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American Centuries > Lessons > History Lessons By Teachers > The Fugitive Slave Act in Boston: A Spectrum of Opinions

The Fugitive Slave Act in Boston: A Spectrum of Opinions

Details

Author
Sean Gillane
Topic/Subject Area
Politics, Government, Law, Civics; Slavery, Indenture
Historical Era
National Expansion and Reform, 1816–1860
Grade Level
High School (9–12)
Creation Date
2010
Last Revision Date
2024

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About This Lesson

Summary and Objective

The Fugitive Slave Law portion of the 1850 Compromise provided a complicated mixture of opinions regarding how far the North was willing to go to keep the Union intact. Through investigative learning using primary sources, and differentiated instruction and assessment using student choice, students will understand that the Fugitive Slave Law and the rescue of Shadrach Minkins had a widely varied impact on citizens in Massachusetts. Students will also understand that the opinions regarding actions surrounding fugitive slaves varied. In addition, students will understand that the larger difficulties within the Union were symbolized and highlighted by the argument over fugitive slaves in Boston.

Materials & Resources

Collection Items
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Teaching Plan

Day One
  1. Pre-Activity: Assign students three primary sources for homework. Students can either access online, or teacher can copy and paste onto a worksheet for students.
    1. Compromise of 1850 – Students should read the background information, and then access the Fourth Statute and read sections 1,5,6 & 7 and consider what the law requires, who can be arrested, what problems might this law cause in the North, and how this was meant to keep the North and South together. Will it work?
    2. Shadrach Minkins Seized – Students should note background events and information on the rescue.
    3. “Arrest of a Fugitive Slave in Boston” article from Gazette and Courier newspaper – Use the article to discover the initial report of the Minkins rescue. Was this an unbiased report?
  2. At the start of class, ask students to form pairs or small groups and compare their background information on the Fugitive Slave Act, the purpose of the Compromise of 1850, and the events surrounding the capture and rescue of Shadrach Minkins in Boston. Students should then, as a whole class, create a flow chart on the board or poster paper showing cause and effect of these events.
  3. Students should separate into three investigative groups. Each group will use a collection of primary source documents to understand and note the opinions of people around Boston regarding the Fugitive Slave Act, the Compromise, the Minkins rescue, and the efforts behind keeping the Union together. As with the homework, students can either use this resource directly online, or teacher-provided copies of the documents.
  4. Groups should now share their findings with the whole class by creating construction-paper sized annotations on the sources and opinions. Students should place these annotations on a “spectrum of opinion” (Pro Fugitive Slave Act ranging to anti-fugitive slave law) on the classroom wall or board. Students should explain the opinions they encountered, and describe why they are placing the opinions where they are on the spectrum. This jigsaw activity will allow all students to benefit from all of the primary sources.
Day Two
  1. Students will now participate in a “Choices” activity-students may work alone or in pairs, and choose from the following activities that will demonstrate their understanding of the concepts and serve as an assessment for the topic. Students will create and then present their projects.
    1. Create a poster, web, or flow chart that demonstrates and explains the varying opinions in the North surrounding the Fugitive Slave Act and/or the Minkins rescue.
    2. Draw/create propaganda posters or broadsides both for and against the Fugitive Slave Act or the Minkins rescue.
    3. Write speeches from 1851 both for and against the Fugitive Slave Act and the Minkins rescue.
    4. Create a debate from 1851 that demonstrates various points of view regarding the Fugitive Slave Law and the Minkins rescue.
    5. Write newspaper articles from newspapers both supporting and opposing the Fugitive Slave Law and the Minkins rescue.
  2. Post-Activity: Teacher should facilitate a student discussion and/or debate regarding the effectiveness of the Fugitive Slave Law and the importance of the Minkins rescue as a symbol of the controversy regarding the intent and effectiveness of the Fugitive Slave Law in particular, and the 1850 Compromise in general. This can be an informal discussion or a brief “2-corners” debate.