Internet Activity The Gettysburg Address and "Letter to His Son" due 10/28

Internet Activity
"The Gettysburg Address," Abraham Lincoln
"Letter to His Son," Robert E. LeeCompare Letters
President Lincoln offered Robert E. Lee the command of the Union Army; Lee declined. In 1861, Robert E. Lee resigned his United States Army command, returned to his home in Virginia and accepted the command of Virginia's military and naval forces. Many of Lee's letters, like the one to his son, describe his own conflict over the direction the country had taken. However, his later letters make it clear that he took his command of the Northern Virginia army very seriously, and committed his years of military experience and his life to its success.

Read several of the letters that Lee wrote after he took command of the Southern forces. Then, choose one letter that demonstrates his dedication to his new task. Write a brief paragraph comparing the two letters. Post the "Letter to his Son" (January 23,1861), the letter you have chosen, and your paragraph of explanation on your class Web site. Invite a history class to read your comparison paragraph and add their own comments.

Key Words and Phrases:

Washington and Lee University: Robert E. Lee Papers Collection
Robert E. Lee Letters for the years 1848 thru 1868
Recollections and Letters Robert E. Lee
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