Slavery in the Declaration and Constitutional Convention
From: Digital Inquiry Group
Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: Less than 1 Class Period
Length of Reading: Paragraphs
The list of grievances from the Declaration of Independence blames the King of Great Britain for slavery. Students read this primary source in groups and then answer questions about it. Students then read part of the debate from the Constitutional Convention as well as 3 historians interpretations of it (short). And they fill out a graphic organizer.
More Information:
Grade Level:
(MS), (HS), (College): We put these in parentheses because there is no specified age group for the activity; however, we think it would be well suited for middle school, high school, and college students
This Activity Involves:
Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources.
Secondary Source: This activity utilizes secondary sources.
Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "A slave auction in Virginia." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1861. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/57a39ba0-c5f5-012f-de6b-58d385a7bc34
