In this activity, students will examine photographs of some of the abolitionists and other key figures who were part of the movement to abolish slavery in the first half of the 19th century. Students will match a photograph of a key figure in the movement to the correct description of that person to learn about the variety of strategies and methods used to bring about the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
Suggested Teaching Instructions
This activity can be used to introduce or review the abolitionist movement. For grades 4-7. Approximate time needed is 30 minutes.
If the activity is used to introduce the abolitionist movement, define the terms
abolition and
abolitionist.
- Abolition - The action or an act of abolishing a system, practice or institution - in this case the institution of slavery
- Abolitionist - A person who favors the abolition of a practice or institution - in this case the institution of slavery
Students can work individually or in pairs to match the photographs of the key figures who worked to end slavery to the correct descriptions of them. They will be introduced to the following key figures: Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, John Brown, and Abraham Lincoln.
After the students have matched the pairs, they will see the Joint Resolution proposing the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Share the following information about the document:
A joint resolution is something that both parts of Congress (who make laws) agree to. A constitutional amendment must be passed as a joint resolution first, and then it is sent to all the states for ratification. If at least three-fourths of states ratify it, it becomes an amendment – a change to the Constitution. This resolution became the Thirteenth Amendment, that abolished slavery in the United States, in 1865.
Direct students to click on "When You're Done," where they will be instructed to make a list of each person and one method or strategy that they used to try to get slavery abolished.
Lead a class discussion about the effectiveness of the strategies and methods used by each of the key figures. Do students think that some methods and strategies might have been more effective than others?
