6thGradeSummerReadingAssignment

DearStudent,
YouarereadinganonfictiontextcalledBloodyTimes:TheFuneralofAbrahamLincolnandTheManhunt
ForJeffersonDavisbyJamesL.Swanson.Thereareafewthingstorememberaboutreadingnonfiction
texts,suchastheprimarysourcesthatareincludedmatter!Thesearethingslikephotographsandletters.
Payattentiontotheprimarydocumentsandwhattheyaddtothestory.Thatsanotherthing,thisbookis
nonfiction,butitreadslikeastory,parallellingthelivesoftwoimportantmenandthepeoplearoundthem.
Besuretoreadeverything,includingthePrologueandtheEpilogue.

Inaddition,whenyoureadthisbookyoushoulddothefollowingthings:
Ifyouownyourcopy,youshouldwritenotesinthemarginsaboutdetailsthatinterestyou,
questionsyouhave,orimportantinformation.
Ifyouareborrowingacopy,youshouldstillwritethosenotes,BUTonpostitnotes,sothatyou
canremovethemwhenyoureturnthebook.

Wehopeyouenjoythisbook.Sincemostofyoureadtheprequeltothis,ChasingLincolnsKiller,you
willalreadyknowthebackground!Completethesequestionsonseparatepaperandreturnthemtoyour
socialstudiesteacheronthefirstdayofschool.Bringthebookwithyou,too,asyouwillbeusingitin
class.
Happyreading!
Your6thgradeSocialStudiesTeachersandLiteracySpecialists

1.Pg.711,Chapter1ThebookbeginswithanaccountthatintroducesustoConfederatePresident
JeffersonDavis.Basedonthisinformation,list5wordsorphrasesthatdescribehischaracter,using
evidencefromthetexttohelpyoumakethoseinferences.(Oneexamplemightbebrave,becausehedid
notpanic.)Includethepagenumberwhereyoufoundyourevidence.

2.Pg.38and39,Chapter5DetailsofGeneralLeeslettertoPresidentDaviscompletelycontradict
DavissspeechinGreensboro,madeatthesametime,butunknowntotheother.Makeatchartto
contrastDavissspeechandLeesletterofsurrender.

3.Chapters812describeLincolns13dayfuneralprocessionacrosstheU.S.,beginninginWashington,
D.C.attheWhiteHouseandendingathishomeinSpringfield,Illinoistobeburied.Comparethepictures
ofLincolnsdeathbedandhisfuneralhearses.Whichwasamoretruerepresentationofhischaracter?
WhichcitydidthebestjobofhonoringLincoln?Useevidencefromthetexttoproveyourpoint.