Thomas Garber

What Would Historians Write About Thomas Garber?

Based on: Mason, C. L., & Carter, A. (1999). The Garbers: Using digital history to recreate a 19th-century family. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 11-14.

SOURCES Framework Analysis Sheet

Scrutinize the Fundamental Source(s)

Thomas Garber to Addie Garber, August 15, 1862

     Essential Question - What Would Historians Write About Thomas Garber?
Organize Thoughts

     What do students know about the topic?

     KWL or Concept Map (Foldable)

What did you learn about Thomas Garber from reading this letter?
What does this tell you about the life of a Civil War soldier?
What else would you like to know about Thomas Garber?
How could you find the answers to these questions?
Do you think Thomas was afraid?
Do you think Thomas missed his family?
What do you think was Thomas' job in the army?
How old do you think Thomas was when he wrote this letter?
Was Thomas killed in the war?
Did Thomas have other brothers and sisters?
Who were Thomas' parents?
Was he afraid?
What was life like during the Civil War for the average family?

Understand the Context
Children's literature

Pink and Say—by Patricia Polacco
Now or Never: 54th Massachusetts Infantry’s War to End Slavery—by Ray Anthony
Shepard
Soldier Song: A True Story of the Civil War—by Debbie Levy
John Lincoln Clem: Civil War Drummer Boy (Based on a True Story)—by E. F. Abbott
Louisa May’s Battle: How the Civil War led to Little Women—by Kathleen Krull
Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, A Civil War Hero—by Marissa Moss
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg—by Rodman Philbrick
I’ll Pass for Your Comrade: Women Soldiers in the Civil War—by Anita Silvey
Two Girls of Gettysburg—by Lisa Klein

     Discussion
     Think, Pair, and Share
Read Between the Lines

     Thomas Garber to Addie Garber, August 15, 1862

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/papers/A0806

Guiding Questions

What more did you learn about Thomas Garber from rereading this letter?
What else would you like to know about Thomas Garber now?
Do you wonder where Thomas traveled during the American Civil War?
Did you consider whether he survived the war?
Do you think that Thomas was afraid or had fears related to serving in the Confederate army?
What are you thinking about the Garber family or individuals in the family?
How could you find the answers to these questions?

Corroborate and Refute

1860 U.S. Population Census (p.#150) (Thomas)

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/population_census

Asher Harman to Albert Garber, September 24, 1862

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/papers/A0808

Thomas Garber to Albert Garber, September 25, 1862

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/papers/A0809

Thomas Garber to Addie Garber, December 6, 1862

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/papers/A0811

Thomas Garber to Albert Garber, April 15, 1863

https://valley.lib.virginia.edu/papers/A0813

Thomas Garber to Addie Garber, May 29, 1863

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/papers/A0812

M. G. Harman to Albert Garber, June 20, 1863

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/papers/A0814

1870 U.S. Population Census

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/population_census

Lewis Harman to Addie Garber, July 20, 1863

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/papers/A0816

Garber Letters

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/VoS/personalpapers/collections/augusta/garber.html

Staunton Vindicator: July 3, 1863

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/news/rv1863/va.au.rv.1863.07.03.xml

Staunton Vindicator: May 11, 1866

http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/news/rv1866/va.au.rv.1866.05.11.xml#03

The American Battlefield Protection Program: Upperville

http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/va038.htm

Virginia Civil War Map of Battles 1863

http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/va63.html

Upperville - Trappe Road

http://www.johnsmilitaryhistory.com/aldie4.html

Upperville Park

http://www.civilwarfieldtrips.com/stuart/pages/22upperville.html

Battle of Upperville (Image)

Forty years of active service - By Charles Triplett O'Ferrall (p.79)

http://books.google.com/books?id=b5S7Vu8FvUQC&pg=PA80&lpg=PA80&dq=

upperville+thomas+garber&source=bl&ots=P1fzGPSbxB&sig=9IfG_dI7ywx5hehO
U6W6B-ZsJs4&hl=en&ei=4_TSTKmnE8qr8AbthNlk&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result
&resnum=8&ved=0CDUQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q&f=false

Thornrose Cemetary

Establish a Plausible Narrative

Create a historical marker for Thomas Garber at the location of the Battle of Upperville or in his hometown
Write a letter to a local historical society outlining why Thomas Garber should be remembered
Create a documentary film
Write a piece of children’s literature or a graphic novella

Summarize Final Thoughts

Discussion

How do I know what I know?
What do historians do?
Did I replicate what historians might do?
What questions still exist?
Is it okay that questions still exist?
How might I answer questions that still exist?