Lesson Plan

1862: Antietam and Emancipation

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Was the Emancipation Proclamation a revolutionary document or just a military strategy? It proclaimed that all those enslaved in Confederate states would be "forever free." Logistically, though, it did little. The order, however, signaled a watershed moment in the Civil War. Using the proclamation, field orders and reactions to the proclamation, individuals explore the significance of the pivotal American document.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Use questions to do a deep-read of the Emancipation Proclamation
  • Lead a discussion to compare and contrast reactions to the proclamation using included primary sources
Classroom Considerations
  • Some documents use racist language
  • Includes an image of battle dead, which may be upsetting
Pros
  • Lesson includes scaffold to make primary sources accessible to a variety of pupils
  • Primary sources allow class members to see the reaction to the proclamation and stimulate discussion
Cons
  • None