Engage

Overview

In this experience, students investigate how the abolitionist movement grew and how different groups responded to the system of slavery. First, students consider why some people supported slavery by examining the social and economic structures that upheld it. Next, they explore the early growth of the abolitionist movement by analyzing its goals, strategies, and internal disagreements, and by connecting these ideas to the broader problems people faced. Then, students examine the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 to understand its impact on the enslaved, enslavers, free Black communities, and abolitionists, and analyze how both the law and Frederick Douglass’s response to it intensified calls for resistance and reform. Finally, the Elaborate scene invites students to study Frederick Douglass’s life and leadership more closely and evaluate how his experiences and actions helped shape the movement to end slavery.

Estimated Duration: 60–75 minutes

Vocabulary Words and Definitions

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850: a law that required people to help capture enslaved individuals who escaped and return them to those claiming ownership
Missouri Compromise: an 1820 agreement that set rules for allowing new slave and free states in an effort to limit conflict over slavery
radicalize: to cause someone to adopt extreme or strongly held beliefs that push for major change
safe houses: secret homes used on the Underground Railroad where freedom seekers could rest and stay hidden
sectionalism: strong loyalty to one region of a country rather than to the nation as a whole
The Underground Railroad: a secret network of routes and safe places used to help enslaved people reach freedom

Objectives:

Describe how the abolitionist movement emerged and grew in the United States
Identify the goals of American abolitionists
Explain how the Fugitive Slave Act increased opposition to slavery and strengthened antislavery efforts

Before beginning this experience, review the term abolitionist with students. This vocabulary is foundational to the work they will do in early scenes, where they will analyze sources and perspectives connected to people who actively worked to end slavery. Ensuring students have a clear, accurate understanding of what an abolitionist is helps prevent early misconceptions from blocking deeper reasoning later in the lesson.

This experience is slightly longer than a typical lesson, so plan for an additional 15–20 minutes of class time to complete it. The extended time allows students to explore the growth and impacts of the abolitionist movement with the depth and reflection the topic requires and deserves.

To add a project-based learning element to this experience, have students explore how powerful stories can inspire empathy and spark social change, much like Uncle Tom’s Cabin did for the abolitionist movement. Have students watch the video about Uncle Tom’s Cabin and then discuss how the story influenced public attitudes toward slavery and why narrative can be a powerful tool for social change.

Then have students select an abolitionist or freedom advocate, such as Elizabeth Freeman, Maria W. Stewart, or Mary Ann Shadd Cary, and investigate how that person’s story helped raise awareness of slavery and injustice.

Students then create a modern awareness project using a medium of their choice, such as a podcast, blog post, short video, or social media campaign concept. Their project should highlight key aspects of the individual’s actions, challenges, and message. Encourage students to connect the influence of historical narratives with the ways people today use storytelling to shape public opinion and promote change.

Throughout history, people have used images to show their opinions about important issues. Look at the image below. Think about who might have created it and their reasons for creating it. Then share your ideas in the discussion wall below.

A black and white 18th-century abolitionist medallion design depicting an enslaved Black man kneeling on one knee, chained at the wrists and ankles, looking up. A scroll beneath him reads the famous abolitionist motto: "AM I NOT A MAN AND A BROTHER."

Who do you think created this image? Why do you think they created it?

Post your answer

As students share who they think created the image, prompt them to point to specific details that shaped their thinking, such as the posture, expression, or the text included. Encourage them to explain how those details guided their ideas about the creator. When they discuss why the image may have been made, ask students to support their reasoning with evidence they notice, such as the emotional appeal or the message suggested by the imagery.

After discussing their interpretations, provide a brief context that the image was the official medallion of the British Anti-Slavery Society and was created in 1795, which can help students revisit their earlier claims and refine them using new information. Then ask: Why did some people support the institution of slavery even when images like this existed? After students respond, continue the discussion by asking: How might this image be connected to reform movements in the United States during the early 1800s?

In this experience, you will learn how ordinary people challenged slavery by organizing movements, resisting unjust laws, and taking dangerous risks to help others escape, revealing why the fight over slavery became one of the most powerful forces shaping the United States.

Objectives:

Describe how the abolitionist movement emerged and grew in the United States
Identify the goals of American abolitionists
Explain how the Fugitive Slave Act increased opposition to slavery and strengthened antislavery efforts

When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.

The Abolition Movement