Conflict Over Slavery

Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 Conflict Over Slavery
Students first reflect on the importance of considering historical context by imagining how a college football coach would react to a female player in 1870 vs. 2070. Then they examine how the United States dealt with tensions over slavery through legislative compromises. Next students explain the role of slavery in sectionalism and states’ rights conflicts. Finally they examine highway speed limits as an example of states’ rights, and they develop an opinion if the federal government has the right to set a nationwide speed limit.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

1:1 Devices
Teacher Pack

The Pack contains associated resources for the learning experience, typically in the form of articles and videos. There is a teacher Pack (with only teacher information) and a student Pack (which contains only student information). As a teacher, you can toggle between both to see everything.

Here are the teacher pack items for Conflict Over Slavery:

Preview - Scene 1
Exploros Learnign Experience Scene Navigation


Overview

In this experience, students first reflect on the importance of considering historical context by imagining how a college football coach would react to a female player in 1870 vs. 2070. Then they examine how the United States dealt with tensions over slavery through legislative compromises. Next students explain the role of slavery in sectionalism and states’ rights conflicts. Finally they examine highway speed limits as an example of states’ rights, and they develop an opinion if the federal government has the right to set a nationwide speed limit.

If you have access to leveled readers that deal with pre-Civil War life in the United States, assign them to the students in parallel to this experience.

Estimated duration: 35-45 minutes

Vocabulary words:

  • dispute
  • fugitive
  • tariff
  • states’ rights
  • sectionalism

Objectives

  • Describe the expansion of slavery in the United States.
  • Explain how slavery led to sectionalism and conflict over states’ rights.


Engage


Prior to the Civil War, the issue of slavery divided the country, causing disputes between the North and the South. Over the years, efforts were made to resolve these conflicts. In this experience, you will learn how slavery led to sectionalism and arguments over states’ rights.

Objectives
  • Describe the expansion of slavery in the United States.
  • Explain how slavery led to sectionalism and conflict over states’ rights.


photograph of a girl in full football gear, getting ready to pass the ball

In 2001, Ashley Martin became the first female to play and score in an NCAA Division I football game as a placekicker for the Jacksonville State University Gamecocks. When the first college football game was played in 1869, could the players have imagined that one day there might be girls on a college team? Will it be common in another fifty years?


Imagine that you are a college football coach in 1870 and in 2070. Your general manager tells you that there will be a girl joining the team. What are your thoughts and how do you react?


Student responses will vary, but they should show that the 1870 coach is more surprised or reluctant or refusing to accept, because women’s role was so clearly defined in 1870. There were very few female students in colleges. By 2070, women playing on college football teams may or may not be common, but there will likely be more cases than today.

Explain to students that historical context affects people’s views of situations and events. Although human slavery still exists throughout the world, today it is generally illegal and considered a human rights abuse. In the historical context of colonialism, slavery was common and accepted among the colonists. The anti-slavery movement began to awaken in the United States in the early nineteenth century. The historical context does not excuse the brutality of slavery, but it should help students understand how slavery was so common, even among respected leaders.


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

End of Preview
The Complete List of Learning Experiences in Civil War Through 1900 Unit.
Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 Civil War Through 1900: Vocabulary
Civil War Through 1900: Vocabulary
Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 The Civil War
The Civil War
Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 Age of Invention
Age of Invention
Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 Expansion’s Impact on the Environment
Expansion’s Impact on the Environment
Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 Nineteenth Century Literature
Nineteenth Century Literature
Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 The Transcontinental Railroad
The Transcontinental Railroad
Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 Conflict Over Slavery
Conflict Over Slavery
Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 Reconstruction
Reconstruction
Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 Mass Immigration: The Huddled Masses
Mass Immigration: The Huddled Masses
Social Studies American History Civil War Through 1900 The Plains Indians
The Plains Indians
Would you like to preview the rest of this learning experience, and get access to the entire functioning American History course for your classroom? Sign up using your school email address below.
Back to top