enough, commanders of the prison realized their planning faults and the prison became a community of thieves, starved men, and a pileup of dead bodies. Journal entries detail how hard a day was, and even how mournful the Fourth of July was. Cemetery records were little to none, until after the Civil War. Regrettably, more than 13,000 soldiers and civilians died in this prison. Our diaroama of the prison, including journal entries, a 3D presentation of the buildings, will conclude a detailed, thorough explanation of the horrors of the Andersonville Prison.
Essential/Driving Research Question (5 pts)
- What problem or issues have you discovered that needs to be solved?
- What proposals do you have in order to help solve the identified issues?
Standards (30 pts)
8th Grade Georgia Studies
- 37a - rank and analyze the importance of key issues and events that led to the Civil War including slavery, states rights, nullification, Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, Georgia Platform, Kansas-Nebraska Act, Dred Scott case, and election of 1860
- 37b - explain the debate over secession in Georgia and the role of Alexander Stephens
- 37c - state the importance of key events of the Civil War to include Antietem, Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg,
Chickamauga, Union blockade of Georgia’s coast, Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, Sherman’s March to the Sea, and Andersonville - 37d - analyze the impact of Reconstruction on Georgia and other southern states emphasizing Freedmen’s Bureau, sharecropping, tenant farming, Reconstruction plans, 13th Constitutional Amendment, 14th Constitutional Amendment,15th Constitutional Amendment, Henry McNeal Turner, black legislators, and the Ku Klux Klan
Andersonville Prison
Andersonville Cemetery Prison
Gallows
Raiders
Lincoln
Lee
Davis
Sherman
Union Blockade
Savannah Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
Gettysburg
Antietam
Intended Outcome
I hope that this subject will not captivate students but also urge them into taking the Civil War seriously and with more vigor. The story is intense, and the ideas are important. The Andersonville Prison is the epitome of a clash in Northern and Southern ideas. Not only is it wholly representative of the Civil War, it is also noticeably vital to the horrors of the war. I hypothesize that this presentation, the journals, and the paper can be used to explain and elaborate on what students have already learned. I hope it will encourage students to not only look for battle deaths in a war, but also civilians and those who die in the prisons of the war. The project should make those who are confused about the war less confused.
Group Member and Job Assignment (10 pts)
CHASE HARRINGTON
Research paper, building of the gallows and sheds
LILY ZHANG
Proposal, creation of tents, design of board, and placement of gallows/sheds
RESULT
Through this project, we have accomplished many things. By the use of a diorama of the prison and a journal with real entries by real prisoners, we have described this gruesome time in American History in as much gory detail as we dare. The similarities to many other terrible war-prisons show that this isn’t only in America. This kind of life is everywhere where there is war. Prison camps are incredibly prevalent in the modern day, and this brings to light how prisoners were treated in older times. It also describes the harsh brutality that was vital in the Civil War. Had it not been for General Sherman’s intense March to the Sea, Georgia and its neighbors would be in a very different place. The casualties and deaths that occurred at Antietam and Gettysburg were important for the new, re-unified nation to thrive. For students, this should open the eyes of many. The emotion of these soldiers, as written in the journal, are so raw and rude that cannot be fake. This project takes the students further into the life during the Civil War.
For this project, we have decided to focus mainly on a few things : the tents, the river, the gallows, and the palisades. The gallows are taller than anything else on the camp to show its importance. This is where not only Henry Wirz was hanged, but also many Union soldiers who were accused of crimes. The river and its murky color is another important thing. While at the camp, many people contracted scurvy and dysentery, which makes the stomach very uncomfortable. Thus, the prisoners would defecate and urinate directly into the river, successfully polluting it. There are many tents spread across the board to describe the awkward proximity of the prisoners to each other. This proximity also allowed for diseases like scurvy and dysentery to easily pass through the prison system. Lastly, the palisades represent the total control that the prison tried to keep- but failed miserably at.
REFLECTION LILY:
I never knew a lot of these things. In fact, prison camps in America sounded absolutely foreign to my naive ears. But only after this project, have I discovered something odd. There is a government-funded organization that is preparing for a mass amount of illegal aliens to move into the U.S.. And prison camps are one way to treat it. Through this, I have also learned about the lives of the soldiers who went missing, and why Henry Wirz was killed. It also brought to light some of the other horrible things that happened during the Civil War, to the people for the cause but not particularly on the battlefield anymore. I really did like this project. Each detail was so fascinating and cruel at the same time, but it was also a dark reminder of America’s past. My favorite part of the project was actually the journal because the words used are so simple but they convey such a raw emotion. Every journal entry brought a different light to things, and the statements concerning Henry Wirz’s trials were so detailed. It was very interesting to see all the things he was accused of, though in our textbooks he is recognized as someone who tried to help the prisoners.
REFLECTION: CHASE HARRINGTON
During this project, we mainly focused on Andersonville . During this project, I learned about Henry Wirz and the conditions at the prison. I loved building a diorama; I never get to build dioramas like these. However, the hot glue was not fun: I burned myself a few times! Yes, this project was better than past ones. I think that this was helpful to actually see all of this chaos in action. I liked looking at actual quotes from the past.
RESOURCES:
"Andersonville." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.
"Andersonville Prison." Council of Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2014.
" The Andersonville Prison Camp." The Andersonville Prison Camp. Weebly, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2014.
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