11.2 - Supporting Question 2

Compelling Questions:

Should a country be isolated in a time of global conflict?

Supporting Question 2:

How did people experience the war abroad and at home?

Introduction

According to historians Robert Billingerand and Jo Ann Williford, “More than 362,500 North Carolinians (including 69,000 African Americans and 7,000 women) served in the armed forces during the war. Casualties included 6,458 battle deaths and more than 3,000 deaths from other causes.” In this section, students will explore secondary and primary sources describing combat conditions. These resources also provide a discussion of the variety of experiences of soldiers, as well as discrimination faced by African American soldiers.

Notably, North Carolina also contributed to the war effort as major military bases were built or expanded at  Fort Bragg, on the outskirts of Fayetteville, Camp Davis, near Wilmington, and at Jacksonville and Havelock.  The building of these bases employed a great number of North Carolinians and made North Carolina a leading state in the war effort. Here students will analyze a variety of resources describing the contributions of North Carolinians both big and small to the war effort.

Icon.Arrow.80x80.png Click next to view secondary sources for supporting question two.