Civil War Shelters

The studying engineering concepts as it pertains to the Civil War shelters that Soldiers' used.

During war, soldiers live away from home and must find or create shelter as they travel to meet their enemies on the battlefield. Shelter is necessary to protect people from snow, wind, rain, heat, and cold. Think about what would be required to make a transportable shelter effective and list those characteristics. Then, use the following link to learn about the different types of tents used during the Civil War.

For more Information on Civil War Shelters

Take note of the different types of tents and answer the following questions about each of them

What was the shape of the tent? Try to draw it.
From what material was it built?
How many people fit into the tent?
How effective was it as a shelter? For example, did it keep people warm and/or protect them from the rain; was it easy to transport?
What specific purpose did it serve?
Was the tent seasonal or usable year-round?

Researching the Tents

Check whether you found information on each of these tents.

Civil War Sibley Tent
Civil War Hospital Tent
Civil War Shelter Tent
Civil War Dog Tent
Civil War A Tent/Wedge Tent

Types of Tents

Using construction paper, canvas, or some other material you have on hand, attempt to recreate the design of at least two of the tents based on the information presented in the article.

Try to create a tent of your own design and explain why it would be better than those created and used during the Civil War.

Examine modern tents and try to identify the discoveries that were made since the Civil War that have made current tent designs more effective.

Application

Science and Engineering Practices Progression, Grade 5

Asking questions and defining problems: define design problems that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system.

Civil War Shelters