Struggle for Freedom: Slavery, Rebellion & Reconstruction

Topics & Concepts: Power, Privilege, Three I's of Oppression, Emancipate, Fugitive Slave Act, Forms of Resistance (Armed Rebellion, Self-education, Cultural Practices, Abolitionist Movement, Maroon Communities), Civil War, Reconstruction, The Reconstruction Amendments, Black Codes, Direct Action, Black Lives Matter Movement

Guiding Questions: 

• In what ways did enslaved people survive and resist towards freedom? 

• How did the Three I's of Oppression operate within the system of slavery in the U.S.? 

• How did acts of resistance weaken or challenge the institution of slavery in the U.S.? 

• Were African-Americans free during Reconstruction? 

• How is the African-American community continuing to fight for freedom and justice today?

Unit Sequence: 

• In Week 1, students are introduced to the Three I's of Oppression vocabulary and the Forms of Resistance framework. First students do a gallery walk of the system of slavery, primary documents to identify examples of the Three I's of Oppression. Then students work in groups to research and create posters about different forms of resistance (armed rebellion, self-education, cultural practices, abolitionist movement, Maroon communities). At the end of the week, they take a vocabulary quiz to demonstrate mastery of these concepts. 

• In Week 2, students watch the film Sankofa about the Atlantic slave trade and identify examples of the Three I's of Oppression & Forms of Resistance in the film. Following the film, small groups discuss their responses to the resistance portrayed in the film and prepare to write an in-class essay in response to the question: "How did acts of resistance weaken or challenge the institution of slavery in the United States?" 

• In Week 3, students learn about the Reconstruction Era and participate in a Structured Academic Controversy in response to the question: "Were African-Americans free during Reconstruction?"

Notes on Materials Included: 

• Included in the folder are a unit calendar, slides for Week 1, homework packets for Weeks 1 and 3, classwork worksheets for all lessons, primary source documents and a scaffold for resource students to take a vocabulary quiz and write the Sankofa essay. 

• Materials for possible extension activities from the Zinn Education Project are also included in the folder. 

• The Reconstruction SAC materials can be accessed for free on the Stanford History Education website (you must create an account to access them). 

• When Becca Rozo-Marsh and Kate Dillon taught this unit, they concluded Week 3 with guest speakers presenting about Black Lives Matter and Black & Brown Unity, in order to make the connection between slave resistance and resistance movements today. Teachers interested in doing this can contact Young Whan Choi to be connected with possible speakers.