1. Explore one of the Union and one of the Confederate generals mentioned in the novel. Describe how their personalities are used in the novel. Using other books, find other comments about public sentiment (Union or Confederate) toward these generals.

2. The characters in the novel use phrases that are not part of popular English in today's society. For example, "Don't fret" or "I reckon Mamma put it in the basket." Look in a dictionary to find the meaning of these words. Locate another word in the novel or in a dictionary that is not commonly used today and write about the origin and history of the word's usage.

3. The author briefly describes the Underground Railroad in the novel. Research and more fully explain the Underground Railroad: How did it work? Who helped the slaves using the Underground Railroad? Who were some...