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...
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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...
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Slavery: How did the Abolition Acts Affect the Slave Trade?
Students investigate the abolition of slavery by examining historical documents. In this U.S. history lesson, students view photographs of East African residents who were forced into slavery. Students write about the...
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Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl - Essay Questions
In this literature worksheet, students respond to 31 short answer and essay questions about Harriet Jacobs's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of...
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The Abolitionist Movement
Eleventh graders examine a petition presented by the Quakers to the Delaware General Assembly in 1785 and an anti-slavery broadside published in 1836.
National Park Service
Freedom at Antietam
Explore how the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation affected everyday individuals in the Civil War era. Learners are given the opportunity to read and evaluate primary and secondary source material, and then to compose a writing...
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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.
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African American Life in the Nineteenth Century
Middle schoolers read about the life and work of John and Mary Jones. Using primary source documents, they draw conclusions about their role in the abolistionist movement. They also examine artifacts from their lives and analyze their...
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Fredrick Douglass...A Digital History
Seventh graders research the life of Fredrick Douglass. In this Fredrick Douglass lesson, 7th graders read about his life and discuss it. They write poetry describing his experience as a slave and create their own monument for Fredrick...
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This Guilty Land
Learners investigate the actions and motives of John Brown. In this abolition activity, students discover details about Brown's background as a free-state and abolition supporter. Learners discuss his role as that of a martyr or...
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Voyage to Freedom - What Does It Mean?
Fifth graders investigate the Underground Railroad by creating a quilt. In this U.S. History instructional activity, 5th graders discuss the history of slavery through a class "word splash" and by reading an Underground Railroad...
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The Last Day of Slavery
Students complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book The Last Day of Slavery. In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, go over vocabulary, answer short answer...
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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.
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A Durable Memento: Portraits by Augustus Washington
Students read primary source newspaper articles from mid 19th century United States. The topics of the articles are slavery, abolitionism and colonization. Students are given several options for activities based on the readings.
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Underground Railroad
Learners explore the Underground Railroad. In this U.S. history and technology lesson, students research an assigned topic related to the Underground Railroad, such as "abolitionist," "conductor," or "station houses." ...
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A New Birth of Freedom: Black Soldiers in the Union Army
Young scholars use primary documents to analyze the events surrounding black soldiers joining the Union Army. In this content area reading lesson, students view multiple primary documents, analyzing and answering questions about them.
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The Civil War—Why Hoosier Soldiers Fought
Eighth graders determine why Hoosier soldiers were willing to fight in the American Civil War. In this Civil War lesson plan, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the war and then conduct research...
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The Role of the Connecticut Abolitionists with the Amistad Case
Tenth graders compare the activities of the Underground Railroad with the Amistad Case. In this slavery lesson, 10th graders research primary and secondary sources to discover information about Connecticut abolitionists. Students use...
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Dispute Over Slavery in Kansas Territory
Students analyze primary sources on slavery from Kansas Territory. For this Civil War lesson, students evaluate the antislavery and pro-slavery arguments and summarize key points. Students write a persuasive paper from the antislavery...
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The Literature of Upheaval
In groups, 8th graders read different documents and answer questions on the Civil War period. Students read documents by Thoreau, Stowe and Frederick Douglas.
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Perspective on the Slave Narrative
Students examine narratives of two slaves: iam W. Brown and Frederick Douglas. They produce an essay explaining how Brown's narrative challenged the prejudices of readers in his own time and how it challenges prejudices today.
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Take a Ride on the Underground Railroad
High schoolers explore the issues of American slavery, the abolitionist movements, and the pursuit of freedom that is found in art, literature, and music from that period in American history. Students determine the major personalities...
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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...
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The Amistad Case: A Mock Trial
Learners hold a mock trial. In this Amistad case instructional activity, students prepare for and participate in a mock trial regarding the Amistad case and determine the fate of the Africans recovered on the ship.