The Valley of the Shadow - This fascinating site from the University of Virginia chronicles two communities on opposite sides of the Mason-Dixon Line before and after the Civil War. In the Eve of War section, students can examine a variety of primary source materials to understand the life and times of the residents of Augusta Country, Virginia, and Franklin County, Pennsylvania, in antebellum America. The lesson plan section offers some excellent activities that compare and contrast the North and the South prior to the Civil War.