8th Grade Social Studies Standard "5.0 History," Indicator "<a href="javascript:void(0)" class="module-home" title="EPD.4 Students Will Analyze The Impact Of Antebellum Reform Movements On American Politics And Society." data-bs-toggle="tooltip">EPD.4 …" - Public Release - MSDE

Student Response

The abolitionists were people who wanted to end or abolish slavery no matter the cost. In order to spread this movement, they used many different tactics. One way that the abolitionists brought attention to the issue of slavery was by having slaves share their stories. One example of this is Frederick Douglass, who told the nation about the true horrors he faced as a slave through speeches and his autobiography. Another way that abolitionists brought attention to their movement was through rioting. Nat Turner was an enslaved man who loathed the institution of slavery, and he instructed many black men to gather arms and kill every white person in sight. This riot became known as Nat Turner’s Rebellion, and it gathered a lot of attention because of the violence. Harriet Tubman was one of the most influential abolitionists of all time. She was an enslaved woman who escaped to the north, and after escaping she began her role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a series of passages and safe houses that a conductor would lead a group of runaway slaves through to bring them to freedom. Conductors were the leaders or guides on these journies. Tubman led many successful missions, freeing hundreds of slaves. She became known as “Moses,” who was a biblical figure who freed a group of Jewish people. When the Civil War began, Harriet Tubman served many roles to do whatever she could to support the anti-slavery Union. Harriet Tubman’s bravery helped to spread the abolitionist movement, but also helped countless slaves as well.

Score

Score Point 4

Annotation

This response shows comprehensive understanding and completely integrates knowledge to thoroughly answer the question. Both bullets are answered with details. Bullet one: (Frederick Douglass, who told the nation about the true horrors he faced as a slave through speeches and his autobiography) and (Nat Turner was an enslaved man who loathed the institution of slavery, and he instructed many black men to gather arms and kill every white person in sight. This riot became known as Nat Turner’s Rebellion, and it gathered a lot of attention because of the violence). Bullet two: (She was an enslaved woman who escaped to the north, and after escaping she began her role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a series of passages and safe houses that a conductor would lead a group of runaway slaves through to bring them to freedom. Conductors were the leaders or guides on these journies. Tubman led many successful missions, freeing hundreds of slaves. She became known as “Moses,” who was a biblical figure who freed a group of Jewish people). Insight can be seen in the overall structure of the response (The abolitionists were people who wanted to end or abolish slavery no matter the cost. In order to spread this movement, they used many different tactics) and in the examples chosen.

During the Antebellum period, many abolitionists in the North started to protest slavery, as they felt it was morally and ethically wrong. Some abolitionists were more moderate, while others strongly and publically disagreed with slavery and southern beliefs in general. William Lloyd Garrison was an extremely religious abolitionist in the north, who showed his support for the anti-slavery movement by publishing an abolitionist newspaper, everyone when others resisted his ideas. Another powerful, anti-slavery statement made by the North was done by Senator Charles Sumter. Senator Sumter publically insulted southern, pro-slavery senators during a meeting in Congress. One of the senators attacked Charles Sumter, which led to the abolitionist movement growing even stronger, as many people in the North believed this was just another act of southern brutality. Harriet Tubman was another abolitionist, albeit hidden until the end of the Civil War. Harriet Tubman was a former slave who escaped to freedom, and vowed to help other slaves do the same. Harriet Tubman had to be very secretive and stealthy, for she had bounties out for her after helping free so many slaves. Tubman was also a conductor on the Underground Railroad, which was a secret network of safe houses, willing to risk their lives, to help slaves escape to Canada. After the Civil War began, Harriet Tubman also worked as a Union spy whilst continuing to help slaves along the journey to freedom. The Northern abolitionists had many ways of bringing attention to the morals of slavery before and during the Civil War, through publicity and the resistance of slavery.

Score

Score Point 4

Annotation

This response shows comprehensive understanding and completely integrates knowledge to thoroughly answer the question. Two methods that abolitionists used are clearly explained with details (William Lloyd Garrison was an extremely religious abolitionist in the north, who showed his support for the anti-slavery movement by publishing an abolitionist newspaper) and (Senator Sumter publically insulted southern, pro-slavery senators during a meeting in Congress. One of the senators attacked Charles Sumter, which led to the abolitionist movement growing even stronger, as many people in the North believed this was just another act of southern brutality). Tubman’s role is also thoroughly explained (Harriet Tubman had to be very secretive and stealthy, for she had bounties out for her after helping free so many slaves. Tubman was also a conductor on the Underground Railroad, which was a secret network of safe houses, willing to risk their lives, to help slaves escape to Canada. After the Civil War began, Harriet Tubman also worked as a Union spy whilst continuing to help slaves along the journey to freedom). Insight is seen in the overall structure of the argument (During the Antebellum period, many abolitionists in the North started to protest slavery, as they felt it was morally and ethically wrong. Some abolitionists were more moderate, while others strongly and publically disagreed with slavery and southern beliefs in general) and (The Northern abolitionists had many ways of bringing attention to the morals of slavery before and during the Civil War, through publicity and the resistance of slavery).

The abolitionists brought attention to the issue of slavery with many different methods in the North. The abolitionists were a group of northern citizens who despised slavery and did anything in their power to stop it from spreading. For instance, when the fugitive slave act was put into play, the abolitionists completely ignored it. The fugitive slave act tried to make it so that runaway slaves must be returned back to their owners even if they were free in the North. The abolitionists instead took care of the slaves no matter if they got thrown into jail. Another way how the abolitionists brought attention to the issue slavery was sacrificing their lives to stop slavery from spreading in the Kansas-Nebraska act. This act allowed popular sovereignty from the peoples votes to decide either or not a territory banned or allowed slavery. Many citizens from both the north and the south started to move over to these territories to overrule them and make them pro slave states or free states. During an event called “Bleeding Kansas” both pro slavery supporters and abolitionists fought in a battle leading to many deaths on both sides trying to fight for their beliefs on slavery. A huge and very popular member of the abolitionists movement was a woman by the name of Harriet Tubman, she grew up as a slave in Maryland which was a slave state. She was sick and tired of being a slave so she left her family and friends behind on the plantation to fled to the north to become free. Years later, she returned back to the plantation to help her close ones escape. While doing this she created a top secret trail called the “underground railroad” consisting of safe houses which helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom in the North.

Score

Score Point 4

Annotation

This response shows comprehensive understanding. Two methods that abolitionists used are explained (For instance, when the fugitive slave act was put into play, the abolitionists completely ignored it. The fugitive slave act tried to make it so that runaway slaves must be returned back to their owners even if they were free in the North. The abolitionists instead took care of the slaves no matter if they got thrown into jail) and (sacrificing their lives to stop slavery from spreading in the Kansas-Nebraska act). Harriet Tubman’s role in the movement is explained with details as well (She was sick and tired of being a slave so she left her family and friends behind on the plantation to fled to the north to become free. Years later, she returned back to the plantation to help her close ones escape. While doing this she created a top secret trail called the “underground railroad” consisting of safe houses which helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom in the North). Insight can be seen in the overall structure of the argument as well as the choice of examples.