The Importance of David Davis in Abraham Lincoln’s Political Life
Megan Schaefer
Clinton School District
Summer 2006
Historic American Buildings Survey Illinois
State Historical Library,Library of Congress,
Prints and Photographs Division,
Record, ("HABS,ILL,57-BLOOM, 2-1")
This lesson is designed to show the influence that David Davis and Abraham Lincoln had
on each other’s political careers. The students will view various primary sources such as,
letters and journal articles to help further their analysis of the two men.
Overview/ Materials/LOC Resources/Standards/ Procedures/Evaluation/Rubric/Handouts/Extension
Overview
Objectives
Recommended time frame
Grade level
Curriculum fit
Materials
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Students will:
 identify David Davis, Clifton H. Moore, Henry
Winter Davis, Jesse Fell
 explain the role David Davis had in the 1860
election
 analyze the role of politics in the appointment of a
Supreme Court Justice
6 or 7 days
10th-12th
Social Science and English
 David Davis website
 David Davis-Supreme Court
 Document Analysis Worksheet
Illinois State Learning Standards
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Social Science:
Goal 16: Understand events, trends, individuals, and
movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United
States, and other nations.
 16.A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and
interpretation.
Goal 14: Understand political systems, with an
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Illinois State University
emphasis on the United States
 14.D. Understand the roles and influences of
individuals and interest groups in the political
systems of Illinois, the United States and other
nations.
Language Arts:
Goal 3: Write to communicate for a variety of
purposes.
 3.C. Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a
variety of purposes.
Goal 5: Use the Language Arts to acquire, assess
and communicate information.
 5.B. Analyze and evaluate information acquired
from various sources.
Procedures
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Day One:
 Introduce David Davis to students
 Give an introduction of importance of 1860
election
 Preview and introduce using primary sources
and Library of Congress
Day Two:
 Students will be in library/computer lab
 Students will research Davis’ role in the 1860
election using the Library of Congress and
primary sources
 Students will complete Worksheet #1 as
homework if not completed in class
Day Three:
 Students will be in library/computer lab
 Students will research the appointing of David
Davis to the United States Supreme Court using
the Library of Congress and primary sources
 Students will complete Worksheet #2 as
homework if not completed in class
Day Four:
 Students will begin work on either Evaluation #1
or Evaluation #2
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Illinois State University
Day Five:
 Last day to work in class on Evaluation #1 or
Evaluation #2
Day Six:
 Students will give a brief (1-2 minute) oral
presentation of their evaluation
Day Seven:
 If needed, students will give a brief (1-2 minute)
oral presentation of their evaluation
Evaluation
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The student will be evaluated through the following:
 Participation in classroom discussion
 Work ethic
 Evaluation #1 or
 Evaluation #2
Evaluation #1(Letter writing rubric):
 Based on the knowledge gained from this lesson,
write a letter to Abraham Lincoln stating why
David Davis should be appointed to the United
States Supreme Court
Evaluation #2 (Research report rubric):
 Based on the knowledge gained through the
analysis of primary sources, write a paper that
analyzes the influences that both David Davis
and Abraham Lincoln had on each other’s
political careers.
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Illinois State University
Primary Resources from the Library of Congress
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Resource Table
Resource/Image
Citation
Description
David Davis to Abraham
Lincoln, May 18, 1860.
Available at Abraham
Lincoln Papers at the
Library of Congress,
Manuscript Division
(Washington, D.C.:
American Memory
Project, [2000-02]),
http://memory.loc.gov/am
mem/alhtml/alhome.html,
20 July 2006.
David Davis to Abraham
Lincoln, May 18, 1860.
Available at Abraham
Lincoln Papers at the
Library of Congress,
Manuscript Division
(Washington, D.C.:
American Memory
Project, [2000-02]),
http://memory.loc.gov/am
mem/alhtml/alhome.html,
20 July 2006.
Clifton H. Moore to
Abraham Lincoln,
January 29, 1862.
Available at Abraham
Lincoln Papers at the
Library of Congress,
Manuscript Division
(Washington, D.C.:
American Memory
Project, [2000-02]),
http://memory.loc.gov/am
mem/alhtml/alhome.html,
20 July 2006.
David Davis to
Abraham
Lincoln, Friday,
May 18, 1860
(Telegram
offering advice)
URL
http://memory.loc.gov/
cgibin/ampage?collId=ma
l&fileName=mal1/027
/0270100/malpage.db
&recNum=0
David Davis to
Abraham
Lincoln, Friday,
May 18, 18680
(Telegram
offering advice)
http://memory.loc.gov/
cgibin/ampage?collId=ma
l&fileName=mal1/027
/0270200/malpage.db
&recNum=0
Clifton H.
Moore to
Abraham
Lincoln,
Wednesday,
January 29,
1862
(Recommends
David Davis;
endorsed by
Lincoln)
http://memory.loc.gov/
cgibin/ampage?collId=ma
l&fileName=mal1/142
/1421900/malpage.db
&recNum=0
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Illinois State University
Henry Winter Davis to
Abraham Lincoln, March
06, 1861.
Available at Abraham
Lincoln Papers at the
Library of Congress,
Manuscript Division
(Washington, D.C.:
American Memory
Project, [2000-02]),
http://memory.loc.gov/am
mem/alhtml/alhome.html,
20 July 2006.
Henry Winter
Davis to
Abraham
Lincoln,
Wednesday,
March 06, 1861
(Recommends
David Davis for
Supreme Court)
http://memory.loc.gov/
cgibin/ampage?collId=ma
l&fileName=mal1/078
/0781800/malpage.db
&recNum=0
Joseph Casey to David
Davis, September 16,
1860.
Available at Abraham
Lincoln Papers at the
Library of Congress,
Manuscript Division
(Washington, D.C.:
American Memory
Project, [2000-02]),
http://memory.loc.gov/am
mem/alhtml/alhome.html,
20 July 2006.
Joseph Casey to
David Davis,
Sunday,
September 16,
1860
(Pennsylvania
campaign
efforts)
http://memory.loc.gov/
cgibin/ampage?collId=ma
l&fileName=mal1/037
/0371400/malpage.db
&recNum=0
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Illinois State University
Rubric
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Letter-Writing : Nomination of David Davis to the Supreme
Court
Teacher Name: Ms. Schaefer
Student Name:
CATEGORY
Grammar &
spelling
(conventions)
________________________________________
5
4
3
2
Writer makes 3-4
errors in grammar
and/or spelling
Writer makes more
than 4 errors in
grammar and/or
spelling.
Writer makes 1-2
errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Writer makes 3-4
errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Writer makes more
than 4 errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Writer makes no
Writer makes 1-2
errors in grammar or errors in grammar
spelling.
and/or spelling.
Writer makes no
Capitalization
and Punctuation errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Neatness
Letter is typed,
clean, not wrinkled,
and is easy to read
with no distracting
error corrections. It
was done with pride.
Letter is neatly handwritten, clean, not
wrinkled, and is easy
to read with no
distracting error
corrections. It was
done with care.
Letter is typed and is
crumpled or slightly
stained. It may have
1-2 distracting error
corrections. It was
done with some
care.
Letter is typed and
looks like it had been
shoved in a pocket
or locker. It may
have several
distracting error
corrections. It looks
like it was done in a
hurry or stored
improperly.
Salutation and
Closing
Salutation and
closing have no
errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Salutation and
closing have 1-2
errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Salutation and
closing have 3 or
more errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Salutation and/or
closing are missing.
Format
Writer makes no
Writer has 1-2
Writer has 3 or more Writer has not
mistakes in following mistakes in following mistakes in following followed historical
historical format.
historical format.
historical format
format
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Content
Writer uses citations Writer has some
to support stance
citations to support
stance
Writer has one
citation to support
stance
Writer has no citation
to support stance
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Research Report : David Davis and Abraham Lincoln
Teacher Name: Ms. Schaefer
Student Name:
________________________________________
5
4
Mechanics
No grammatical,
spelling or
punctuation errors.
Almost no
A few grammatical
grammatical, spelling spelling, or
or punctuation errors punctuation errors.
Many grammatical,
spelling, or
punctuation errors.
Organization
Information is very
organized with wellconstructed
paragraphs and
subheadings.
Information is
organized with wellconstructed
paragraphs.
Information is
organized, but
paragraphs are not
well-constructed.
The information
appears to be
disorganized. 8)
Paragraph
Construction
All paragraphs
include introductory
sentence,
explanations or
details, and
concluding sentence.
Most paragraphs
include introductory
sentence,
explanations or
details, and
concluding sentence.
Paragraphs included
related information
but were typically not
constructed well.
Paragraphing
structure was not
clear and sentences
were not typically
related within the
paragraphs.
Amount of
Information
All topics are
addressed and all
questions answered
with at least 2
sentences about
each.
All topics are
addressed and most
questions answered
with at least 2
sentences about
each.
All topics are
One or more topics
addressed, and most were not addressed.
questions answered
with 1 sentence
about each.
Quality of
Information
Information clearly
relates to the main
topic. It includes
several supporting
details and/or
examples.
Information clearly
relates to the main
topic. It provides 1-2
supporting details
and/or examples.
Information clearly
Information has little
relates to the main
or nothing to do with
topic. No details
the main topic.
and/or examples are
given.
Sources
All sources
(information and
graphics) are
accurately
documented in the
desired format.
All sources
(information and
graphics) are
accurately
documented, but a
few are not in the
desired format.
All sources
(information and
graphics) are
accurately
documented, but
many are not in the
desired format.
CATEGORY
3
2
Some sources are
not accurately
documented.
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Illinois State University
Handouts
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Worksheet #1
1. List ten of the men who wrote letters to Abraham Lincoln in support of David
Davis.
2. Choose three of those men. Research and give a brief summary of who they
are.
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Illinois State University
Worksheet #2
1. Choose one of David Davis’s telegrams to Lincoln.
Write which one you chose:
________________________________________________________________
2. Give a brief summary of why this telegram was important.
3. Why would Davis use a telegram and not a letter to contact Lincoln?
Analysis form