Attitudes About Slavery In a Northern Community
Procedures

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1. Brief students on as much of the background material that you think that they need to complete the exercise.
   
   
2. Students can work in teams of two to three or on their own. Hand out Student Worksheet One.
   
   
3. Instruct students to read one or both of the articles, take notes and underline to help with comprehension, and answer questions on worksheet.
   
   
4. When students have completed their task, reconvene whole group to share findings.
   
   
5. Questions for whole class discussion (after they have shared the answers on their worksheet):
   • What did both parties' messages about slavery have in common?
   • What influence might electoral politics have had on how these parties framed their positions?
   • Based on what you have learned today, will the Democrats and Republicans of Franklin County be committed to granting equal rights to African Americans once slavery is abolished?
   • "The cause of the Civil War was the sectional conflict over slavery." To what extent do the documents we have read support this interpretation?