Dear John,

The Bill of Rights Institute is pleased to continue our mission of creating educational materials rooted in primary sources. These materials place you and your students in a conversation with historical actors as they debate the most significant issues of our past.

To help you and your students explore the injustice of slavery, we are introducing our newest curriculum, Slavery and the Founding.

This new resource explores the contradiction between the ideals of slavery and the Declaration of Independence and how slavery developed and persisted while establishing liberty in the United States. View the lessons on our site.

Here's What Real Teachers Are Saying...

“I like the fact that so many resources came with it, and that it did seem to be student-friendly.” – Anne, Florida Teacher

So What's Included in this Curriculum?

Slavery and the Founding uses brief contextual essays to outline lessons while providing historical background. There are also slides offering abridged context for each lesson and “worked examples” to help students read and analyze textual and visual primary sources. Teachers will also enjoy support videos on how to model primary source analysis. Find out more!

What is important to know about the design?
This resource uses a combination of primary source analysis, discussion prompts, and student reflections to consider the paradox of how slavery became entrenched in a country founded upon ideals of liberty and equality. Through it, students will follow the story of slavery and the Founding chronologically from the colonial era to the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment. This resource highlights Founding principles and civic virtues of natural rights, justice and injustice, equality, prudence, and moderation throughout. Explore it today!

Who Wrote this Curriculum?

Scholars from the United States Military Academy at West Point and the City University of New York, as well as a professor emeritus at Michigan State University, worked with BRI staff to create Slavery and the Founding. We hope this curriculum helps students reflect on the fact that the U.S. was built upon ideals and aspirations that were not applicable to all individuals at the time of America’s Founding. Find our more!

This resource is free to use on our website. Educators who create an Educator account on our site can create playlists, share items to their LMS, and view educator-only items (including answer keys). It is our sincere hope that this resources helps you and your students learn more about one of the biggest challenges in America’s history.

Warmly,

Laura Vlk
Director, Educator Engagement

Copyright © 2023 Bill of Rights Institute, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
1310 North Courthouse Road, Suite 620 Arlington, Virginia 22201

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.