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Curriculum

Slavery and the Founding

Essential Question

How did a system of enslavement develop and persist within the framework of liberty in the United States?

Grade
10–12
Published
Apr 14, 2023
Free high school African American history resources for grades 10-12

Resource Overview:

The contradiction between the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and the injustice of slavery is one of the most perplexing and challenging in American history. This curriculum will explore that contradiction and how it was understood, discussed, and acted upon by the Founding generation and those that followed.

Contains 6 ready-made lesson plans, 13 Primary Sources, & 5 background essays.

Special Features:

  • Rooted in primary sources with short contextual essays providing historical background and a thematic outline for lessons
  • Slides providing abridged context for each lesson
  • Primary source analysis models (“worked examples”) to help students practice how to read and analyze textual and visual primary sources.
  • Teacher support videos of how to model primary source analysis
  • Suggestions for using materials for both in-person and online learning.

Teachers Say:

“[The] primary sources and critical thinking questions are great. It was also easy to implement within our pacing guide.” – Pilot test educator

“My students learn so much from this resource! [They] were amazed at how much the struggle of application of natural right values by colonists during the war led to eventual emancipation and banishment of slavery in many states.” – Pilot test educator

Founding Principles

Natural/Inalienable Rights, Equality, Liberty

Curriculum resources

Map showing historical slave trade routes from Africa to South America and the Caribbean, including notable ports and regions.
LessonThe Origins of American Slavery

How did enslaved and free Blacks resist the injustice of slavery during the colonial era?

Black and white image of a medallion depicting a kneeling enslaved man in chains, with the text "Am I Not a Man and a Brother?"
LessonThe Declaration of Independence, Natural Rights, and Slavery

What is natural rights theory and how is it at the foundation of the Declaration of Independence? How do natural rights theory and the Founding principles at the heart of the Declaration of Independence challenge slavery?

Illustration of four historical figures in military attire, representing different backgrounds and roles.
LessonPaths to Freedom: African Americans and the Revolutionary War

How did African Americans participate in the Revolutionary War? How did their actions reflect a desire to enjoy their natural rights?

Black and white historical image of individuals working in a field, with horses nearby.
LessonPost Revolutionary War Emancipation and Entrenchment

To what extent did events during and following the Revolutionary War confront the conflict between slavery and Founding principles of liberty, equality, and justice? How did the actions of individuals and groups during this time period work in concert with or against Founding ideals?

Historical document with the text "We the People" at the top, featuring cursive handwriting and a faded background.
LessonSlavery and the United States Constitution

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

A historical photograph of a Black family, including two children and two adults, posing together.
LessonThe Endurance of Slavery and the American Republic

How did the endurance of slavery challenge the American republic?

Standards

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