Students learn how the abolitionist movement emerged and grew, how different abolitionists worked toward shared goals in varied ways, and how the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 intensified opposition to slavery and strengthened organized efforts to demand immediate change.
Students are introduced to key vocabulary and objectives for the experience, then examine an image (the British Anti-Slavery Society medallion). They share ideas on a discussion wall about who might have created the image and why, using visual details to support their reasoning. Students then read a brief overview of how ordinary people challenged slavery and revisit the lesson objectives.
Teacher MovesClarify the term “abolitionist” before beginning and preview that this is a slightly longer lesson requiring additional time. Facilitate discussion of the image by prompting students to cite specific visual evidence for their claims and then provide historical context that it was the medallion of the British Anti-Slavery Society. Use this new information to help students refine their interpretations and to pose questions about why some people still supported slavery and how the image connects to U.S. reform movements. Review the experience overview and objectives so students understand the learning goals and how they will investigate the growth of the abolition movement and responses to slavery.
Students examine an image of the masthead of the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator, then watch Abolitionism Black History Month, Part 11 and read The Growth of the Abolition Movement to learn why the abolition movement expanded, its goals, and the strategies abolitionists used. They complete a three-column graphic organizer to record reasons for the movement’s growth, its goals, and abolitionists’ actions. Finally, students respond to a discussion wall prompt explaining what disagreements within the movement reveal about the complexities of ending slavery.
Teacher MovesGuide students through the organizer by prompting them to connect reasons, goals, and actions to the broader momentum of the abolitionist movement. Ask questions that help them identify why more people began supporting abolition, what problems enslaved people and free Black communities faced, and how specific strategies—such as publishing life stories or petitioning leaders—addressed those problems. In the discussion wall debrief, highlight responses that link internal disagreements to political, economic, and social barriers to ending slavery, and press students to consider how such obstacles shaped reformers’ strategies and the pace of change.
Students view an image of Harriet Tubman and read contextual text about rising national tensions over slavery. They watch Fugitive Slave Act and read Impacts of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 to understand how the law affected different groups and increased sectional conflict, then answer a multiple-choice question about the law’s purpose and complete a drag-and-drop activity matching specific impacts to categories. Next, students read Excerpt from a Frederick Douglass Speech, 1845 about the Fugitive Slave Act and complete two hot-text questions: one identifying a sentence that shows the lack of legal protections for Black Americans, and another identifying a sentence that shows support for stronger, more forceful resistance to the law.
Teacher MovesClarify the purpose of the Fugitive Slave Act as a federal effort to enforce the capture and return of people who escaped slavery, checking for misconceptions before moving to its broader impacts. Use discussion to unpack the drag-and-drop activity, asking students which textual details show why the law provoked strong reactions and how it led people to seek solutions such as the Underground Railroad, while also considering the new risks those solutions created. Before the hot-text tasks, have students read the Douglass excerpt in full and briefly discuss its main idea and purpose. Then, after students answer the hot-text questions, facilitate conversation about how Douglass’s language exposes the violence and injustice of the law, why some abolitionists believed strong resistance and self-defense were justified, and how his speech could energize the abolitionist movement and connect to traditions of civil disobedience.
Students are introduced to the idea that individual experiences can fuel leadership in resistance movements. They watch Frederick Douglass: Crash Course Black American History #17, noting key experiences that shaped Douglass’s beliefs and choices. Using a three-part graphic organizer, they categorize details from the video into “Foundations,” “Actions,” and “Leadership” to trace how his life experiences informed his activism and influence. Finally, students use a drawing tool to design an award for Frederick Douglass that symbolizes his life and leadership, and write 2–3 sentences explaining why he deserves the award, citing evidence from their notes.
Teacher MovesOptionally frame this scene as an extension and, if used, consider watching the video as a class, pausing to allow students to capture key details tied to Douglass’s beliefs, actions, and leadership. Support students as they complete the organizer by prompting them to connect specific experiences to later choices and public influence. During the award activity, ask students to reference concrete facts from the video that justify their design and explanation, and highlight examples that clearly link Douglass’s experiences and accomplishments to his impact on others and on the abolition movement. If students describe escape from slavery as an “accomplishment,” acknowledge its importance while emphasizing the extreme risks involved and that many enslaved people were denied such opportunities.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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