Essential Questions:  Who does the phrase "all men are created equal" apply to? What did equality mean to the founding fathers? What does equality mean today?

Disclaimer:  Some of the images/resources in this collection may be shocking as they portray the violence of slavery.  Be sure to warn students beforehand of the graphic nature of the subject matter.

Description:

In this activity, students will examine the phrase "All Men are Created Equal", penned by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and included in many founding documents.  At the same time, Thomas Jefferson owned over 600 slaves throughout his life.  What did equality actually mean for the founding fathers?

Students will use the "Here Now, There Then" project zero thinking routine to examine views on equality today versus views on equality at the founding.  They will look through a collection of resources about slavery, including specifics about the slaves of Thomas Jefferson, and works of art depicting the contradictions and horrors of slavery.

VDOE Standards:

4.b,e and 5.a- The student will apply social science skills to understand the issues and events leading to and during the Revolutionary Period by critically evaluating the principles and legacies of the foundational documents of the United States upon students’ identities, communities, and/or the world. 

JU.13- Students will analyze the harmful impact of bias and injustice on the world, historically and today.

Keywords: Slavery, Founding, Jefferson, Equality, Prejudice

#fcps#ThinkSocialStudies#slavery #foundingfathers #sallyhemings #blacklivesmatter #educatorsforjustice

Notes to Other Users

All thinking routines and templates are attached within the collection.