Students learn about the Emancipation Proclamation and its effects. Then they read passages from the proclamation and discuss its effectiveness in freeing southern slaves.
Students learn about the Emancipation Proclamation and its effects. Then they read passages from the proclamation and discuss its effectiveness in freeing southern slaves.
Students are introduced to the historical context of the Emancipation Proclamation following the Union victory at Antietam. They examine an image of the document, then build vocabulary by looking up the words emancipation and proclamation. Students contribute a synonym for emancipation to a word cloud and write a sentence using proclamation on a class wall. They then consider whom Lincoln was emancipating and respond to a multiple-choice poll.
Teacher MovesReview the lesson objective and briefly frame the Emancipation Proclamation as a turning point in the Civil War. Guide students through the vocabulary tasks, clarifying meanings and appropriate usage of emancipation and proclamation. Use student responses to the poll to surface initial ideas about whom the proclamation affected and to prepare for deeper exploration in later scenes.
Students read a brief explanation of what the Emancipation Proclamation declared and how it authorized the army to free enslaved people in rebel states and recruit them into the Union army. They use the video Lincoln Issues the Emancipation Proclamation and the article The Emancipation Proclamation to learn more about the document’s content and context, then complete a concept map graphic organizer by listing key facts about the Emancipation Proclamation.
Teacher MovesClarify the main points of the introductory explanation, emphasizing where and to whom the proclamation applied. Support students as they work with the video and article, prompting them to pull specific factual details into the concept map. Use their entries to check for understanding of the proclamation’s scope and purposes and to address any misconceptions before moving on.
Students view an image depicting Lincoln’s first reading of the Emancipation Proclamation to his cabinet and respond on a class wall to the question of why Lincoln waited until after the Battle of Antietam to issue the proclamation. Afterward, they answer a poll about the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation on the course of the Civil War, selecting all statements they believe apply.
Teacher MovesExplain that Lincoln’s cabinet advised him to wait for a significant Union military victory, and share that Antietam provided the needed “eagle of victory” before issuing the proclamation. Use student wall responses to highlight this reasoning and connect it to political and military strategy. Review poll results with the class to reinforce how the proclamation reframed the war as a fight for human freedom and influenced foreign support, while correcting misunderstandings about its actual reach.
Students are reminded that slavery was fully abolished only with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, which they read in full. They then read extended excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation, noting which states and areas it applied to and how it addressed freed people’s conduct, labor, and military service. On a class wall, students respond to the claim that the Emancipation Proclamation “freed no slaves,” agreeing or disagreeing and supporting their position with evidence from both the proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment.
Teacher MovesDirect students to the full text of the Emancipation Proclamation in the student pack as needed. After students post their responses, share an interesting or exemplary answer with the class to spark discussion. Clarify that the proclamation applied only to enslaved people in Confederate states as a wartime measure, did not cover border states or Confederate areas already under Union control, and thus had limits that were later addressed by the Thirteenth Amendment.
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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