Prior to and during the Civil War, the North and the South differed greatly in the resources they could use. Documents held by the National Archives can aid in understanding the factors that influenced the eventual outcome of the War Between the States. After Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860, the South seceded because they believed that Lincoln would restrict their rights to own slaves. They decided that secession was a better choice than to give up their economic system and their way of life. This lesson uses documents which illustrate the President's role as commander-in-chief of the military as specified in Article II, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution. The lesson correlates to the National History Standards and to the National Standards for Civics and Government. It furnishes seven primary sources including letters, messages, telegrams, a photograph, and a sound recording of the last surviving Confederate veteran. The lesson provides historical background about the War Between the States, outlining the advantages and disadvantages of both the North and the South. It offers seven diverse teaching activities for implementation, such as brainstorming, a research and presentation activity, creative writing assignments, science and technology research, and an oral history assignment. Contains a written document analysis worksheet and a sound recording analysis worksheet. (BT)