TEACHER'S SNAPSHOT
Grade:
Grade 8
D1: Potential Compelling Question
D1: POTENTIAL SUPPORTING QUESTIONS
- What were the causes and effects of the abolition of slavery?
- What role did Connecticut play in the abolitionist movement?
D2: TOOL KIT
Things you will need to teach this lesson:
This painting of Nancy Toney is attributed to Osbert Burr Loomis, oil on canvas, ca. 1862 – Photograph from the collection of the Loomis Chaffee School Archives, Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor, Connecticut.
Map of the Underground Railroad routes in Connecticut from the book Underground Railroad in Connecticut by Horatio Strother, 1962.
Article describing Frederick Douglass’s speech to 29th and 30th Colored Volunteers, page 9, The Connecticut War Record, New Haven, February 1864 – Connecticut State Library, Newspapers of Connecticut.
D3: INQUIRY ACTIVITY
Divide students into small groups of three or four people. Choose one student to be the notetaker and write down their group’s thoughts and observations.
Using the three primary sources, students will answer the following questions:
- What role did Connecticut play in the abolitionist movement?
- What can you determine about slavery in Connecticut by examining the following sources?
- What is the author communicating about slavery in Connecticut?
Discuss observations with groups and with the class.
Have the students find commonalities and differences.
Share ideas about what the sources reveal.
Share answers/perspectives with the class.
D4: COMMUNICATING CONCLUSIONS
Students can address their responses to the compelling question(s) using a variety of different formats, including (but not limited to): An essay, a poster, or presentation.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Places to GO
CTFreedomTrail.org: Underground Railroad Map
Things To DO
Read a Slave Narrative: Life of James Mars, a Slave Born and Sold in Connecticut. Written by Himself
Investigate Civil War Newspapers: Connecticut State Library: Newspapers of Connecticut
Websites to VISIT
ConnecticutHistory.org Topic Page – Slavery and Abolition
Articles to READ
ConnecticutHistory.org:
- “Nancy Toney’s Lifetime in Slavery” by Christina Vida for © Connecticut Explored. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared in Connecticut Explored (formerly Hog River Journal) Vol. 11/ No. 1, WINTER 2012/2013.
- “Connecticut’s Black Civil War Regiment” by Charles (Ben) Hawley for © Connecticut Explored. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared in Connecticut Explored (formerly Hog River Journal) Vol. 9/ No. 2, Spring 2011.
