Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: Propaganda Recreating the Face of Slavery

Grade Levels: 10th grade

Subject/Topic Areas: American History, Civil War, English

Key Words: Propaganda, Civil War, Primary Source, Photography,

Union, Confederates, Secondary Source, Textual Evidence

Designed by: Molly Simons

Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals):

Last week, students began to discuss the initial divisions in the nation
approaching the civil war. One of the key issues in this war was slavery. This
unit will cover the primary source propaganda that was used during the of
the civil war. Specifically, students will be examining propaganda
surrounding the issue of slavery. Students will first examine primary source
propaganda from the anti-slavery position. Then students will be examining
primary source propaganda that demonstrates the pro-slavery standpoint.
On both days, students will be using analytical skills to determine the
purpose and effectiveness of propaganda.

Michigan CCSS (9th-10th):

1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the
information.
2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary
source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop
over the course of the text.
6. Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the
same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in
their respective accounts.
9. Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary
and secondary sources.

All CCSS were found at the website:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/6-12_ELA_357704_7.pdf

Stage 1Identify Desired Results

Established Goals:

Students will analyze important primary source documents that ignited the
debate of many issues surrounding slavery. They will evaluate and discuss
the role that these documents played in the division of the country on
controversial issues, like slavery, during the civil war. Using the information
they gather through class discussions and the power of visual
representations, students will create their own form of visual propaganda to
persuade either a pro-slavery or anti-slavery agenda. Students will illustrate
the critical mindsets of the public during this time period.

What Understandings are desired?

Students will understand . . .

-The importance of propaganda.
-How to decipher primary sources.
-That the opinions being examined during the course of this lesson do not
necessarily reflect their own.
-The pros and cons that the public demonstrated when discussing slavery.
-That sources used in propaganda always communicate some form of bias.
-That this activity will help them foster historical empathy according to
NCHEs habits of mind.
-That visual propaganda can be as meaningful as textual propaganda.

What essential questions will be considered?

-How does the propaganda surrounding the civil war affect current views of
the time period?
-Is history inevitably biased?
-Why is propaganda most discussed surrounding historical times of war?
-Is propaganda positive or negative?
-What purpose is there in studying propaganda and primary sources from the

past?

What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this
unit?

Students will know . . .

Students will be able to . . .

-The reliability in propaganda.

-Identify multiple forms of

propaganda.

-Key purposes of propaganda.

-Reasons the North tried to eliminate
slavery.
-Reasons the South wanted to
maintain slavery.
-Key terms associated with the
slavery
debate.

-Compare and contrast the major

disagreements between proslavery
and antislavery forces.
-Sensitively discuss the issue of
slavery.
-Decipher visual primary source
documents and the messages sent.
-Discuss the importance in
propaganda.
-Develop a similar piece of
propaganda using popular arguments
of the time period.
-Relate propaganda from the past to
current styles of propaganda.

Stage 2Determine Acceptable Evidence

What evidence will show that students understand?

Students will analyze a textual source of propaganda that is antislavery.

Around the room, they will choose a station with a source that they wish to
examine first. Each student will complete the provided Primary Source
Analysis Guide. Then, you will examine another provided document and
complete the form. We will then discuss this textual propaganda as a class.

One student and a partner will be provided with a visual piece of propaganda
from the proslavery movement. Together they will complete a short analysis
of the image that will then be shared with the class. These two will be our
experts on the given image. Their understanding of the image will be
assessed by the new knowledge your classmates receive.

After completing any additional research at home, each student will be

creating a piece of propaganda from a proslavery or antislavery standpoint.
These will be proudly displayed in the classroom. With this in mind, the
product must be of professional and appropriate quality for the sensitive
topic we are studying. To be successful, they must be able to explain and
present your purpose and reasons for including selected information on the
poster.

Other Evidence (quizzes, tests, prompts, observations, dialogues, work

samples):

-Short quiz on the purpose of propaganda at the end of the lesson.

-Ticket Out the Door-On Day 1, students will need to list some of the reasons
people were antislavery. Day 2, students will quickly write down some of the
arguments Americans presented to persuade people to accept the proslavery
standpoint.
-Students will constantly be assessed on their efforts and contributions to
discussions.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection:

-On the final quiz, students will have to list any topics that they feel they
need to further examine to reach a better understanding.
-Students will reflect on the primary source they found most valuable in this
lesson.
-Students will rate the importance they find in examining primary sources.

Stage 3Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Consider the WHERETO elements:

Students will begin the unit examining propaganda. We will watch and view
numerous forms of propaganda. (Commercials, posters, etc.)--H
Revisit the discussion that was occurring in the United States surrounding
slavery and the disagreements between the popular parties: the North and
the South.--W

As a class, we will examine Harriet Ann Jacobs Incidents in the Life of a Slave
Girl, specifically the chapter WHAT SLAVES ARE TAUGHT TO THINK OF THE
NORTH.--E
Examining this primary source, students will begin to practice their
understanding of a primary source and the discussion on the reasons for
textual propaganda like this against slavery. --E
There will be three surrounding stations students will visit to decipher other
documents: the 1843 Platform of the Liberty Party, What to the Slave is the
Fourth of July by Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truths Aint I a
Woman? --E
Regathering as a class, we will discuss the information that students learned
and explored in the three stations. --R
The ticket out the door for students will be briefly writing three reasons that
these documents examined people should be against slavery. --E(2)
Students will each have two post-it notes on their desk. At the beginning of
the hour, students will be instructed to provide an example of negative
propaganda (urging people to go against a certain topic) and an example of a
positive piece of propaganda (encouraging people to support an issue.)--H
Together as a class, we will examining a visual form of propaganda that is
antislavery to allow students to warm up to this style of primary source. --E
After the introduction, students will be placed into pairs. These pairs will each
be assigned an image of a propaganda that is proslavery. --T
Each pair will be given a list of questions to help them prepare a 3-5 minute
presentation of the image. --T
The three images will be individually shared over the doc-cam and explained
by the students. --R
As a class, we will discuss some of the key reasons the proslavery argument
existed in the nation. --E(2)
For a ticket out the door, students will write down three reasons that people
were proslavery. --E(2)
Leaving class, they will take with them their assigned category and thought
provoking questions that they will want to start considering for the
completion of their in class poster. --O
Students will have a half hour to complete a poster based upon their
argument. In class, they will be provided with markers, construction paper,

crayons, colored pencils and rulers. --E

Each student will briefly share their posters and analysis of the posters with
me. They will each have the rubric, so they will be aware of the necessary
qualities that must be included. --E(2)
At the end of the hour (or the beginning of the hour tomorrow) students will
submit their posters to be displayed within the classroom. --W
To close, as a class, we will revisit the reasons that we completed this
assignment and the importance that it has for our future as historians.--W