Alabama Department of Archives and History
Clotilde, The Last Slave Ship
The Clotilde was the last known ship to bring slaves from Africa to the United States - good riddance! Dive into the details of the ship, its cargo, origin, and route, and learn about the future of the Africans on board with a...
Center for Instruction, Technology, & Innovation
Did African American Lives Improve After Slavery?
The Civil War made slavery illegal, but all ex-slaves were not totally free. Scholars visit eight different classroom stations to uncover life during the Reconstruction Era in America. Groups discover items such as Black Codes, 13th,...
Curated OER
"We Came to Free the Slaves": John Brown on Trial
Learners explore the plight of John Brown to fight slavery. In this Brown vs. Board of Education lesson, students listen to a lecture regarding Brown's work to free slaves through rebellion. Learners participate in classroom discussion...
Curated OER
EX-SLAVE NARRATIVES
Young scholars read narratives of ex-slaves and then in groups write and act in their plays.
Curated OER
Slavery: Acts of Resistance
Historical accounts of various events have proven to differ depending on the point of view of the person documenting the event. Learners read and analyze two first person accounts of acts of slave resistance seen at a southern...
Curated OER
Ex-Slave Narratives and WPA Interviews
Pupils analyze documents related to slave narratives and slave interviews. They complete a document analysis form to analyze the contnet and historiography of the documents. They write a paragraph detailing when and why the document...
Curated OER
In The Footprints of the Slaves and Conductors
Fifth graders research and examine the conductor sites to find routes to hide their slaves. They are given a map to map out a route to hide fifteen slaves. Each group is given three to four clues about their stations to pass on to...
Curated OER
"In Defense of My Race and Country": African-American Soldiers on Why They Are Fighting
Why would an African-American slave fight in the Civil War? Read and analyze primary source documents to understand the ex-slave perspective on fighting in the Union Army. Everything to complete this lesson is included.
Curated OER
The Freedmen's Bureau Graphic Organizer
In this American History worksheet, 11th graders analyze the goals of the Freedmen's Bureau. Students list the wants of ex-slaves.
PBS
The Supreme Court: Early Civil Rights Cases Facing the Supreme Court
Imagine being an ex-slave after the Civil War and not understanding if you were considered a citizen of the United States. Scholars analyze the early Supreme Court battles in civil rights cases and especially the Fourteenth Amendment....
Curated OER
Point of View of Former Slaves
Students examine what life was like for slaves from the point of view of ex-slaves. They use resources from the Federal Writers' Project which took place in the mid- 1930's. They look at the importance of religion, the different status...
Curated OER
Freedom Timeline
Students explore the issue of the morality of slavery in the 18th and 19th centuries in the United States and construct a timeline containing freedom facts. Freedon issues and the rights and responsibilities of the time are examined.
Annenberg Foundation
A Nation Divided
Can a presidential election cause a civil war? Learners research the events surrounding the presidential election of 1860 in a lesson that explores America's history. Using maps, videos, and primary sources, they uncover, brainstorm, and...
Curated OER
Music of Slavery and Oppression in the Mid-1800's
Pupils examine 19th century life for African-Americans. In this slavery lesson, students analyze the lyrics of slave songs and present their findings to their classmates.
PBS
Document This
Being a historian requires serious sleuthing. They examine primary source documents and look for evidence, for clues that reveal who wrote the document, when, and why. After watching two historians model the process, young history...
Curated OER
Beloved Test
Which character in Toni Morrison’s Beloved personifies evil? What does Seth overhear Schooteacher instruct his pupils to do? The 50 multiple choice and matching questions on this exam focus on points of plot; therefore, test takers could...
Curated OER
United States Colored Troops
Learners explore the role that African American soldiers had in the Civil War and the impact they had on the US Civil Rights movement after the war. They complete a timeline, read an excerpt and analyze a primary image.
Curated OER
Colonial North America
Showcase the religion, conflicts, daily life, and politics of Colonial North America. A very well-done presentation highlights all the major colonial groups, social norms, demographics, and political struggles of the time. Perfect for an...
Curated OER
Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Pupils examine the impeachment proceedings of Andrew Johnson. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on the details of Andrew Johnson's impeachment and Reconstruction. Pupils respond to...
Curated OER
The Life Of a Sailor
Students gain information on how sailors, and to a larger extent how people in general, lived in the 18th Century. They are shown how the life of the sailor is different from their life, so they can see how different people live.
Curated OER
Creating an Ethnic Student Newspaper
Learners examine the role of the Black Press. In this African American history lesson, students watch segments of a video titled, " Too Long to Have Others Spoken for Us." Learners respond to discussion questions regarding each of the...
Curated OER
Religious Intolerance and the Salem Witch Trials
Students describe the basic beliefs of the Puritan religion; identify the principle figures in the Salem Witch Trials;explain the events that led to the mass hysteria suffered by the town; analyze the First Amendment; and examine...
Curated OER
Madam C.J. Walker -- Leader in Philanthropy and Successful Business Woman
Learners examine the life of Madam C.J. Walker. They discover the impact her changes had on the community as a whole. They develop their own plan to impact and change their own community for the better.
Curated OER
A Lesson on Reconstruction Legislation and Amendments
Students study the legislation and Amendments of Reconstruction period in America. In this Reconstruction lesson plan, students work in groups to dissect the Black Codes, an article in the US Constitution, as well as the 13th, 14th, and...