Primary Source Analysis: Total Dystopia - the Fall of Richmond

Students must read the description of the smoldering capital city and make a dystopian image of it.

 
Lesson:

Step 1: Historical Background (10–15 minutes)

- Read or review the simplified Richmond passage as a class. - Discuss what happened in Richmond on April 2–4, 1865 (fires, destruction, fleeing leaders, Lincoln’s arrival). - Show visuals (if available) of Richmond ruins.

Step 2: Dystopia Discussion (10 minutes)

- Ask students: “What is a dystopia?” - Briefly discuss dystopian settings in popular books/movies: - What do these places look like? (burned, chaotic, controlled, abandoned, etc.) - How does a burned-out capital city like Richmond resemble those worlds? - Compare real Richmond with fictional cities like Panem, the Glade, or District 13.

Step 3: Drawing Activity (20–25 minutes)

- Prompt: “Imagine you are walking through Richmond on April 2, 1865, as it burns and crumbles. Based on the historical description, use your imagination to draw what the city might look like. Think like a movie director or illustrator from a dystopian novel.” - Requirements: - Use color, detail, and symbolism. - Include at least two specific elements from the reading (burned bridges, collapsed buildings, smoke, etc.). - Title the drawing (e.g., *Ashes of the Capital*, *The Day the South Fell*, or *District RVA*).

Step 4: Share and Reflect (Optional – 10 minutes)

- Students share their titles and explain one detail they included. - Discuss how history and fiction can reflect similar emotions and settings.
Other Uses:
Morning Work - The activity takes most students about 30 minutes to complete, making it an ideal solution for morning work.
Homework - This activity is a great way to assign homework in social studies or language arts.
Share - Allow students to share their pictures with the class.