Preparation. Before you begin writing Letter #1, gather some background information by reading, viewing, and listening to the following materials:
	Watch this clip about Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural from the documentary film, "Mary and Abraham Lincoln: A House Divided."
	Read the text of Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address. Give special attention to the highlighted areas.
	Visit the Gilder Lerhman Institute of American History's online exhibit, "Battle Lines: Letters from America's Wars." Listen to the letters by Braxton Bragg and Henry Hunt.
	Watch this clip from the documentary film, "The Civil War," about the letter written by Sullivan Ballou to his wife on the eve of the first battle of the war.

March 1861: On the Brink of War. Imagine how your character would react to the crisis facing the nation as President Abraham Lincoln takes office in March of 1861. The differences between the northern and southern regions of the country are about to erupt into war. In his inaugural address, the new President has pleaded with the nation to remain united, but several southern states have declared themselves an independent nation.