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Activity

Slavery and the Constitution Explore Student Primary Source Activity

Grade
10–12
Topic
Constitution, Slavery, Debates and Conversations
Format
PDF
Published
Apr 28, 2023

Directions

Scaffolded version available here

Was the Constitution a pro-slavery document or an anti-slavery document?

  • I can interpret primary sources related to slavery and the Founding.
  • I can create an argument using evidence from primary sources.

Background: What facts do we have to consider before we look at our two sources?

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

 

Was the Constitution a pro-slavery document or an anti-slavery document?
Source A: William Lloyd Garrison, “The American Union.” The Liberator, January 10, 1845 Source B: Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” Speech to Rochester, New York Ladies Anti-Slavery Society, July 5, 1852
Shrink the text: Write Garrison’s central argument in one sentence.

 

 

Shrink the text: Write Douglass’s central argument in one sentence.

 

 

Major Points:

 

 

Major Points:

 

 

Consensus Statement:

 

 

Handout

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