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To Free the Slaves

Lesson Author
Rains, Keith
Course(s)
American History
Required Time Frame
1 class period
Subject(s)
Civil War
Grade Level(s)
9
10
11
12
Lesson Abstract
Students will research members of Lincolns cabinet to better understand the process of emancipating the slaves.
Description

Decision to Emancipate the Slaves

Rationale (why are you doing this?)

Students need to consider all points of view when making massive decisions.

Lesson Objectives - the student will

Students will use websites to find information about each of the following cabinet members in the Lincoln Administration:

  • William Seward
  • Edwin Stanton
  • Salmon P. Chase
  • Edward Bates
  • Gideon Welles
  • Caleb Blood Smith
District, state, or national performance and knowledge standards/goals/skills met

Local Standard 2B adopted from common core standards:

  • Creating active and responsible citizens that identify and analyze public problems; deliberate with other people about how to define and address issues; take constructive, collaborative action; reflect on their actions; create and sustain groups; and influence institutions both large and small.

Secondary materials (book, article, video documentary, etc.) needed

Students will use websites to find information about each of the following cabinet members in the Lincoln Administration:

  • William Seward
  • Edwin Stanton
  • Salmon P. Chase
  • Edward Bates
  • Gideon Welles
  • Caleb Blood Smith

https://www.google.com/search?biw=1210&bih=683&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=lincoln+museum&oq=lincoln+mus&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0l4.26912.35363.0.37988.11.11.0.0.0.0.129.959.10j1.11.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.11.955...0i67k1.KNuUACn14LA#imgrc=IM3rX-3WytDtlM:

http://www.laurieborman.com/tag/abraham-lincoln-presidential-museum-and-library

Primary sources needed (document, photograph, artifact, diary or letter, audio or visual recording, etc.) needed
Fully describe the activity or assignment in detail. What will both the teacher and the students do?
  • Students will be shown the painting of the “Reading of the Emancipation”

  • Student groups will be assigned one cabinet member

  • Students will identify their role by pointing to their character on the projected image

  • Students will be given 12-15 minutes to do research on their character

  • Students will be directed to view the secondary source pictures from the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

  • Students will explain to the rest of the class if the picture adequately portrays their character and give a brief description of the character’s view of emancipation.

  • Other students will take a few notes over the short presentations

  • Each team will secretly go write a tweet of their recommendation to the president (I am going to allow the students to tweet like a 21st century teenager).

  • Students will email me their tweet (I will compile them and place them on a document.  On the following day, I will project their tweets).

  • On day two, each team can use their notes and try to match the tweets with the cabinet member who wrote them. It will be a fun quiz for a little extra credit.

  • After this I will project the picture again and tell the students how the painter placed the cabinet members and Lincoln in their places according to their beliefs about emancipation

  • A short discussion will follow.

  • Students will now give me (President Lincoln) their political advice on whether or not I should go forward with Emancipation.

Assessment: fully explain the assessment method in detail or create and attach a scoring guide
  • I will place the following 10-point essay on their next test:  Was the Emancipation Proclamation a genius political move or an unconstitutional and desperate attempt to save the Union? Explain your answer.