When the Civil War came to Petersburg, it affected and displaced the people living there, including the people living at the Hare House. The Eastern Front of Petersburg National Battlefield, has many archeological sites holding these stories. Today, Petersburg National Battlefield helps the National Park Service tell the story of over 12,000 years of history: from the first people to explore the area, to the establishment of plantations, through the Civil War.
About This Activity
In this informal learning activity, we will explore ways that the archeological artifacts can provide insight about people's lives in the past.
Objectives: 1) Explore how archeology reveals information about peoples living at the Hare House and 2) Study artifacts and complete activities to deepen your understanding.
Audience: This informal learning activity is developed primarily for 4th-grade audiences but can be scaled to lower or higher grade levels. It provides a starting point that you can adapt to suit the needs of your learners.
Skills and Standards: Each section asks learners to draw on skills such as reading comprehension, independent or group work, writing, and using evidence to support conclusions. The activities provide opportunities to meet several Common Core State Standards, Virginia State Standards, and National Council for the Social Studies Curriculum Standards Themes. The content can be adapted to address Virginia State Standards for grades 4, 5, 8, and 11.
For more information, visit the park’s website. Also try the other two activities in this series: Archeology and the Indigenous Peoples at Grant's Headquarters at City Point and Archeology at the Eppes Family Plantation at Grant’s Headquarters at City Point.
War Comes to the Hare House
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
