In this hands-on Strategy Lab, students step into the role of Civil War war planners and use real 1861 data to design the Union and Confederate strategies. They examine population numbers, rail networks, industry, naval strength, geography, and government resources to decide what each side can actually do at the start of the war. Students actively compare strengths and weaknesses, analyze maps, and build strategic plans backed by evidence—not guesswork—giving them a clearer understanding of how