Nurturing Civic Engagement in Young People Through a Study of ’s Friends Kellie Egan ҉ Drew Holley ҉ Vanessa Loveless ҉ Brenna Price Mentor: Jeffery D. Nokes, PhD ҉ Department of History

Research Objectives Lesson Objectives Graphic Organizer 1. Students will explain how enslaved individuals resisted Problem: Our task was to design a history lesson on the Underground bondage by running away and how upstanders helped them. - Students will first organize the source information by writing Railroad for middle school students. Along with building their knowledge 2. Students will use primary source evidence to construct down who wrote the document, when it was written, etc. on the our lesson objectives included the desire to interpretations of historical characters. - Students will rank how much they trust each document on a- encourage students to be upstanders in their communities. 3. Students will commit to be upstanders when they observe scale of 1-10 - Students will organize their thoughts on how each Research: Our research involved finding primary source evidence that mistreatment or infringement of others’ rights. Underground Railroad conductor acted as an upstander and will students could use to construct interpretations of these upstanders’ lives. identify characteristics of an upstander We found evidence that represented multiple perspectives so students - Students will apply these principles to their own lives through would have to engage in historical thinking by considering the source of Historical Thinking Questions reflective questions the evidence and corroborating across documents. Along with gathering These lesson materials are designed to help students answer the resources we had to revise the primary source documents so that 8th following questions: graders could read and comprehend them, provide a graphic organizer, and 1. What were some of the common characteristics of the consider other ways to support these young students. upstanders who assisted Harriet Tubman and others on the

Underground Railroad? How did they help them? How did they respond to the opposition they faced? In what ways were Lesson Background For Teachers they ordinary people? In what ways were they extraordinary? Harriet Tubman is one of the most beloved people in American history. 2. How can I follow their models by being an upstander in my Many Americans know much about her but know less about the individuals community? who assisted her in her work of leading refugees from bondage to freedom. This lesson, which introduces four of those people, is geared to help Modeling: How would we use this students commit to be upstanders, rather than bystanders—taking action Primary Source when they see abuse rather than standing idly by and allowing injustices to source? occur. Included in the lesson plan is information on Laura Haviland, Sourcing: Teachers should first use this text to model to students “By your smart tricks, you have taken away our right to own our , Delia Webster and . how to source and why reading the source of the text is property…but thanks to a great and giving God, my father still important. For example, teachers should ask, “who is writing this

has more property to own and use: hardworking people who are letter to who?” “How does knowing who the author is affect how Laura Haviland and Other Upstanders greasy, slick, and fat. Our slaves that we have left are lucky this letter is received?” “When was this letter written?” These Laura Haviland: Laura, a Quaker, became an important conductor on the because they have not been cheated out of their well-deserved questions can help the students decide the reliability of the letter Underground Railroad, providing clothes, food, and a safe house for earnings by a wicked abolitionist whose only desire is to take or not. escaped slaves who were seeking freedom. away the slave-holder’s property. Who do you think would want Meaning Maker: Teachers could use this source to teach Thomas Garrett: Acting as an important “stationmaster,” housing and to be friends with a thief, a robber of a man’s rights? Stooping students how to break the codes that some texts can present. guiding runaways as they passed through Delaware on their way to Some students might get confused about the idea of property. Is that low and talking to a thief would doom an honest man. Why Pennsylvania, he became good friends with Harriet Tubman. the slave owner talking about his land? Teachers should point out would I want to engage with you? You are a thief of slaves and a Delia Webster: After meeting many Underground to students that property in this context means the enslaved criminal in the sight of all honest men. I would rather be caught Railroad supporters while she attended college, she individuals themselves. stealing another man’s sheep than to be seen with an individual became very involved in the cause and went on Understanding Perspectives: Using this source allows teachers such as old Laura Haviland, a terrible slave-stealer.” to teach about the different perspectives that can be understood assisting slaves in their escape to freedom despite Letter written by Thomas K. Chester to Laura Haviland, by reading many sources. This text allows students to understand hatred from her peers and being arrested twice. February 7, 1847 (Chester was the son of a slave owner whose the slave owner’s perspective and how he viewed abolitionists William Still: William was born into freedom family owned the Hamilton family. Laura Haviland helped the during this time. Understanding multiple perspectives can help and helped build the Underground Railroad from Hamilton’s escape from the Chester’s.). (This letter has been the students get a balanced opinion of the topic. Pennsylvania to Canada, and eventually helped his changed for easier reading and to remove racist language.) [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] brother escape from slavery.