In Search of Freedom and a Call for Change
Unit description: In this unit, students will investigate how different groups of people did not have equal rights and freedoms and how as people worked to bring about change, the struggle for rights and freedoms was one factor in the division of the United States that resulted in the Civil War. Students will also begin exploring Women’s Rights and the role New York State played in the Civil War.
Essential Outcomes of the Unit
- Investigate factors in the division of the United States that resulted in the Civil War.
- Explore Women’s Rights and the role New York State played in the Civil War.
Standards
Standards: 1, 3, 4; Themes: MOV, TCC, GEO, ECO, TECH
Essential Questions and Big Ideas
Big idea of the unit: People in America worked to bring about change.
How did people work to fight against slavery and for change?
- People worked in a variety of ways to fight slavery.
- Samuel Cornish and William Lloyd Garrison worked to educate people about slavery through print. Fredrick Douglass worked to fight slavery by speaking about his experiences as a slave. Harriet Tubman established a system of support, called the Underground Railroad, to help escaped slaves make it to freedom.
What rights that were given to men were denied to women during the 1800s?
- Women during the 1800s fought to gain equal rights to men, including the right to vote.
Who were some of the most influential people who took action to bring about change?
- Amelia Bloomer, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage, and Elizabeth Blackwell were some of the notable people who worked to make change in the Women’s Suffrage Movement.
What issues resulted in the Civil War?
- The United States became divided over several issues, including slavery, resulting in the Civil War.
What role did New York play in the Civil War?
- New York State supported the Union during the Civil War; providing soldiers, equipment, and food.
Download the complete Grade 4 Social Studies Unit 5 framework to customize for your own planning.