UNIT 3: The Peculiar Institution
MR. WHITNEY'S INVENTION
LI: Explain the consequences of scientific and technological inventions and changes on the social and economic lives of the people in the development the United States.
SC:
Reading
"The Cotton Kingdom" p. 316-318
"The Unfree Westward Movement" p. 318
Assignment
Read a retrospective on the invention of the cotton gin, then evaluate the impact of the cotton gin with this graphic organizer.
IMMIGRATION
LI: Describe the experiences of culturally, ethnically, and racially different groups existing as part of American society prior to the Civil War.
SC:
CRASH COURSE: 19th Century Reforms
Reading
"Irish and German Newcomers" p. 325-326
"The Rise of Nativism" p. 326-327
Assignment
Consider the following resources to answer the analysis questions for each document.
A cartoon by Thomas Nast from 1876.
- The man on the right is supposed to be Irish. What comparison is the cartoon making?
- What is the message of this cartoon?
An excerpt from an article in the Know-Nothing and American Crusader.
- Based on this document, what were three reasons the Know-Nothings targeted Irish Catholics?
- Based on this document, what are two reasons why the Know-Nothings believed being Catholic was incompatible with being a United States citizen?
An excerpt from Wages of Whiteness by David Roediger.
- Why were Irish used for difficult labor in the South?
- Based on this document, how were the Irish treated?
A cartoon by Frederick Burr Opper from 1883.
- The woman on the right is supposed to be Irish. Describe what she looks like and how she’s acting. Based on this document, what were some stereotypes about Irish women?
- Based on this document, what job do you think many Irish women had in the 1880s?
In a well-written paragraph respond to the following prompt:
- Were the Irish considered white in 19th century America? Please explain your answer using the documents and cartoons above.
THE FACTORY GIRLS
LI: Describe the emergence and evolution of a market economy.
SC:
CRASH COURSE: Women in the 19th Century
Reading
"The Factory System" p. 321-323
Assignment
Use the primary sources to complete the graphic organizer.
Then, in a well-written short essay (Three paragraphs) compose a response to the following prompt:
- Were the Lowell girls treated fairly? Choose at least 6 of the primary sources to support your answer.
MANIFEST DESTINY
LI: Analyze the concept of Manifest Destiny and its impact on American Indians and the development of the United States.
SC:
Reading
"The West and Freedom" p. 329-330
Assignment
Begin by analyzing a map created by John Melish from 1816, and answer the following questions.
- According to Melish, why did he decide to draw the map of the United States this way?
- How does this relate to Manifest Destiny?
Next, read the writing examples of John O'Sullivan who coined the term Manifest Destiny to answer the following questions.
1. What does John O’Sullivan think America stands for?
2. What, according to John O’Sullivan, is America’s mission?
3. What do you think John O’Sullivan means by “our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions”?
4. Based on these two documents, how did Americans feel about expanding westward?
DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA
LI: Trace the development of constitutional democracy in the United States.
SC:
Reading
"Property and Democracy" p. 348
"Tocqueville on Democracy" p. 349-350
Assignment
Begin by reading the first three paragraphs of Democracy in America by Alexis d' Tocqueville and then write brief responses to the following prompts:
- What is it about America that most impressed Tocqueville?
- What is it responsible for in America?
Tocqueville then shifts his attention to France (and more generally, to Europe) and announces that “a great democratic revolution is taking place among us.” The problem is that there is an important division of opinion in France about what this revolution means. Is it something new and accidental that can be stopped, or is it something deep and old, indeed. To answer this question, Tocqueville gives us a thumbnail sketch of French history over the past seven hundred years use the selected excerpts from Democracy in America to complete the graphic organizer.
ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS
LI: Identify the United States territorial expansion between 1801 and 1861 and explain internal and external conflicts.
SC:
Reading
"The Missouri Controversy" p. 356
Assignment
You will need to analyze a set of primary sources to understand the issues surrounding the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Read each primary source and answer the analysis questions that follow.
The substance of two speeches, delivered in the Senate of the United States
- What are some of the reasons that King says slavery is a problem?
- Why is King against the admission of Missouri as a slave state?
Thomas Jefferson to William Short
- What about the Missouri Compromise alarmed Jefferson? What do you think in his point of view is a “schism” greater than that of Federalists and Republicans?
- What does Jefferson think will be the ultimate result of such legislation? Is he in any way correct? Explain.
Thomas Jefferson to John Holmes
- What does Jefferson mean when he says he considers the Missouri Compromise the “knell of the Union”?
- Does Jefferson think the peace created by the compromise will last?
- Jefferson compares the existence of slavery in the United States to holding a “wolf by the ears”; what does the analogy mean?
Letter about Missouri Compromise, 1820
- What is Cushman afraid is being sacrificed for the sake of compromise?
- What does Cushman think will the consequences for Maine if they vote in favor of the compromise?
THE AGE OF JACKSON
LI: Provide and evaluate examples of social and political leadership in early American history
SC:
CRASH COURSE: The Age of Jackson
Reading
"The Limits of Democracy" p. 351-352
Assignment
Use the primary source packet to complete the graphic organizer.
Then, in a well-written (three paragraph essay) answer the following prompt:
- Andrew Jackson argued that he was a true supporter of ordinary Americans, but his opponents argued that he was a cruel, tyrant. Who was right – Jackson or his opponents? Choose at least 6 of the primary sources to support your answer.
MORALITY AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
LI: Evaluate issues in which fundamental values and principles are in conflict.
SC:
Reading
"Politics and Morality" p. 370-371
Assignment
Use the documents and your knowledge of history to answer each of the questions that follow.
Document A: In Defense of the American System
- In the 19th century, many Americans opposed increased government regulation of the economy. How does Document A provide evidence of this?
Document B: Article from The United States Democratic Review
- In the 19th century, many Americans opposed increased government regulation of the economy. How does Document B provide evidence of this?
THE NULLIFICATION CRISIS
LI: Compare the economic development of the North with the South.
SC:
Reading
"South Carolina and Nullification" p. 371
"Calhoun's Political Theory" p. 371-373
"The Nullification Crisis" p. 373-374
Assignment
Analyze each primary to answer the questions that follow.
South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification
- Is this primary source pro-nullification or anti-nullification? how do you know?
- What reasons are given to support or not support nullification?
Speech on Nullification by Robert Y. Hayne
- Is this primary source pro-nullification or anti-nullification? how do you know?
- What reasons are given to support or not support nullification?
Jackson’s Proclamation on Nullification
- Is this primary source pro-nullification or anti-nullification? how do you know?
- What reasons are given to support or not support nullification?
THE TRAIL OF TEARS
LI: Trace federal policies and treaties such as removal, reservations, and allotment throughout history that have impacted contemporary American Indians.
SC:
Reading
"The Supreme Court and the Indians" p. 374-378
Assignment
Read each document and answer the analysis questions that follow.
- What do you already know about President Jackson’s feelings about Indian Removal? What do you predict he will say in this speech?
- Why does Jackson think the United States was better in 1830 than in 1609?
- Why does Jackson think that the Cherokee will be better off in Indian Territory?
- Why does Jackson think his policy is kind and generous?
- Who is Elias Boudinot? What do you predict he will say about Indian Removal?
- What was life like for the Cherokee in Georgia, according to Boudinot?
- What does Boudinot hope will happen if the Cherokees move west?
THE PECULIAR INSTITUTION
LI: Analyze ways in which the physical environment affected political and economic development.
SC:
Reading
Assignment
Consider this source to evaluate the reliability of the author's argument by answering the following prompt.
THE MIDDLE PASSAGE
LI: Explain the motives and consequences for slavery and other forms of involuntary immigration to North America.
SC:
Reading
"The Second Middle Passage" p. 391
"Slavery and the Nation" p. 391-393
Assignment
Consider the timeline of the Second Middle Passage as you read each document and answer the analysis questions that follow.
- Why might this chart be a useful source to help explain why the internal slave trade was known as the Second Middle Passage?
- Slave traders captured and forced approximately four hundred thousand Africans onto ships to the United States during the Middle Passage. According to this document, how many slaves did traders sell across state lines from 1820-1860?
- Using evidence from this document, complete the following sentence: Historians refer to the slave trade within the United States as the Second Middle Passage because...
- When was this interview conducted?
- How might this affect the reliability of this source?
- According to Mingo White, “there were a lot of slave speculators in Chester to buy some slaves for some folks in Alabama.” What was happening in the economy of the Deep South at that time (1840-1852)?
- How might this historical context help to explain why there were so many slave traders in Chester?
- How does this narrative provide evidence of the human impact of the domestic slave trade? List at least three pieces of evidence.
- Using evidence from this document, complete the following sentence: Historians refer to the slave trade within the United States as the Second Middle Passage because...
Genius of Universal Emancipation
- What type of publication was Genius of Universal Emancipation?
- What might have been the purpose for publishing this article?
- According to the article, why were people chained together on the La Fayette?
- Using evidence from this document, complete the following sentence: Historians refer to the slave trade within the United States as the Second Middle Passage because...
- Who was A. J. McElveen?
- What was his purpose for writing this letter?
- What does this tell you about the economics of the domestic slave trade?
- What do McElveen’s descriptions of slaves tell you about the domestic slave trade?
- Compare this account to Document B. What information from Document B does this letter corroborate?
- Using evidence from this document, complete the following sentence: Historians refer to the slave trade within the United States as the Second Middle Passage because...
ABOLITION
LI: Evaluate issues in which fundamental values and principles are in conflict.
SC:
Reading
"Abolition in the Americas" p. 398-399
"Slavery and Liberty" p. 399-400
"Slavery and Civilization" p. 400
Assignment
Use the primary source packet to complete the graphic organizer.
Then, in a well-written (three paragraph essay) answer the following prompt:
- How successful were anti-slavery organizations during the 1830s? Choose at least 6 of the primary sources to support your answer.
SLAVE AMERICA
LI: Describe the experiences of culturally, ethnically, and racially different groups existing as part of American society prior to the Civil War.
SC:
Reading
"Slaves and the Law" p. 400-401
"Conditions of Slave Life" p. 401-402
Assignment
Read through the narrative of Harriet Jacobs, take notes on insightful, interesting, confusing, etc. parts of the story to prepare for a class discussion.
FUGITIVE SLAVES
LI: Describe the role of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and national origin on the development of individual/political rights.
SC:
Reading
"The Underground Railroad" p. 417-418
Assignment
Read each document and answer the analysis questions that follow.
“Highhanded Outrage in a Court of Justice”: An Account of the Escape of Shadrach Minkins
- What position did the Boston Daily Times take regarding the Shadrach Minkins incident?
- At what point in the account does the paper'seditorial stand become clear?
- Identify specific words and phrases that indicate the slant of the paper.
- According to the Boston Daily Times, what happened in the courthouse?
- What appears to have been the response of several other officials indirectly involved (for example, the mayor, the “Commonwealth,” a Naval officer)?
- What did the Boston Daily Times suggest would be the consequences of the rescue?
- What does this article tell you about the incident itself?
“No Union with Slave Holders!”: Excerpts from The Liberator, February 21, 1851
- What position did The Liberator take regarding the Shadrach Minkins incident?
- At what point in the account does their editorial stand become clear?
- What have you learned from this article about the incident itself?
- What motivated the rescuers?
NAT TURNER'S REVOLT
LI: Discuss the causes and effects of various compromises and conflicts in American history.
SC:
Reading
"Nat Turner's Rebellion" p. 419-421
Assignment
Consider this timeline of Nat Turner's Revolt as you analyze the documents in this lesson.
- Who wrote this document? When and where was it published? What kind of publication is it?
- Describe Nat Turner according to himself.
- Describe Nat Turner according to Gray’s introduction and conclusion notes.
- Is there a contradiction between Turner and Gray’s description? How and why?
- Is this a trustworthy source? Does this account of Turner’s character seem believable? Explain.
- Who wrote this document? When and where was it published? What kind of publication is it?
- Who is the author of his article speaking to? How do you know this? How does his audience affect what he says and how he says it?
- According to the author of this article, what kind of person is Nat Turner? Think about when this article was written: How might its publication date affect how the author represents Turner? Refer to your timeline if necessary
- Is this a trustworthy source? Explain.
- Who wrote this document? When? How long after the Turner rebellion was this document written?
- Who is the author of this document speaking to? How does his audience affect what he says and how he says it?
- According to the author of this speech, what kind of person is Nat Turner? What proof does he provide to illustrate that Turner is this type of person?
- Why does this author think of Nat Turner in this way? Think about when this article was written: How does the author’s historical context shape how he thinks of and represents Turner?
- Is this interpretation of Turner trustworthy? Why or why not?
TEXAS INDEPENDENCE
LI: Identify the United States territorial expansion between 1801 and 1861 and explain internal and external conflicts.
SC:
Reading
Assignment
Use the primary source packet to complete the graphic organizer.
MEXICAN AMERICAN WAR
LI: Discuss the causes and effects of various compromises and conflicts in American history.
SC:
Reading
"The War and Its Critics" p. 465-466
Assignment
Read through the narrative of the Battle at the Alamo, take notes on insightful, interesting, confusing, etc. parts of the story to prepare for a class discussion.
THE GOLD RUSH
LI: Analyze ways in which the physical environment affected political and economic development.
SC:
Reading
"Gold-Rush California" p. 469-470
"California and the Boundaries of Freedom" p. 470-471
Assignment
Consider this timeline of the California Gold Rush as you analyze the documents in this lesson.
- Who was Ernest de Massey?
- When did he write this journal entry?
- What was happening in San Francisco when he wrote it?
- How did de Massey describe the city?
- How did de Massey describe the people in San Francisco?
- Who was Henry V. Huntley?
- When did he write this entry?
- Were there more men or women arriving in San Francisco?
- What might have caused this difference in the number of men and women arriving in San Francisco?
- What does the amount of goods being shipped through San Francisco suggest about how the Gold Rush affected the city?
- How does this document corroborate Document A?