8th Grade: Lesson 1
Target Unit Essential Question(s): (taken from unit framework)
EU 1-EQ1: What were the sectional differences (cultural, geographic, and
economic) between the North and South that influenced the election of
1860?
Lesson Essential Question: What were the sectional differences (cultural, geographic, and economic) between the North and South that influenced the election of 1860?
Estimated duration of lesson: 5days (based upon a 60 min. block)
Academic Expectations:
2.16 Students observe, analyze, and interpret human behaviors, social groupings, and institutions to better understand people and the relationships among individuals and among groups.
2.17 Students interact effectively and work cooperatively with the many diverse ethnic and cultural groups of our nation and world.
2.19 Students recognize and understand the relationship between people and geography and apply their knowledge in real-life situations.
2.20 Students understand, analyze, and interpret historical events, conditions, trends, and issues to develop historical perspective.
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Program of Studies: Understandings |
Program of Studies: Skills and Concepts |
Related Core Content for Assessment |
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SS-8-CS-U-3 Students will understand that interactions among individuals and groups assume various forms (e.g., compromise, cooperation, conflict, competition) and are influenced by culture. |
SS-8-CS-S-3 Students will explain how communications between groups were influenced by cultural differences; explain how interactions influenced conflict and competition (e.g., political, economic, religious, ethnic) among individuals and groups in the United States prior to Reconstruction
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SS-08-2.3.1
Students will explain how conflict and competition (e.g.,
political, economic, religious, ethnic) occurred among
individuals and groups in the DOK 2
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SS-8-G-U-3 Students will understand that regions help us to see Earth as an integrated system of places and features organized by such principles as landform types, political units, economic patterns and cultural groups. |
SS-8-G-S-3
Students will investigate interactions among human
activities and the physical environment in the c analyze cause-effect relationships between and among natural resources and political, social, and economic development |
SS-08-4.4.4 Students will compare and contrast different perspectives
(viewpoints) that people have about how to use land (e.g.,
farming, industrial, residential, recreational) in the |
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SS-8-HP-U-1 Students will understand that history is an account of human activities that is interpretive in nature, and a variety of tools (e.g., primary and secondary sources, data, artifacts) are needed to analyze and understand historical events. SS-8-HP-U-3 Students will understand that U.S. History (prior to Reconstruction) has been impacted by significant individuals and groups. SS-8-HP-U-4 Students will understand that geography, culture and economics have a significant impact on historical perspectives and events.
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SS-8-HP-S-1 Students will demonstrate an understanding of the interpretative nature of history using a variety of tools and resources (e.g., primary and secondary sources, Internet, timelines, maps): a investigate, describe and analyze significant historical events and conditions in the U.S prior to Reconstruction, drawing inferences about perspectives of different individuals and groups (e.g., gender, race, region, ethnic group, age, economic status, religion, political group) SS-8-HP-S-2 Students will investigate, using primary and secondary sources (e.g., biographies, films, magazines, Internet resources, textbooks, artifacts) to answer questions about, locate examples of, or interpret factual and fictional accounts of major historical events and people:
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compare the political, social, economic and cultural differences (e.g.,
slavery, tariffs, industrialism vs. agrarianism, federal vs.
states' rights) between and among regions of the
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SS-08-5.1.1
Students will use a variety of tools (e.g., primary and
secondary sources) to describe and explain historical events and
conditions and to analyze the perspectives of different
individuals and groups (e.g., gender, race, region, ethnic
group, age, economic status, religion, political group) in DOK 3 SS-08-5.2.4
Students will describe the political, social, economic and
cultural differences (e.g., slavery, tariffs, industrialism vs.
agrarianism, federal vs. states' rights) among sections of the DOK 3 |
Learning Targets:
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Students Will Know…… |
Students will be able to….. |
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Lesson 1 part A: duration 3 days
Previous instruction
Before beginning this lesson, students should have a general knowledge of the following events:
- Compromise of 1850,
- Fugitive Slave Act,
- Uncle Tom’s Cabin,
- Election of 1852,
- Kansas-Nebraska Act,
- Political Divisions (Dred Scott decision, Lincoln-Douglas debates), and
- Major issues of slavery.
Background Information
During the early 1800s the Industrial Revolution of the North dramatically changed the way in which goods were made. Americans’ lives changed as well, as many people began working in factories. Those changes were coupled with dramatic advances in transportation and technology. In the North tariffs were of great concern as Americans realized that their goods could be sold at lower prices than European goods. The invention of the cotton gin created a new cash crop for the South – cotton. This cash crop dominated the Southern economy. Cotton production depended heavily on slave labor. Enslaved Africans were forced to perform hard labor and suffered terrible conditions. Nonetheless, slaves developed a rich culture and a deep religious sense. In the mid 1800s, waves of immigrants in the North also led to rapid growth of cities and a rise in urban problems. Meanwhile, a number of Americans began working to reform society, improve women’s rights and end slavery. Many Americans began to look for more intense meaning in their lives through deeper religious commitment, philosophy, and Romantic art and literature. In the mid-1800s tension between the North and South heightened over slavery. This tension was increased by political divisions that culminated in 1860 with the election of Abraham Lincoln. As a result, several states seceded from the Union.
Instructional Set/Bell Ringer
Begin the lesson by allowing students to interpret information from photographs, maps, and charts to set the stage for sectional differences (economic, geographic, and cultural) in the North and South that influenced the election of 1860.
As the instructional set to motivate students for further inquiry, present the students with two photos: one of a city within the North and a city within the South in 1860 (Resource A.1 and A.2). Ask:
- Which photo represents life in the north, life in the south?
- What can you interpret from the photographs about life in each region?
- North: Industrial, Urban, Dense
Population, Paved Roads, etc.
South: Rural, Agricultural, Wooden Roads, etc.
Allow students time to share out answers and findings from their interpretation of the photos.
Transition
Ask the students some rhetorical questions to guide their thinking process. “Where do you think the largest population of people lived in the United States in 1860? What type of populations made up most of the population in each of the regions? What resources would attract that population to that area?”
Explain that throughout today’s lesson, students will better understand the sectional differences of the North and South prior to 1860.
Provide students a United States Population Distribution Map in 1860 (Resource B), a Slave Population Distribution Map in 1860 map and census information chart (Resource C), and maps of resources within the North and South prior to 1860 regarding generalizations that can be interpreted of the populations and resources of the North and South. Guiding questions and background information is provided for teachers below.
- Analyze the population density for both
regions on the U.S. Population Distribution Map in 1860 (Resource
B). Ask:
- What are some generalization from the chart about the populations of the North and South? North is denser.
- Why do you think more people are in the North? Factories, Immigrants
- Analyze the
Immigration Distribution Map from a Pre-Civil War Interactive.
- What area of the United States had the greatest majority of slave populations? South
- Analyze the slave population distribution map
in the United States in 1860 along with census information (Resource
C). Ask:
- What do you notice about the population of Kentucky? High population of slaves
- Why do you think slavery was so dominant in the southern states? Cotton, agriculture
- Review the maps of resources: Cotton Production and Industry from a Pre-Civil War Interactive.
Record answers to the guiding questions on the overhead/smart board/whiteboard as students are reviewing the charts and maps. Focus the discussion on the differences in population, economic activity (industry vs. agriculture), resources available in the two regions.
Teacher Note: Website for resource maps.
Lesson Assessment
The guiding questions are formative assessments of students’ prior knowledge.
The summative assessment should be the presentation of the results from group research, along with a short presentation. This could be placed on poster board, PowerPoint or how you see fit within your classroom. Results should be shown through statistics that are represented through pie, bar or any appropriate graph.
Students will also respond in writing to a question on an exit slip.
Learning Experience
At this point, students have an idea of both the population and images of the North and South. Place students by mixed ability in research groups. Make sure a computer lab is available because research will be a priority in this lesson for geographic, cultural and economic comparison. If for some reason computers are not available, please print out research for the students listed in the lesson activities. A rubric is available for this project. The topic of the presentation will be to investigate the cultural, geographic and economic differences between the North and the South prior to the 1860 election (pre-Civil War).
Students should be placed into groups of four with each student being
assigned the following topics to research:
- economy/geography of the north
- economy/geography of the south
- culture of the north
- culture of the south
Assign students the task of researching the Economy, the Culture, and the Geography of the North and South using the guided questions below. Students will begin research on day one of the lesson. They will have research time the next day and will be expected to put their collective research together for group presentations on the third day.
- What was the foundation of the economic base in the North? In the South?
- How did the economy determine the kind of workers needed to keep the economy stable in the North? In the South?
- How did the geography impact the economic conditions in the North? In the South?
- How did the culture impact the political climate of the North? Of the South?
Review the Scoring Guide (Resource D) for the group project with students.
Lesson Wrap Up
Direct students to draw conclusions from their research and present their findings briefly for the class. Each group will select a spokesperson for each group.
After all presentations, ask students to respond to this question in an exit slip:
- How did people in the North view slavery as opposed to those in the South?
- Collect all student work within the lesson. Return and discuss rubrics or scoring guide for research. You may want to reflect overall on each region (North and South), the United States overall and the leader Lincoln had to become after taking office in 1860.
Additional Lesson Activity Notes
Plan all activities around your own classroom. Resources needed: chart paper, notebook paper, printer paper, construction paper, poster board, post-it notes, markers, colored pencils, scissors, computers, (optional: LCD projector and screen, table). You may want to model with poster board, PowerPoint or Venn diagram to make the overall process easier for students. Copies will need to be made of resources and for activities within this lesson.
Lesson 1, part B: duration 2 days
Background Information
The election of 1860 was a pivotal political turning point in
American history. In a climate of distrust, Americans prepared for
this presidential election. Four political parties would put their
best candidate forward to run for office, but finding that man was a
hard task. The Northern and Southern Democrats could not agree on
a candidate. The Northern Democrats favored Stephen Douglas and his
doctrine of popular sovereignty as the Southern Democrats, who supported
the Dred Scott Decision, rallied behind Vice-President John C.
Breckinridge of Kentucky. In the background of it all a new
political party emerged called the Constitutional Union Party with their
candidate John Bell from Tennessee. The Republican’s had a
different leading candidate at the beginning of their convention Senator
William Seward, but the course of events during the campaign would lead
America to look in another direction, with the nomination of Abraham
Lincoln. Within this lesson you and your class will explore the
four political parties, their candidates, party platforms and influences
and issues during the election of 1860. You will specifically look
into the insight of Abraham Lincoln (winner of the 1860 election) and
what inferences he may have made during this crucial time of his career
as a politician and of course becoming our 16th President.
Students will briefly review any events leading up to the election of
1860 that may have been of significance in America, research and compare
political parties/candidates/platforms during the election of 1860 by
using primary/secondary sources, focus specifically on the issue of
slavery/westward expansion and how it was the cause of tension/split of
the Democratic party, investigate the influence of Henry Clay and the
Whig Party, chart/map/graph the results of the election of 1860 and
interpret the mind set of Abraham Lincoln as a politician during the
election of 1860 and as he became president.
Instructional Set/Bell Ringer
Admit Slip:
Students will pull from the previous knowledge that they have learned
leading up to this point in their studies to answer the following
questions:
- Why were Americans overwhelmed with distrust as they prepared for the election of 1860?
- Why was slavery such an issue during this election?
Allow students time to read the questions and digest them. Once you have given students a moment to think about the questions, ask students to PAIR with a nearby neighbor to share out answers. Allow discussion.
Teacher Note: Using “Think, Pair, Share” will help cut down on off-task behavior, get the students to interact with one another and teach the concept of compromise within high-ordered thinking.
Transition
The teacher will then ask students to use knowledge gained on the North and South to decide what type of candidate they would want to become president. Divide the class into half to represent each geographic region: North and South. They should individually write out qualities of a candidate that they would rally for in their respected region. The teacher will chart answers during guided discussions from the student responses.
The teacher will say, “So now, the question is who ran for presidency during this election? Today, we are going to find out about the four political parties during the election of 1860, their candidates, and their platforms.” Students will be placed into groups to do research to explain why different populations in the regions rallied behind their particular candidate.
Lesson Assessment
Formative: The students’ responses to questions in
the Admit Slip.
Summative: The group presentations of the political
parties of the Election of 1860.
Learning Experience
Students will now be placed into groups to ultimately find out the answers to the following questions:
- Who were the political parties, their candidates and platforms of the election of 1860?
- What was on the mind of Abraham Lincoln as he ran for office and captured the presidency?
- The teacher will place students into four groups to be followers of one of the four candidates during the Election of 1860. The candidates were Abraham Lincoln, John C. Breckinridge, John Bell and Stephen A. Douglas.
- The groups will choose a number and the teacher will then inform students that this number determines the political party during the election of 1860 that you will research. Each group will need to select a spokesperson or leader to represent the group.
- The students will conduct research to find
out about their political party in the election of 1860. The
groups will be expected to explain to the group:
· Political Parties Platform
· Groups who supported their political party, and
· The outcome of their political party in the Election of 1860.
The groups should display information on a poster board, construction paper, etc. for the “political rally” on the following day. The “political rally” will allow students, in groups, the chance to present information that they have gathered about their party’s candidates and platforms to the rest of the class. Students should assume the role of that polical party as they try to persuade the class to vote for their candidate. - Research Options: The teacher can have
the students use computer for research. Assistive tools like
text readers may be helpful to some as students to accomplish their
research online or in the computer lab.
The teacher could also have students review clips from United Streaming to do research. The students could also use Web Quest content software or supplemental resources to conduct research on the four significant political parties of the election of 1860.
It is crucial that students learn the outcome of the election of 1860 and in particular their own political parties. You can have students prepare their information on poster board, construction paper, etc. Have each group share their different perspectives about the election, their party’s results and the general election results.
Note to Teacher: The teacher can share out the Election Results of 1860 with the students by an interactive from the following website. htthttp://atlas.lib.niu.edu/Website/Election_1860/viewer.htm?Title=1860%20Presidential%20Election
Lesson Wrap Up
The lesson wrap-up should focus just on Lincoln and his own thoughts (or what may have been) during the election of 1860 and as the new President of the United States. Review highlights of the Republican party(Lincoln) during the election of 1860, Lincoln’s up and coming leadership, and the challenges he would face as the newly elected president. Ask students to reflect on all of the concepts listed in the previous sentence within an exit slip/journal entry for this lesson. Ask them to analyze and evaluate the question of “Why Lincoln in 1860? Why did he emerge as a leader? What was Lincoln going to use (of his own thoughts/ideas) to keep the nation together?”
Collect all student work within the lesson (journals, research, sheets, chart/graph/maps of election results).
Additional Lesson Activity Notes: Plan all activities around your own classroom. Resources needed: chart paper, notebook paper, printer paper, construction paper, poster board, post-it notes, markers, colored pencils, scissors, computers, video recorder, (optional: LCD projector and screen, table). Copies will need to be made of resources and for activities within this lesson (depends on the lesson and day).