Lesson: The Fugitive Slave Law and its Effects on Wisconsin History
Author: Elizabeth Schneider
Grade Level: High School
Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis
of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific
details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the
relationships among the key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases
as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines
the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison
defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.5 Analyze in detail how a complex primary source
is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of
the text contribute to the whole.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.9 Integrate information from diverse sources, both
primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting
discrepancies among sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including
the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical
processes.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained
research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or
solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize
multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject
under investigation.
Wisconsin Academic Standards:
B.12.1 Explain different points of view on the same historical event, using data
gathered from various sources, such as letters, journals, diaries, newspapers,
government documents, and speeches
B.12.2 Analyze primary and secondary sources related to a historical question to
evaluate their relevance, make comparisons, integrate new information with prior
knowledge, and come to a reasoned conclusion
B.12.4 Assess the validity of different interpretations of significant historical
events
B.12.6 Select and analyze various documents that have influenced the legal,
political, and constitutional heritage of the United States
B.12.15 Identify a historical or contemporary event in which a person was forced
to take an ethical position, such as a decision to go to war, the impeachment of a
president, or a presidential pardon, and explain the issues involved
B.12.18 Explain the history of slavery, racial and ethnic discrimination, and efforts
to eliminate discrimination in the United States and elsewhere in the world
Essential Questions:
1. What did the Fugitive Slave Law mean to slaves?
2. What did the Fugitive Slave Law require of Americans?
3. Who was Sherman Booth and what was his role in the events which occurred
and eventually led to the overturning of the Fugitive Slave Law?
4. Who was Joshua Glover and what was his role in the events which occurred and
eventually led to the overturning of the Fugitive Slave Law?
5. How and when was the Cheyenne Valley (African American) community
established?
6. What effect did the Fugitive Slave Law have on the creation of the Cheyenne
Valley community?
7. How did resistance to this law effect African American enlistment in the Civil
War?
Learner Outcomes – Students Will Be Able To:
Read and analyze a primary document – Fugitive Slave Act.
Draw conclusions about the effects the law had on various groups of people
(slaves, slave owners, slave catchers, abolitionists, average Americans, etc.).
Summarize the story of Sherman Booth and Joshua Glover, focusing on their
role in overturning the Fugitive Slave Law.
Research the Cheyenne Valley and draw conclusions about the effects the
Fugitive Slave Law had on the creation of this community.
Procedure:
1. Introduction: Catch students’ attention by reading a passage from Sherman
Booth’s newspaper, the Free Democrat: “We send greetings to the Free States of
the Union, that, in Wisconsin, the Fugitive Slave Law is repealed!” The first
attempt to enforce the law, in this state, has signally, gloriously failed!” We will
then discuss what this means and what the kids already know about this law.
2. Provide a little background regarding the history of abolition in Wisconsin.
3. Introduce Compromise of 1850 which included Fugitive Slave Law Fugitive Slave
Law .
4. Break students into groups of 2-3 students and analyze the Fugitive Slave Law.
Discuss their thoughts and feelings.
5. Read Article IV, Section Two of the Constitution which implies that fugitives from
labor who escape to another state should be returned. Discuss how this was
used as justification for this law.
6. Students will read The Public Life and Private Affairs of Sherman M. Booth and
create a timeline of events from the information provided about Joshua Glover,
Sherman Booth, and the Fugitive Slave Law. Discuss.
7. Present students with a historical marker about the Cheyenne Valley, which was
the largest African-American community in Wisconsin during the Civil War Era,
that has erroneous information. Students will read the historical marker about the
Cheyenne Valley. Inform them that the information provided is incorrect and
challenge them to: 1.) find the truth about this settlement and 2.) connect the
settlement to the Fugitive Slave Law.
8. Students will conduct research and create a presentation regarding the
Cheyenne Valley, the Fugitive Slave Law, and the Civil War which they will share
with the class. See rubric below for more details.
Resources:
Cheyenne Valley
African-Americans in Wisconsin During the Civil War
Closure: Each day at the end of class, there will be a quick question-answer session to
review information from the day, but the final closure will be provided by the
presentations and the discussions to follow.
Assessment:
Discussions throughout will provided some basis for assessment but the final
assessment will come in from the presentations which will require students to use the
information they have gathered earlier along with new research to create a presentation
to share with the class.
Name __________________
Hour ____________
Effects of the Fugitive Slave Law
Category
Truth about
Cheyenne
Valley
Above Average
An accurate and thorough
description of the founding of
the Cheyenne Valley settlement
is provided.
10 9
Connections Presentation makes clear
to Fugitive
connections to the Fugitive
Slave Law
Slave Law, including at least 3
pieces of evidence to support
your statements.
10 9
Average
An accurate
description of the
founding of the
Cheyenne Valley
settlement is
provided but lacks
detail.
8 7 6 5
Presentation makes
connections to the
Fugitive Slave Law,
including 1-2 pieces
of evidence to
support your
statements.
Below Average
The description
provided is
inaccurate or not
provided.
4 3 2 1 0
Presentation
doesn’t make
necessary
connections.
4 3 2 1 0
Another
African
American
Community
Research another African
American community in Vernon
or Grant County and make
connections between that
community and the Fugitive
Slave Law (using 3 pieces of
information to support your
statements).
10 9
African
American
Soldiers
Research an African American
regiment (29th Infantry,
Company F) and make
connections between the
Fugitive Slave Law, the
establishment of African
American communities, and
African American enlistment in
8 7 6 5
Research another
African American
community in Vernon
or Grant County and
make connections
between that
community and the
Fugitive Slave Law
(using 1-2 pieces of
information to
support your
statements).
8 7 6 5
Research an African
American regiment
(29th Infantry,
Company F) and
make connections
between the Fugitive
Slave Law, the
establishment of
No research on
another African
American
community is
included.
4 3 2 1 0
Research on an
African American
regiment is not
included or is
incorrect.
the Civil War. Specific and
clear information is provided
about regiment, including their
mustering in/out dates and
locations, movements, and
battles.
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/
civilwar/regiments.asp
10 9
Overall
All of the following are included:
Presentation
-clear speaking voice
-appropriate volume
-eye contact with audience
-knowledge and confidence in
content
-ability to answer questions
10 9
African American
communities, and
African American
enlistment in the Civil
War. Specific and
clear information is
provided about
regiment, including
their mustering in/out
dates and locations,
movements, and
battles but
description lacks
some detail.
8 7 6 5
4 of the following are
included:
-clear speaking
voice
-appropriate
volume
-eye contact with
audience
-knowledge and
confidence
in content
-ability to answer
questions
4 3 2 1 0
3 or less of the
following are
included:
-clear speaking
voice
-appropriate
volume
-eye contact
with
audience
-knowledge and
confidence in
content
-ability to
answer
questions.
8 7 6 5
4 3 2 1 0