Curated OER
Plantation Economy Discussion: Activity 6
Lead your class in a discussion on the many components of plantation economics during the colonial period. This presentation is comprised of a single slide which houses 13 discussion topics related to plantation economy. Note: Use this...
Curated OER
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Students develop computer research skills while searching facts about Harriet Tubman. Students learn about ways in which Harriet Tubman's childhood influenced her future. Students learn to use primary documents to learn about the...
Curated OER
Two Views of the Slave Ship Brookes
Actual ship diagrams and a table of voyage data gives young historians an authentic glimpse of on-board experiences during the Atlantic Slave Trade. The class examines a projected diagram of the slave ship Brooks, recording thoughts....
Curated OER
Trial of John Brown, 1857
Students examine how John Brown's 1857 trial related to conflicting viewpoints on slavery, view perspectives of radical abolitionists, moderate abolitionists, and slave owners, and form their own opinions on issue of slavery.
Curated OER
This Guilty Land
Students read and discuss several informational cards about John Brown, the historical context he lived in and his abolitionist cause. They complete a character chart and write an epitaph that conveys their opinion of his actions.
Curated OER
Exploring the Life of a Slave
Eleventh graders explore importance of abolitionists who worked to advance freedoms of black Americans prior to/during Reconstruction era, read and identify key concepts in Frederick Douglass's narrative, recognize how Douglass's slave...
Curated OER
From Slaves to Soldiers: African Americans in the Civil War
Tenth graders observe several films, including The Divided Union, focusing on the conditions of slavery and African American soldiers in the Union Army. In addition, they watch Uncle Tom's Cabin and Glory to reinforce their knowledge of...
Curated OER
White Southerners' Defense of Slaveholding
Students read transcriptions of articles from two historical Virginian newspapers and examine how white southerners defended the institution of slavery. They write a one-act play or a dialogue between an abolitionist and a slaveholder.
Curated OER
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Students read the novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and explain public attitudes towards slavery in 19th century America.
Curated OER
Underground Railroad Activity
Eighth graders practice their interviewing skills as they learn about the Underground Railroad. In this slavery lesson, 8th graders discuss the existence and operation of the railroad. Students then interview one another in the personas...
Curated OER
A House Dividing: The Growing Crisis of Sectionalism in Antebellum America
Students trace the development of sectionalism in the United States. They explore slavery, freedom and the Constitution. Students identify influential opponents and defenders of American slavery. They explain different solutions to...
Curated OER
Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth
Pupils listen to Anne Rockwell's picture book biography of Sojourner Truth
to learn about this famous abolitionist/feminist as well as slave life in New York. Students make predictions about the book as it is read aloud. Pupils...
Curated OER
Learning About Life as a Slave
Students explore the history of slavery. In this slavery lesson, students take a closer look at slavery in the Americas and the abolitionist movement as they visit the suggested museums and their websites.
Curated OER
Maroon Communities
Students examine political and religious factors that influenced English, Spanish, French, and Dutch colonization of the Americas, how slavery shaped social and economic life in the South after 1800, and elements of slavery during the...
Curated OER
Reformers
Students research reform efforts during the 1800's, primarily those leading up to the Civil War. They complete several lessons that investigate the life of Sojourner Truth and her contributions to the abolitionist movement and women's...
Curated OER
Go Down Moses
Fifth graders investigate the workings of the Underground Railroad. In this slavery lesson, 5th graders read personal accounts from slaves, examine secret codes of the Underground Railroad, and play a board game based on the trip many...
Curated OER
Exploring the Triangle Trade and The Middle Passage
Students explore the economic factors surrounding slavery in the United States, such as the Triangle Trade. In this American History lesson, students analyze primary sources such as narrative accounts and pictures, to gather...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates — Springboard to the White House
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates saw two primary political candidates debating seven different times about one of the most important social movements in United States history. Middle and high schoolers read an article that describes the...
Curated OER
Slave Resistance
Students examine slavery and slave resistance. In this history lesson, students read several excerpts on slavery then work in small groups to reflect and answer questions on the readings.
Curated OER
The Underground Railroad Before and After the Fugitive Slave Law
Students consider the impact of the Fugitive Slave Law on the activity of the Underground Railroad. In this slavery lesson, students examine primary documents that describe the role of the Underground Railroad during the fight for...
West Virginia Department of Education
History Scene Investigators - John Brown's Raid
An informative resource covers the event of John Brown's Raid, an event that became an important part of West Virginia history. It serves as a standalone and covers the event and John Brown's life in depth using group work, online...
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Slave Narratives: Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, and the Columbian Orator
Young historians practice in-depth, quality analysis of primary source texts in this three-lesson unit, which examines excerpts from the slave narratives of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, and Caleb...
K12 Reader
Underground Railroad: On to Freedom
The Underground Railroad is the focus of a coloring worksheet, which provides background information about the volunteers who aided escaping slaves.
Curated OER
Creating an Abolitionist Newspaper
Fourth graders develop an understanding of the lives of slaves and their quest for freedom. They develop an understanding of the people who fought against slavery and the efforts that were made by them to create a better life for all...