Causes

and Effects of the Civil War

11th grade

American History

Halle Harker

SED/HST 480


April 5, 2017

1
STAGE I GOALS

Unit Overview:

This unit is intended for a 10th grade level course focusing on American History.
The students look at different literature pieces in order to the students the important role
the Civil War played in American History towards different groups. Students will be able to
take information from primary and secondary source documents and form persuasive
essays on different prompts. They will be looking at the political, social, and economic
causes of Civil War. They will examine the differences in lifestyles from the North, South,
and the West regions.


Enduring Understanding:

An argument that shows the Civil War could have been avoided

The only way war on some scale might have been avoided in the spring of 1861 is for
Lincoln and the Republicans to give up the very cause for which their party and their
coalition across the North had rallied -- to cordon off and restrict the future of slavery in
defense of free labor ideology and a more egalitarian society - and for Southern
secessionists to give up their conviction that their slave society and their racial order were
under desperate threat from that new Republican persuasion and simply wait for another
four-year cycle of elections (Blight, 2010).

An argument that shows the Civil War could not have been avoided

Civil War Historian James McPherson said, Only if one side or the other had been willing to
give up its principles could the war have been avoided. And neither side was willing
(2015).

Essential Question:

How could the Civil War been avoided? OR do you even think it could have been?


Key Concepts:

Civil War- A war between two citizens of that same country
Slavery- the institution that supports the holding of human beings as property
Abolitionism- the movement to end African American and Indian slavery as well as
racial discrimination/segregation
Popular Sovereignty- the citizens are collectively the sovereign of the state and hold
the ultimate authority over public officials and their policies
Confederate- 11 secessionist slave states breaking away from the United States

2
 Union- Consisting of 23 states that were apart of the United States as well as the 5
border states who did not support slavery
Emancipation the process of being set free from legal, social, or political
restrictions
State Rights- the fight over political power between the federal government and
individual states
Industrialism- a social or economic system built on manufacturing industries.

Additional people and events:

1850 Compromise
Emancipation Proclamation
Dred Scott decision
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Missouri Compromise
Frederick Douglass
John Brown
Presidential Election of 1860


Standards:

Arizona Standards for Social Studies:

PO. 1. Explain the economic, social, and political causes of the Civil War.

a. Economic and social differences between North, South, and West
b. Balance of power in the Senate (e.g. Missouri and 1850 Compromises)
c. Extension of slavery into the territories (e.g. Dred Scott Decision, the
Kansas Nebraska Act)
d. Role of abolitionists (e.g. Frederick Douglass and John Brown)
e. Debate over popular sovereignty and state rights
f. Presidential election of 1860


AZ Career & College Readiness Standards:

11-12.RH.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting
insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.

11-12.RH.3. Evaluate various explanations for

actions or events and determine which
explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters
uncertain.

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11-12.RH.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an
author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in
Federalist No. 10).

11-12.RH.6. Evaluate authors differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the
authors claims, reasoning, and evidence.

11-12.WHST.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

11-12.WHST.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing
products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

11-12.WHST.9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Objectives: (add numbers as needed; should have 10-12 total)

Students will be able to:


1. Identify important people and events that shaped the Civil War
2. Analyze the Emancipation Proclamation & Election of 1860
3. Compare and contrast the North, South, and West before the War
4. Analyze why the states seceded after Lincoln was elected
5. Analyze the economic, social, and political causes of the U.S. Civil War
6. Analyze different authors viewpoints on the same historical event by looking at
biases, evidence, and other claims
7. Evaluate using specific content from the lessons whether they support or do not
support events during the Civil War
8. Evaluate whether they believe if this Civil War could have been avoided or not
9. Analyze Civil War Propaganda Posters
10. Analyze popular sovereignty and state rights
11. Analyze photographs, diagrams, songs, political cartoons and letters to understand
how they can be used as documents in historical research.

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STAGE II ASSESSMENTS

Formative Assessments:

1. Day 1 Exit Ticket- Postcard Activity

After students get a short overview of key figures and events that played key roles in the
cause of Civil War they will write a short exit ticket.

Write a short postcard as a historical figure to another historical figure that was discussed
in class describing in short detail a historical event we just went over

Concepts covered: Civil War, Slavery
Objective Covered: Identify important people and events that shaped the Civil War


2. Quick Write Bell Work Day 3:

Please respond in your own words and not copying the definition straight from the
textbook.

What was the Emancipation Proclamation?

Objective Covered #2 Analyze the Emancipation Proclamation & Election of 1860

3. Quick Class Discussion to Wrap Up Day 4:

On the white board there will be a spectrum as follows where the students will go to the
side of the board in which they agree or disagree with. Both sides will have 5 minutes to
gather their arguments and thoughts. Last minutes of class will be dedicated to the
discussion of why or why not the students agree/disagree with the states.

Yes, No,
I agree the states should I do not agree with
have succeeded. the states.


Objective Covered: Analyze why the states seceded after Lincoln was elected

4. Exit Ticket Day 5:


Before leaving write these down and turn them in out the door J

3- new things that you learned today

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2-AH-HAH moments
1- Question you still have

Objective Covered: Analyze the economic, social, and political causes of the U.S. Civil War


5. Activating Prior Knowledge Quick Write Bell Work Day 6 Question:

Please respond using class notes from last Friday. Respond in complete sentences.

What were the economic, social, and political causes of the Civil War?

Objective Covered #5 Analyze the economic, social, and political causes of the U.S. Civil War


6. Achievement Test Description:

Day 8- Mid Week Check in Quiz

3 multiple-choice questions, one fill in the blank, and one short answer.

Question 1: Emancipation Proclamation Definition
Question 2: Kansas-Nebraska Act and Dred Scott Decision
Question 3: Significance of the Dred Scott Decision
Question 4: Who surrendered to Robert E. Lee?
Short Answer: Analyze the economic causes of the Civil War with respect to any TWO of the
following in the United States: agriculture, labor, industrialism, and transportation.


Question 1 Example:

1. The Emancipation Proclamation:

A. Freed the slaves and abolished slavery in all the states of the Union and the Confederacy.
B. Freed slaves only in areas in rebellion against the United States but not in areas that remained
loyal.
C. Was formulated by the Radical Republicans and issued by Lincoln despite his strong
personal objections.
D. Convinced England and France to enter the war on behalf of the Union in order to win the
crusade against slavery.

Objectives/Concepts Met:
1. Identify important people and events that shaped the Civil War
2. Analyze the Emancipation Proclamation & Election of 1860
3. Analyze the economic, social, and political causes of the U.S. Civil War
Concepts:

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 1. Emancipation
2. Industrialism


7. End of the Unit Achievement Test


20 Multiple Choice Questions- covering political cartoons and maps, different battles,
as well as concepts discussed throughout the unit

10 Matching Questions- consisting of matching definitions as well as key figures

1 Essay Based Response- Identify and discussing a major source of conflict that led to
the American Civil War. As well as the students own opinion if they believe the Civil War
could have been avoided?

Example Question:

What was the significance of the Dred Scott decision?

a. Congress could not prohibit slavery in the Western territories.
b. Only Congress could prohibit slavery in any part of the United States.
c. The people of the territory could outlaw slavery by popular sovereignty.
d. The fugitive slave law was severely weakened.



Objective Covered & Concepts: ALL OF THEM!


Performance (Authentic) Assessment Description:

Stage I concepts:

Slavery
Abolitionism

Unit objectives:

Compare and contrast the North, South, and West before the War
Analyze Civil War Propaganda Posters
Identify important people and events that shaped the Civil War
Evaluate using specific content from the lessons whether they support or do not
support events during the Civil War

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Description of the project:


G) Your task is to create a propaganda poster with a one page justification paper



R) You have been asked by a publishing company to be the artist of creating a propaganda
poster


A) Your audience will be whichever side and perspective you choose to do your poster
from. For instance, if you are an army general trying to recruit soldiers your audience will
be to those soldiers. There are multiple different perspectives you can choose to do it from:
Northern State, Southern State, soldier, military leader, and slaves, French, Germans.


S) Propaganda posters were a way for people to communicate during war times that
expressed how different individuals and groups felt about something. You have been asked
by the top newspaper publication company to create a piece of Civil War propaganda
portraying your opinion or viewpoint on any situation. On top of the propaganda poster
you have been asked to justify your reasonings behind the historical content you have
chosen.


P) You will create a propaganda poster in order to express your views or opinions in
regards to different situations before or during the Civil War as well as a short paragraph
justifying your historical propaganda poster


S) Your work will be judged by the following rubrics:

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 Propaganda Poster Rubric

9
 Justification of Poster Paper Rubric

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STAGE III LEARNING ACTIVITIES


Unit Calendar:


Day Topic(s) Unit Brief Listing of Assessments
Objective(s) Activities

Day 1 Identifying Objective #1 1. Introduction to Exit Ticket-
Key Events the Civil War/ Postcard Activity
Class discussion
2. Vocabulary-List,
Group, Label
3. Lecture (8 Slides
of key
compromises and
people)
Day 2 Emancipation Objective #2 1. Analyze the Quick Write Bell
Proclamation emancipation Work- What do
& Election of proclamation document you know about
1860 but through different the emancipation
lens of populations proclamation?
(Enslaved People, Free
Blacks in the North,
Abolitionists, Plantation
Owner in the South,
Union Soldier,
Confederate Soldier,
Factory Workers in the
North, Factory Owners )

Day 3 Compare & Objective #3 1. Analyzing songs, Quick Write Bell
Contrast Objective #11 photographs, and Work- Activating
North/South newspaper Prior Knowledge
before the postings to
War compare/contras Homework-Why
t the North and or why not do you
South before the believe the North
War and South were
2. Completing a similar or
Venn Diagram different before
based off of the the war?
content and

11
 information from
the texts
Day 4 State Objective #4 1. Introduction Agree or Disagree
Secession 2. Chart Spectrum Exit
3. Mini-Lecture Ticket +
4. Agree or Disagree Discussion
Spectrum
Day 5 Economic, Objective #5 1. Quick Check in Quiz Day Check In
Social, Quiz, Where are Exit Ticket, 3, 2,1
Political we? Are we all on
causes track with the
content?
2. Short lecture
overview of
causes
3. Causes of the
Civil War Graphic
Organizer using
information from
Internet sources
Day 6 Read Like a Objective #6 1. Explain John Quick Write Bell
Historian Browns raid Work
Analyzing shocked and
Documents polarized the
country:
2. Was John Brown a
Misguided Fanatic?
Read documents
3. Work through
guiding questions
from documents
4. If time-Discussion
questions


Day 7 Propaganda Objective #9 1. Analyze Go over
propaganda from Summative
the Civil War. (G.R.A.S.P.S)
2. Students with Propaganda
shoulder partner Poster
write 5 facts
about the
propaganda and
why that matters
3. Begin Project

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 Brainstorming
Day 8 Popular Review of 1. Lecture overview Bell Work, Exit
Sovereignty Objectives: #1, of what popular Ticket
& State #2, #3 sovereignty is,
Rights Objective #10 what it meant
under the
Kansas-Nebraska
Act
2. Quiz
Day 9 Given what Objective #7 1. Students will Bell Work
you know choose their
about recent sides
events would 2. Once on their
you choose to sides they will
support or have 10 minutes
protest the to gather their
Civil War? information that
will support their
debate
3. Group
discussion/debat
e with guiding
questions from
teacher
Day 10 After Objective #8 1. Quick Debate on Summative
learning all if the Civil War Achievement Test
this could have been
information avoided
in regards to 2. Summative
the causes of Achievement
the Civil War, Test
could it have
been
avoided? Yes
or no?



Catalog of Lessons:


Day 1

Lesson title: Welcome to the Civil War!!!!

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Unit objectives:

Identify important people and events that shaped the Civil War


Activities:

Introduce The Civil War- what are current issues that could divide the students in this class
or school?

Separate the class into two sides. Low-class and middle-class students all sit on this half of
the classroom and high-class on the other side.

Question them: How does this situation make you feel?

Disperse again: Students who are labeled as the athletes on one side, and non-athletes on
the other.

Question again: How does this situation make you feel?

Class discussion questions: If I really made you guys do this how would you respond?
Would you be a bystander? Or would you step up and try to change it?

How does this relate to the concept of the Civil War?


Vocabulary List, Group, Label- Teacher will give the concept (Civil War), Students will have
30 seconds with their shoulder partner to come up with as many words as possible that
relate to the concept (competition,) tally who wins the most and have them state out loud,
After the competition have the students group what they could recall about the Civil War
with their shoulder partner. If they wrote down different things like Battle of Antietam,
battle of Gettysburg, and Battle of bull run they may group these as the battles and so on.


Quick Lecture overview of the Civil War:

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 A Divided Nation
Comparing Northern and Southern Societies

The South had about nine million

The North s population was three
times that of the South. Most other
countries recognized the Union as
the government in America.
However, Britain and France had
friendly relations with the
Confederacy and considered aiding
the South. The North also was more
affluent.
people, including about three million
slaves. The average Southerner was not
as wealthy as the average person living
in the North. About 90 percent of
American industry and railroads were
in the North. Reliance on slave labor
discouraged the creation of new jobs in
the South. This discouraged
immigration, and most immigrants
settled in the North.

CICERO 2010

The Leaders

Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth
President of the United States. He
opposed the expansion of slavery. A
Republican, Lincoln led the Union
during the Civil War. John Wilkes Booth
assassinated Lincoln in Washington,
D.C., on April 14, 1865.
Jefferson Davis was President of the
Confederate States of America. During the
Mexican War, he had been an officer in the
United States Army. Davis also had served
as the United States Secretary of War.
When the South surrendered, he was
charged with treason and prohibited from
running for public office again.

CICERO 2010

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 The Emancipation Proclamation
January 1, 1863

President Abraham Lincoln issued the

Emancipation Proclamation. It was part
of a two-part plan that guaranteed
freedom to slaves in the Union and some
Confederate states. The Confederate
government claimed Lincoln could not
issue laws over states in which he had no
political control. The first plan, enacted
on September 22, 1862, freed slaves in
Confederate states that had not yet
rejoined the Union. The second part took
effect on January 1, 1863, applying to
specific states, but not to the border
states such as Maryland and West
Virginia.

CICERO 2010

The U.S. purchased Louisiana in 1803. Congress

had to decide if states being made from this
territory would be free or slave.
Missouri applied to become a slave state. Maine
wanted to come in as a free state. This would keep
the balance between slave and free in Congress.
To avoid future arguments, Henry Clay wrote a
compromise that said that any territory that
became a state would be slave or free depending
on where it was on the map.
Any territory below the 36x30 line on the map
would be a slave state, any territory above that line
would be a free state.

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 Compromise of 1850
The annexation of Texas and the gaining of
the Mexican Cession land made the U.S. re-
examine the issue of slavery. They had to
decide if new states would be slave or free.

When California asked to become a free

state in 1849 people began arguing. The
36x30 line cut right thru the middle of
California.

Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854

By the 1850s the area above Texas was ready to be recognized

as a territory in preparation to becoming a state.

It was North of the 36x30 line. The Compromise of 1850 had

stated that these territories could decide for themselves if they
were going to be free or slave.

In 1854 Congress passed a bill creating 2 territories=Kansas

and Nebraska. It was hoped by many that one would be free
and one would be slave. However, the decision was left up to
the people in those territories=Popular Sovereignty.

People from surrounding states flooded into these territories

to swing the vote the way they wanted it to go. Many people
were killed over the issue.

17
 Dred Scott Decision 1857
Dred Scott was an African American slave who
belonged to an Army officer.

He traveled with his owner and lived in 2 free states for

several years.

At one point he even traveled alone through free

territories to join his master in the South.

He never sued for his freedom while his master was

alive. However, shortly after the Army officer died, his
widow hired Scott out to someone else. At this point,
Scott tried to buy his freedom. He was denied.

Write in the section Presidential Election of

1860

1860-Republican Abraham
Lincoln won the Presidency.
Republicans promised to:
End the spread of slavery
Impose tariffs to protect US
businesses
Give free land in the West
to settlers




Assessment: Day 1 Exit Ticket- Postcard Activity

After students get a short overview of key figures and events that played key roles in the
cause of Civil War they will write a short exit ticket.

18

Write a short postcard as a historical figure to another historical figure about a
compromise or event that was discussed in class describing in short detail.



Day 3

Lesson Title: Compare and Contrast the North/South before the war

Unit Objectives:

Compare and contrast the North, South, and West before the War
Analyze photographs, diagrams, songs and letters to understand how they can be
used as documents in historical research.

Activities:

We will analyze different locations to give us a better understanding of what life was like
before the Civil War:

North- Factory
South- Plantation
New York City
Richmond


Sources we will use:

Images and Songs related to the North and South contained in their Life Before the
Civil War lesson.

http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/life-civil-war#sect-introduction

Images of New York City and Richmond before and at the beginning of the Civil War.

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/pmhtml/panhome.html

Images and Newspaper clippings from the plantation.

http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/45chatham/45visual1.htm

19
-After analyzing these documents there will be a Venn diagram handout for the students to
fill out using these sources

Assessments:

Quick Write Bell Work Activating Prior Knowledge from Yesterdays lesson: Please respond
in your own words and not copying the definition straight from the textbook.

What was the Emancipation Proclamation?


Formative Assessment:

Homework Assignment

Make sure to create a strong statement saying either it was more similar or different.
Explain your answer by supporting it with information from our activity. You should have
two reasons as well as 2 supporting evidences. 3 paragraphs minimum with an
introduction as well as a conclusion


Respond to the following question:

Why or why not do you believe that life in the North or South were similar or different?

Day 4


Lesson Title: State Seccession

Unit Objectives: Analyze why the states seceded after Lincoln was elected


Activities:

Introduction:
Ask students their opinion on a certain issue that was discussed in our last staff
meeting going on in the school that they have to keep very quiet. (Make them
believe how serious it is)
A teacher they all know has proposed to the staff that she wants to secede from the
school
Discuss what secession is

20
 Tell students that the teacher stated that he/she does not agree with the schools
philosophy, curriculum, or rules and thus he/she wants to start a school within a
school consisting of 28 students. Explain that if approved, the seceded classroom
will be located in the main building of our school, but will not recognize itself as part
of our school as it will not be following any of our schools established rules or
guidelines for behavior, curriculum, etc. The school within our school will however
use the main schools resources such as the cafeteria, gym, and library.
Ask students what the benefits of seceding would be? Negative effects?
Finally, wrap up by paralleling this with the Civil War secession


Chart on Whiteboard:

Following scenarios I pointed out Parallels to the Civil War
Teacher secedes from school South secedes from United States

Teacher does not like philosophy of the South did not like election of Lincoln or the
school, its curriculum, rules, etc. threat of emancipation

Teacher still plans to remain in schools South plans to utilize federal government
building and utilize school resources resources (i.e. Fort Sumter) and remain on
the United States land

Teacher will assume lead role and create South will operate its own government, set
own curriculum, rules, expectations, etc. for its own laws, and elect its own president
classroom; will not recognize principal and (Jefferson Davis); will not recognize
school administration Abraham Lincoln as president

If this class secedes, other classroom If the Southern states secede, anarchy across
secessions may occur, completely splitting the US may ensue
the school apart


Worksheet: (Pasted in attachments)

Assessments:

Exit Ticket + Discussion
On the white board there will be a spectrum as follows where the students will go to the
side of the board in which they agree or disagree with. Both sides will have 5 minutes to
gather their arguments and thoughts. Last minutes of class will be dedicated to the
discussion of why or why not the students agree/disagree with the states. Please turn in
your paper with your agree or disagree with one argument to why.

21

Yes, No,
I agree the states should I do not agree with
have succeeded. the states.





Day 6

Lesson Title: Read Like a Historian Analyzing Documents

Unit Objectives:

Analyze different authors viewpoints on the same historical event by looking at
biases, evidence, and other claims


Activities: Was John Brown a Misguided Fanatic?

1. Brief overview of John Browns raid that shocked the country
2. Read through as a class of John Browns timeline
3. Work through the guiding questions for documents A & B
4. Class discussion

(Guided Questions, Discussion questions, and Historical Documents are in the attachments)
Assessments:

Activating Prior Knowledge Quick Write Bell Work Day 6 Question:

Please respond using class notes from last Friday. Respond in complete sentences.
What were the economic, social, and political causes of the Civil War?


Day 9

Lesson Title: Support or Protest

Unit Objectives:

Evaluate using specific content from the lessons whether they support or do not
support events during the Civil War

22
Activities:

Whatever side the students choose to be on is whatever side they will split into. There will
be two sides in the classroom, and no one can choose to be in the middle.
The groups will have ten minutes to plan their debates with whatever information they can
compile in which they think can bring their side a victory.

1. Why do you feel it is necessary to fight the war?
2. Why do you feel it is necessary to oppose the war?

Assessments:

Bell Work: TODAY, we are going back in time. You have the chance to either support the
Civil War or be a protestor. Tell me which side you are choosing while adding 3 reasons
why you have chosen this side.

23
CITATIONS (APA Format)


Vocabulary Source:

Todorov, K. R. (n.d.). Glossary of Social Studies Terms and Vocabulary . Retrieved February 13,

2017, from

http://www.ectorcountyisd.org/cms/lib011/TX01000975/centricity/Domain/14/glossary%

20of%20soc%20st%20terms%20and%20voc.pdf

Day 3 Lecture Slides Source:

C. (2010). The American Civil War. Retrieved March 19, 2017, from

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKE

wiWg77k8-

PSAhVU72MKHXNJAjMQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dockhs.org%2Ffile

s%2FWorksheets%2FBush%2FU.S.%2520History%2520II%2FCicero%2520Summary

%2520of%2520TheCivilWar.ppt&usg=AFQjCNEsFiY7lk6mypgRjIxdZfl4EUpUaA&sig

2=OxCIrp_3I0jplSeXAEDnrg&bvm=bv.149760088%2Cd.cGc

Compromises and Events that Led to the Civil War. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2017, from

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKE

wjEzYyR9ePSAhUS-

GMKHR8oDEQQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thhs.qc.edu%2Fourpages%2

Fauto%2F2015%2F3%2F1%2F50290074%2FCompromises%2520and%2520Events%25

20that%2520Led%2520to%2520the%2520Civil%2520Power%2520Point.ppt&usg=AFQ

jCNFfHa-

SAlJmWphAJ5Sk2aicWaYoyw&sig2=UCqYOkKbmNq4AfL0GKDoOw&bvm=bv.149

760088%2Cd.cGc

24
Day 3 Activity Source:

Nemeroff, A. (n.d.). Teaching an American History Project. Retrieved March 19, 2017, from

http://tah.eastconn.org/tah/1112AN1_LessonPlanLifeNorthSouthCivilWar.pdf

Day 4 Lesson plan and Worksheet

Education, N. C. (n.d.). To Secede or Not to Secede: Events Leading to the Civil War.

Retrieved March 24, 2017, from

http://civics.sites.unc.edu/files/2012/04/seccession.pdf

Day 6 Reading Like a Historian

Stanford. (n.d.). John Brown Lesson Plan . Retrieved March 21, 2017, from

http://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/V3LessonPlans/John%20Brown%20Lesson%20P

lan_0.pdf

25
ATTACHMENTS (Required if you reference attachments in the unit)


Day 3 In Class Activity Student Handout:

26
Day 6 Class Activity:

John Brown Timeline

1800 John Brown born in Connecticut.

1833 John Brown married his second wife, who took care of his five children and later bore
him thirteen of her own. Finances got harder as he attempted to provide for his large
family.

1837 November 7: John Brown vowed to end slavery when he learned that an abolitionist
newspaperman was killed.

1842 John Brown went bankrupt. Lost almost everything.

1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854: Voters will decide if Nebraska Territory will be slave
or free.

1855 John Brown followed his sons to Kansas as Free-Soilers.

1856 May 24: Brown went to nearby Pottawatomie Creek and directed his men in the
murder of five proslavery settlers.

1859 October 16: John Brown attacked the armory at Harpers Ferry with 21 men (16
white, 5 black). Within 36 hours, they were almost all captured or killed. Two of John
Browns sons were killed. November 2: A Virginia jury found John Brown guilty of murder,
treason, and inciting a slave insurrection. December 2: John Brown was hanged.

1860 November: Abraham Lincoln elected President.

1861 April 12: The South seceded, and the Civil War began.

1865 The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery.

27


Document A: John Brown's Speech (Modified)

I have, may it please the court, a few words to say. In the first place, I deny everything but
what I have all along admitted -- the design on my part to free the slaves. That was all I
intended. I never did intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite
or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection.

I have another objection: had I so interfered in behalf of the rich, the powerful, the
intelligent, the so-called great, or in behalf of any of their friends . . . it would have been all

right; and every man in this court would have deemed it an act worthy of reward rather
than punishment.

I believe that to have done what I have done--on behalf of Gods despised poor was not
wrong, but right. Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life to further the
end of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the
blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and
unjust acts-- I say: so let it be done!

Source: This was John Brown's last speech. November 2, 1859.

Document B: Last Meeting Between Frederick Douglass and John Brown (Modified)

About three weeks before the raid on Harper's Ferry, John Brown wrote to me, informing
me that before going forward he wanted to see me . . .

We sat down and talked over his plan to take over Harpers Ferry. I at once opposed the
measure with all the arguments at my command. To me such a measure would be fatal to

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the work of the helping slaves escape [Underground Railroad]. It would be an attack upon
the Federal government, and would turn the whole country against us.

Captain John Brown did not at all object to upsetting the nation; it seemed to him that
something shocking was just what the nation needed. He thought that the capture of
Harper's Ferry would serve as notice to the slaves that their friends had come, and as a
trumpet to rally them.

Of course I was no match for him, but I told him, and these were my words, that all his

arguments, and all his descriptions of the place, convinced me that he was going into a
perfect steel-trap, and that once in he would never get out alive.

Source: In this passage, Frederick Douglass describes his last meeting with John Brown, about
three weeks before the raid on Harpers Ferry. Douglass published this account in 1881 in The
Life and Times of Frederick Douglass.

Document C: Letter to John Brown in Prison (Modified)

Massachusetts, Oct 26th, 1859 Dear Capt. Brown,

You do not know me, but I have supported your struggles in Kansas, when that Territory
became the battle-ground between slavery and freedom.

Believing in peace, I cannot sympathize with the method you chose to advance the cause of
freedom. But I honor your generous intentions, I admire your courage, moral and physical,
I respect you for your humanity, I sympathize with your cruel loss, your sufferings and your
wrongs. In brief, I love you and bless you.

Thousands of hearts are throbbing with sympathy as warm as mine. I think of you night

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and day, bleeding in prison, surrounded by hostile faces, sustained only by trust in God, and
your own strong heart. I long to nurse you, to speak to you sisterly words of sympathy and
consolation. May God sustain you, and carry you through whatsoever may be in store for
you!

Yours with heartfelt respect, sympathy, and affection. L. Maria Child.

Source: The letter below was written to John Brown while he was in prison, awaiting trial.

Guiding Questions Name____________

Document A:

1. John Brown delivered this speech on the last day of his trial, after hearing the jury
pronounce him guilty. He knew he would be sentenced to die. Given that context, what
does this speech say about him as a person?

2. Based on this document, do you think John Brown was a misguided fanatic? Why or
why not?

Document B:

1. What are two reasons why Douglass opposed John Browns plan to raid Harpers Ferry?

2. Douglasss account is written in 1881, twenty-two years after the raid. Do you trust his
account? Why or why not?

3. Based on this document, do you think John Brown was a misguided fanatic? Why or
why not?

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Day 4 State Secession Worksheet:

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 (
Name: ________________________________

To Secede or Not to Secede

After the Louisiana Purchase (1803), both the North & South wanted the acquired western land to benefit their sectional
interests.

Northern Goals Southern Goals

Why do you think Congress made compromises throughout the 1800s to try to appease both the North and the South?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Compromises made to appease the North & the South
Northwest Ordinance, 1787:

Missouri Compromise, 1820:

Compromise of 1850:

Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854:

NC Civic Education Consortium 7

Visit our Database of K-12 Resources at http://database.civics.unc.edu/

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