Course/Grade Level: 5th grade
Lesson Title: The Constitution and Slavery
Teacher: Sharon Keena (sharon.keena@rps205.com)
I did this lesson in small segments, using 15 to 30 minutes on days when we had time, until we
finished. Prior to this lesson, the significance of the 13th and 19th Amendments had been presented to
the students.
1. Set Induction: Begin a class discussion by asking the students why we have a president and
who makes the laws for the United States. Assess their general background knowledge and
introduce the Constitution as the document that establishes the way our national government
functions. Ask the students who wrote the Constitution and take the conversation to the founding
fathers and their ownership of slaves. Establish with the class that all slavery in the United States
was abolished by the 13th Amendment.
2. Aims/Objectives and Standards:
a. Students will read the text of the Constitution
b. Students will understand the impact of slavery on the Constitution.
c. 14.A.2 Explain the importance of fundamental concepts expressed and implied in
major documents including the Declaration of Independence, the United States
Constitution and the Illinois Constitution.
d. 14.B.2 Explain what government does at local, state and national levels.
e. 14.D.2 Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy.
f. 14.F.2 Identify consistencies and inconsistencies between expressed United States
political traditions and ideas and actual practices (e.g., freedom of speech, right to
bear arms, slavery, voting rights).
g. 16.C.2a (US) Describe how slavery and indentured servitude influenced the early
economy of the United States.
3. Procedures, Assessments and Materials Required:
a. Tell students that you will give a prize to anyone who can find "slave" or "slavery" in
the original text of the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. (Neither word is there.
However, the 5th grade text book has the document printed in the back of the book
with subtitles added by the editors, and side bars with student friendly information
that do include the words.)
b. When the first student finds the word, it will be in the editor added sub-titles or the
13th Amendment, which are not part of the text of the document specified for the
assignment.
c. After the students have read the document trying to locate one of the words and insist
that neither are there, go to Article I, Section 2. Read and discuss with the class the
3/5 Clause. Ask students who is being referred to as "other persons". (The slaves)
Discuss the importance of the clause as a compromise that was necessary for the
ratification of the document and the continued unity of the states.
d. Offer the students an alternative to finding the words. (I didn't admit they aren't
there.) Tell them that anyone who can find at least 3 places where the documents refer
to slaves, will have their names in a drawing for the prize when we finish studying
The Constitution.
Article I, Section 2: the 3/5 clause
Article I, Section 9: importation of slaves allowed for 20 years (It's
important to remember that slave trade within the states and
through ports in areas that were not states continued until the end
of the Civil War.)
Article IV, Section 2: states were required to return people to servitude
Article V, amendments could not stop slave importation prior to the 20
years established in Article I
e. To be eligible for the drawing, students must write out the information, including the
article and section, the text they found, and an explanation of how it refers to the
slaves.
f. Determine when students must submitted their papers, before or during discussion of
the document. Discuss each article and amendment. In Article I and II, the citizenship
clause eliminated slaves from serving in the legislature or as president. Amendment
13 only abolished slavery, it did not give citizenship or voting rights to former slaves.
Have students read Amendments 13 through 15, noting the ratification dates and
discuss the importance of the additional amendments and how women were affected
by them. (Women became citizens but still could not vote.)
g. Assessment can be done informally or by having students answer the following
questions in writing:
Where does the Constitution refer to slavery?
Why did the Constitution have to include references to slavery in order to
get passed?
Did the Constitution give women the same rights as men?
How was the Constitution changed over time to secure rights for women and
African Americans?
h. Materials:
Social Studies Text Book
Student Prizes
4. Resources and Scholarship:
The US Constitution
The Constitution and Slavery, Jonathan Burack, published by Mind Sparks
5. Conclusion/Lesson Wrap-up:
Through discussion, have students restate the reason slavery was maintained, where in
the Constitution it was addressed, and how the Constitution was changed by Amendments 13,
14, 15, and 19.
6. Language Arts and Math Articulation (for 5th grade teachers only):
Language arts is included in the reading, reading comprehension, writing, and analytical
thinking skills included in this lesson. Math is included in the discussion and understanding of
the 3/5 clause.
Supplied background information taken from Burack's source, The Constitution and
Slavery.