Frederick Douglass referred to the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation as a date greater than even that of July 4, 1776. However, Secretary of State, William Seward referred to it as nothing more than a “puff of wind.” So what does the Emancipation Proclamation really say?
This module helps students explore the question: Did Lincoln end slavery with the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation? Why was the 13th amendment necessary?
Students should have an understanding of the American Civil War (Emancipation Proclamation as a military strategy) and the sectional conflicts of the period. Students may also require additional background when examining the 13th amendment (i.e. the end of the war, the Reconstruction Amendments).
This module is designed for a deep dive into a pair of truly pivotal legal texts in American History. It is organized to take roughly six hours or seven fifty-minute periods. It was created as part of the Summer 2013 Social Studies Design Jam and is shared with special thanks to the Kentucky Education Association for the use of their Lexington facilities.
