The Civil War through the Journalist's Lens

Create Your Own Story

Journalists during the Civil War period reported on the harsh realities of war and the fight to end slavery. In this final activity, you will have the opportunity to create your own front-page news story about a civil rights issue.

Directions:

1. Choose one of the images in the carousel that will help you answer the question: How might greater awareness of the civil rights issue featured in the image provide the public with a deeper understanding of American history?
2. Read two or three articles on your topic using reliable sources that you have used in class or your teacher recommends.

As you write your article, keep the following in mind:

1. Length: 2–3 paragraphs.
2. Include basic facts (who, what, where, when, why, how).
3. State where you stand on the matter and why.
4. Decide which news format you would like to use, newspaper or website.
5. Give your article a title and add a headline (a good headline catches the reader’s attention in some way).