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Juneteenth

12 items

The End of Slavery and the Reconstruction Amendments
Lesson - 5 Activities

Lesson

5 Activities

60 Min

The interests of Northern and Southern states grew increasingly divergent. Eleven states eventually seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. After the Civil War, Congress required that the southern states would approve the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth amendments as a condition of their re-entry into the union. The Thirteenth Amendment banned slavery throughout the United States. The Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to formerly enslaved people and banned states from passing laws that denied the privileges and immunities of citizens, due process, or equal protection of the law. The Fifteenth Amendment extended the right to vote to black men. The Fourteenth Amendment in particular was a dramatic departure from the Founders’ Constitution, and set the stage for dramatic increases in the size, scope, and power of the national government decades later.
60 Min
Abraham Lincoln and Emancipation
Essay - 2746 Words

Essay

2746 Words

By the end of this section, you will explain how Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War impacted American ideals over the course of the war
The Crooked Path to Abolition with James Oakes | BRI Scholar Talks
Video

Video

26 Min

How were the Civil War and the question of slavery related to differing interpretations of a pro-slavery or anti-slavery Constitution? In this video, two-time Lincoln Prize winner, James Oakes, and BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams discuss his new book, “The Crooked Path to Abolition: Abraham Lincoln and the Antislavery Constitution.” Oakes explores what role the Constitution played in abolishing slavery and how the Civil War accelerated this process. Why did Lincoln view the Constitution as an anti-slavery document? In what ways were Lincoln’s opinions different from his contemporaries? In what ways were they similar?
26 Min
Reading Frederick Douglass’ Letter to Thomas Auld | A Primary Source Close Read w/ BRI
Video

Video

33 Min

Kirk Higgins is joined by David Bobb, President of the Bill of Rights Institute, to read Frederick Douglass’s 1848 letter to Thomas Auld, his former enslaver. Through the letter, they'll explore Douglass' incredible story and how he connected his horrific experiences as an enslaved man to a strong moral argument against slavery. How does Douglass define his own humanity and the natural rights of humankind?
33 Min
Brooks Simpson: Emancipation & Reconstruction | BRI Scholar Talks
Video

Video

35 Min

BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with Foundation Professor of History at Arizona State University and Civil War and Reconstruction expert, Dr. Brooks Simpson, to discuss the tumultuous period of Reconstruction and how the country addressed African American rights after the Civil War. Simpson delves into the justice and injustice of the policies and laws of Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, and Congress. What successes were achieved by African Americans during Reconstruction? How were African-American rights curtailed by white supremacist violence and legalized discrimination?
35 Min
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Essay - 1572 Words

Essay

1572 Words

Investigates Harriet Tubman's role in the fight to end slavery.
Harriet Tubman: Follow the North Star to Freedom
Lesson - 1 Activities

Lesson

1 Activities

45 Min

How did Harriet Tubman act responsibly by helping many people escape slavery? Determine ways that students can help others by being responsible.
45 Min
Was the Civil War Fought Over Slavery?
Activity

Activity

40 Min

Two scholars debate this question.
5 Min
Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Justice
Lesson - 1 Activities

Lesson

1 Activities

45 Min

In this lesson, students will learn about Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Students will specifically learn about how Lincoln’s actions conform to the idea of justice and how they can apply this idea into actions in their own lives.
45 Min