Texas Troubles Design doc
This is the first page of the game and introduces the game. This should have the same
look as the HTML version that is currently in HIST 2610 in Vista. Keep the same look.
The text below has been modified, though, so use this new text.
Screen 1
Texas Troubles
Introduction
In July 1860 a series of fires burned several North Texas communities, including Denton
and Dallas. As word spread from town to town of the simultaneous incendiaries, a group
of citizens, led by Dallas Morning News editor Charles R. Pryor, began linking the fires,
arguing that slaves lit them, induced by northern Abolitionists as part of a larger terrorist
plan that included murdering whites, pillaging their homes, and raping young women.
Texans across the state reacted with fear, a response to both the alleged plot and the
accelerating presidential campaign.
The upcoming November elections already had Texans siding-off between backing the
Democratic candidate, John C. Breckinridge, and the Constitutional Union party choice,
John Bell. The state governor, Sam Houston, remained a pro-union man, supporting Bell.
But a strong minority of the political and social leaders in the state talked about secession
if Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln, won the election.
Was there a terrorist plot in Texas in 1860? Did slave owners conspire to sway
Texans emotionally to increase the likelihood that citizens would vote to secede from
the Union?
You will take on the role of an investigative journalist, examining the evidence and
determining the nature of the fires and whether they may have been part of a larger
conspiracy: created by either northern Abolitionists in an effort to unite all slaves into
rebellion or by slave owners to facilitate a rapid separation of the southern states from the
northern.
As you travel around the state gathering evidence, you will confront language and
social and political positions that you may find unacceptable and offensive.
Remember that the evidence you uncover are primary sources taken directly from
newspapers and letters. These are the actual words, thoughts, and actions of the
people of the period. While the language and actions maybe offensive by twenty-first
century standards, they represent truthfully how people spoke and behaved in 1860
in the midst of what was considered the most serious slave insurrection since Nat
Turner’s rebellion in 1831. Place yourself in the position of someone living in Texas
in 1860. How would they react to the fires?
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Screen 2
Texas Troubles: Select Your Role!
Select your role by choosing the newspaper for which you work. Once you have chosen
the newspaper that you write for, click on it to receive your investigative assignment.
Select your Role!
Five Newspapers are shown as possible “roles” to play in the game. Have the
corresponding text appear when you roll over the newspaper image. The text appears
below the image. (These newspaper images are replacing the images of the 3 men.)
You are a reporter for the Galveston Reporter, one of the few African American
newspapers in Texas with a wide circulation throughout the state. If you choose this role,
click on the image to receive your full instructions.
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You are a newspaper reporter for the Austin Weekly Times and your paper supports John
Bell in the upcoming 1860 presidential election. If you choose this role, click on the
image to receive your full instructions.
You are a newspaper reporter for the Austin Mirror and your paper supports John C.
Breckinridge in the upcoming 1860 presidential election. If you choose this role, click on
the image to receive your full instructions.
You are a reporter for the New York Times and your paper has moderate political
leanings, supporting both the Republican and Northern Democrat parties. If you choose
this role, click on the image to receive your full instructions.
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You are a reporter for the Cincinnati Observer, an openly Abolitionist newspapers that
attempts to focus public attention on the Abolitionist cause. If you choose this role, click
on the image to receive your full instructions.
Once students click on the images, they get their assignment. Assignments follow:
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You are a newspaper reporter for the New Orleans Reporter
You are a newspaper reporter for the New Orleans Reporter, one of the few African
American newspapers with a wide circulation throughout Louisiana and Texas. You
must inform your readership—most of the subscribers are free blacks—about the fires
and the brewing controversy.
Tonight you are attending a meeting of the Denton County Vigilante Committee,
organized immediately after the destructive fire of July 8, 1860 to determine the fire’s
origins and, if necessary, to find and punish the responsible parties. News has already
filtered into the county that a series of fires erupted across North Texas simultaneously
that Sunday morning, and more than a dozen communities suffered damage. Some people
are beginning to say this was not a coincidence but rather an Abolitionist plot created to
kill all whites in the South, breed a region-wide rebellion, and ensure the victory of
Abraham Lincoln at the polls in November.
Your assignment:
1. You will be writing an article about the fires, their causes, and their impact for your
newspaper.
2. You must sift through the evidence discussed at the committee meeting you will
attend tonight and then spend the next several days traveling across Texas talking with
citizens in other communities. You will meet people along the way who will provide you
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with the evidence you need to determine how the fires began, see vigilante committees in
action, and possibly attend the lynching of suspected arsonists. After you complete your
journey to gather evidence, you will write your newspaper article to relate the facts to
your readership.
3. To do this effectively, you must keep your newspaper’s position in mind constantly.
You are a free black reporter writing for an African American newspaper, and you will
look for evidence regarding the fires that supports your position.
4. Remember that 19th century newspapers do not try to hide their biases but rather
openly express their point of view to shape public opinion. Your newspaper is used to
achieve a political end: that of rallying voters, agitating for change, and debating public
policy. Remember that for your newspaper to stay in business and prosper, you must
reach your like-minded readers. It is up to you to define the situation for your readers
and explain to them what is happening and what it means to them personally. You must
write your article strictly according to your newspaper’s position.
Click here to start the game!
2
You are a newspaper reporter for the Austin Weekly Times
Your newspaper is pro-Union and against secession, and you believe that the preservation
of the Union is paramount. You and the paper you write for are strong supporters of
Governor Sam Houston and you will back John Bell in the November presidential
elections.
Tonight you are attending a meeting of the Denton County Vigilante Committee,
organized immediately after the destructive fire of July 8, 1860 to determine the fire’s
origins and, if necessary, to find and punish the responsible parties. News has already
filtered into the county that a series of fires erupted across North Texas simultaneously
that Sunday morning, and more than a dozen communities suffered damage. Some people
are beginning to say this was not a coincidence but rather an Abolitionist plot created to
kill all whites in the South, breed a region-wide rebellion, and ensure the victory of
Abraham Lincoln at the polls in November.
Your assignment:
1. You will be writing an article about the fires, their causes, and their impact for your
newspaper.
2. You must sift through the evidence discussed at the committee meeting you will
attend tonight and then spend the next several days traveling across Texas talking with
citizens in other communities. You will meet people along the way who will provide you
5
with the evidence you need to determine how the fires began, see vigilante committees in
action, and possibly attend the lynching of suspected arsonists. After you complete your
journey to gather evidence, you will write your newspaper article to relate the facts to
your readership.
3. To do this effectively, you must keep your newspaper’s political leaning in mind
constantly. You are a pro-Union reporter, and you will look for evidence regarding the
fires that support your political position.
4. Remember that 19th century newspapers do not try to hide their biases but rather
openly express their point of view to shape public opinion. Your newspaper is used to
achieve a political end: that of rallying voters, agitating for change, and debating public
policy. Remember that for your newspaper to stay in business and prosper, you must
reach your like-minded readers. It is up to you to define the situation for your readers
and explain to them what is happening and what it means to them personally. You must
write your article strictly according to your newspaper’s position.
Click here to start the game!
3
You are a newspaper reporter for the Austin Mirror
Your newspaper is pro-Secession, and you believe that the preservation of slavery is
paramount. You and the paper you write for do not support Governor Sam Houston’s
views on Unionism and you will support John C. Breckinridge in the November
presidential elections.
Tonight you are attending a meeting of the Denton County Vigilante Committee,
organized immediately after the destructive fire of July 8, 1860 to determine the fire’s
origins and, if necessary, to find and punish the responsible parties. News has already
filtered into the county that a series of fires erupted across North Texas simultaneously
that Sunday morning, and more than a dozen communities suffered damage. Some people
are beginning to say this was not a coincidence but rather an Abolitionist plot created to
kill all whites in the South, breed a region-wide rebellion, and ensure the victory of
Abraham Lincoln at the polls in November.
Your assignment:
1. You will be writing an article about the fires, their causes, and their impact for your
newspaper.
2. You must sift through the evidence discussed at the committee meeting you will
attend tonight and then spend the next several days traveling across Texas talking with
citizens in other communities. You will meet people along the way who will provide you
6
with the evidence you need to determine how the fires began, see vigilante committees in
action, and possibly attend the lynching of suspected arsonists. After you complete your
journey to gather evidence, you will write your newspaper article to relate the facts to
your readership.
3. To do this effectively, you must keep your newspaper’s political leaning in mind
constantly. You are a pro-secession reporter, and you will look for evidence regarding the
fires that support your political position.
4. Remember that 19th century newspapers do not try to hide their biases but rather
openly express their point of view to shape public opinion. Your newspaper is used to
achieve a political end: that of rallying voters, agitating for change, and debating public
policy. Remember that for your newspaper to stay in business and prosper, you must
reach your like-minded readers. It is up to you to define the situation for your readers
and explain to them what is happening and what it means to them personally. You must
write your article strictly according to your newspaper’s position.
Click here to start the game!
4
You are a newspaper reporter for the New York Times
Your newspaper attempts to be moderate in its politics, and you are a moderate, too. You
have voted for the Whig party in the past but with their recent demise, you are unsure of
who you will vote for in the November presidential elections.
Tonight you are attending a meeting of the Denton County Vigilante Committee,
organized immediately after the destructive fire of July 8, 1860 to determine the fire’s
origins and, if necessary, to find and punish the responsible parties. News has already
filtered into the county that a series of fires erupted across North Texas simultaneously
that Sunday morning, and more than a dozen communities suffered damage. Some people
are beginning to say this was not a coincidence but rather an Abolitionist plot created to
kill all whites in the South, breed a region-wide rebellion, and ensure the victory of
Abraham Lincoln at the polls in November.
Your assignment:
1. You will be writing an article about the fires, their causes, and their impact for your
newspaper.
2. You must sift through the evidence discussed at the committee meeting you will
attend tonight and then spend the next several days traveling across Texas talking with
citizens in other communities. You will meet people along the way who will provide you
7
with the evidence you need to determine how the fires began, see vigilante committees in
action, and possibly attend the lynching of suspected arsonists. After you complete your
journey to gather evidence, you will write your newspaper article to relate the facts to
your readership.
3. To do this effectively, you must keep your newspaper’s political leaning in mind
constantly. You are a moderate independent reporter, and you will look for evidence
regarding the fires that support your political position.
4. Remember that 19th century newspapers do not try to hide their biases but rather
openly express their point of view to shape public opinion. Your newspaper is used to
achieve a political end: that of rallying voters, agitating for change, and debating public
policy. Remember that for your newspaper to stay in business and prosper, you must
reach your like-minded readers. It is up to you to define the situation for your readers
and explain to them what is happening and what it means to them personally. You must
write your article strictly according to your newspaper’s position.
Click here to start the game!
5
You are a newspaper reporter for the Cincinnati Observer
Your newspaper is the voice of the Abolitionist cause in your region. You are passionate
about the Abolitionist movement and shat that passion with like-minded readers through
your newspaper.
Tonight you are attending a meeting of the Denton County Vigilante Committee,
organized immediately after the destructive fire of July 8, 1860 to determine the fire’s
origins and, if necessary, to find and punish the responsible parties. News has already
filtered into the county that a series of fires erupted across North Texas simultaneously
that Sunday morning, and more than a dozen communities suffered damage. Some people
are beginning to say this was not a coincidence but rather an Abolitionist plot created to
kill all whites in the South, breed a region-wide rebellion, and ensure the victory of
Abraham Lincoln at the polls in November.
Your assignment:
1. You will be writing an article about the fires, their causes, and their impact for your
newspaper.
2. You must sift through the evidence discussed at the committee meeting you will
attend tonight and then spend the next several days traveling across Texas talking with
8
citizens in other communities. You will meet people along the way who will provide you
with the evidence you need to determine how the fires began, see vigilante committees in
action, and possibly attend the lynching of suspected arsonists. After you complete your
journey to gather evidence, you will write your newspaper article to relate the facts to
your readership.
3. To do this effectively, you must keep your newspaper’s political leaning in mind
constantly. You are an Abolitionist reporter, and you will look for evidence regarding the
fires that support your political position.
4. Remember that 19th century newspapers do not try to hide their biases but rather
openly express their point of view to shape public opinion. Your newspaper is used to
achieve a political end: that of rallying voters, agitating for change, and debating public
policy. Remember that for your newspaper to stay in business and prosper, you must
reach your like-minded readers. It is up to you to define the situation for your readers
and explain to them what is happening and what it means to them personally. You must
write your article strictly according to your newspaper’s position.
Click here to start the game!
At the bottom of the page, add these resources:
Resources:

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
Texas State Gazette - Background Information
Map of Texas Counties
Map of Black Slaves as a Percentage of Total Population, 1860
Documents for the Texas State Gazette, Map of TX Counties, and map of black slaves
are in the folder on the O drive. Hyperlink these docs to the phrases above.
Once students choose their role, they begin the game. The game framework remains the
same as in the current version in HIST 2610 except that these images need to be added to
these pages (the pages are numbered, so the image corresponds with the page number):
On the last page of the game, marked document 46: Travis County, make these changes:
Political Conspiracy?
“What party was supposed to be interested in these burnings? How was the election to be
affected by these exaggerated reports? We did not know that either party in the contest
was accused of house burning so that it might be beaten by exaggerated accounts of such
incendiarism. Was Dallas and Henderson burnt to affect the late election? And has all the
incendiary attempts, as confessed by negroes, been made to help defeat the party to which
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the Intelligencer is attached? Have all those white men and negroes who have been
recently hung for inciting rebellion in our midst been victims to the same political
cause?”1
1
Austin State Gazette, September 15, 1860.
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

Review your assignment
Texas State Gazette - Background Information
Map of Texas Counties
Map of Black Slaves as a Percentage of Total Population, 1860
Bibliography
View a comprehensive list of all the documents in this game
Hyperlink the corresponding docs to the phrases above.
For Review your assignment:
Your assignment:
Remember that you will be writing an article about the fires, their causes, and their
impact in next week’s paper. You must sift through the evidence you discovered to
determine how the fires began and decide whether these fires were part of an Abolitionist
plot or whether they were an accident then used by southern extremist to emotionally
sway Texans toward secession. Your job is to write a newspaper article that relates the
facts to your readership, keeping your readership’s political leanings in mind.
Texas State Gazette, Map of Texas Counties, Map of Black Slaves in folder on O drive.
Bibliography:
Texas Troubles: Moving Toward Secession

Addington, Wendell G. “Slave Insurrections in Texas,” The Journal of
Negro History 35 (October 1950), 408-434.

Reynolds, Donald E. “Vigilante Law During the Texas Slave Panic of
1860,” Locus 2 (Spring 1990), 173-186.

White, William W. “The Texas Slave Insurrection of 1860,” The
Southwestern Historical Quarterly 52 (January 1949), 259-285.
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
McCaslin, Richard B. Tainted Breeze: The Great Hanging at Gainesville,
Texas 1862. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1994.

Reynolds, Donald E. Editors Make War: Southern Newspapers in the
Secession Crisis. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 1970.

Other Useful Online Resources you can access from your
library

America: History and Life

Archives USA

Biography and Genealogy Master Index

Biography Collections

Biography Index via FirstSearch

History Internet Resources

History Subject Guide Includes print resources available in Willis Library

Portal to Texas History

Texas Digital Sanborn Maps
Comprehensive List of all the Texas Trouble Documents needs to be updated in a couple
of areas. Replace the old list by making these changes:
1. grading rubric
2. old bibliography link to library—replace with new generic bibliography page
above.
3. change the link #50 to read “Map of Texas Counties.” Also, anywhere this
appears, change the page to read “Map of Texas Counties” instead of Map of
Texas County QuickFacts
place these images on these pages within the game:
document 1: vigilantes
Document 4: suspicious characters
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Document 6: you arrived in Dallas just in time to witness the following hanging
Document 7: interview of a neighbor of Crill Miller, farmer who had his barn burned
Document 9 slaves arrested
Document 14: Crisis at Hang
Document 16: lynching of William H. Crawford
Document 18: Hanging in Gilmer
Document 19: hangings at Tennessee Colony
Document 30: hanging in Georgetown
Document 33: you meet a fellow traveler who warns you of the dangers of traveling
through the state
Document 35: letter from congressman John H. Reagan
Document 36: insurrection in Rusk
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