Purpose
Any study of the American Civil War will of course focus on the role of slavery as a proximate cause of the conflict. Oftentimes the issue of abolition is seen as constant and unwavering course from prior to the war through to its conclusion and aftermath. It is important, though, to understand that this was not necessarily the case. A careful examination of views expressed throughout this period may tell a more complicated story.
Task
Your discussion post for Unit 8 is to:
Describe how Union and Confederate actors viewed the institution of slavery before, during, and after the American Civil War.
Your discussion post should be written and formatted as follows:
· Write a minimum of two (2) paragraphs describing the complexities of how your assigned persona viewed the institution of slavery
· The first paragraph should discuss how your assigned persona viewed the idea of emancipation before the outbreak of the war. You should provide evidence from primary sources and The American Yawp to support your assertions.
· The second paragraph should discuss how your assigned side viewed the reality of emancipation after the war. You should note any changes in position and provide evidence from primary sources and The American Yawp to support your assertions.
· Your discussion post should be at least 2 paragraphs of 5-6 sentences each.
WHAT IS MY ASSIGNED PERSONA?
Adopt one of the following personas based upon the first letter of your last name. Use the primary documents listed after your persona to provide a window into that person’s mindset:
· Last name begins with
A-L should adopt the perspective of
a white plantation owner before and after the war.
Primary Source documents to help you write your post:
·
Freedmen discuss post-emancipation life with General Sherman, 1865
·
Jourdon Anderson Writes His Former Enslaver, 1865
·
Charlotte Forten Teaches Freed Children in South Carolina, 1864
·
Mississippi Black Code, 1865
·
General Reynolds Describes Lawlessness in Texas, 1868
·
A case of sexual violence during Reconstruction, 1866
·
Frederick Douglass on Remembering the Civil War, 1877
·
Johnson and Reconstruction Cartoon, 1866
·
Fifteenth Amendment Print, 1870
·
First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln
·
Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln
·
Speech of Henry Benning to the Virginia Convention
·
Mississippi Black Code, 1865
·
Frederick Douglass on Remembering the Civil War, 1877
Criteria
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND regarding what your instructor is looking for:
· Your support for your discussion post should come from 2 places: Chapter 14 and Chapter 15 in the American Yawp textbook, and the primary source documents relevant to your persona (linked below). DO NOT USE OTHER SOURCES.
Chapter 14:
Chapter 15:
· While direct citations are not required, please be sure you clearly refer back to the text to reference content you include in your post. It should be evident that you have read and understood the readings.
· IMPRESS YOUR INSTRUCTOR by including information from the American Yawp textbook AND the primary sources provided to make a well-reasoned argument for a changing or complex position on slavery by your side. Reference documents clearly in your post.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
