*What were the arguments for and against the federal regulation of slavery in the United States in 1845?
* Beyond their racist character, did any arguments against federal regulation have merit?
* Are there any problems with the arguments for federal regulation?
Slavery was the single most divisive institution in United
States history. Because it lay at the center of the American economic,
political, social and moral life, the existence of slavery provoked emotional
and even violent arguments. Some leaders sought compromise in an attempt to
avoid the destruction of the union, but others did not believe that the nation
was the most important consideration.
In your next full
essay, you will assume the role of a prominent American of the antebellum
period. You will research "your" person and argue, as that person,
whether the United States federal government should prohibit slavery. In your
essay, you will pretend to be the person assigned to you. Your position must be
based as closely as possible on the position your person would have taken. Use
your imagination, but base your position on the facts. Remember to consider
economic, moral, political and constitutional questions, as appropriate for the
person you are playing.
The year is 1845
Essays must be 2-3 pages long, and must rely on independent
research. Encyclopedias – including Wikipedia -- are acceptable sources, but
your argument must build from information that goes beyond mere biography. Find
information, including quotations, that indicates the position your character
would take. Each paper must include careful references for all information, and
should include a bibliography. For the purposes of this paper, students MUST
employ endnotes. The proper format for endnotes can be found in the term paper
manual you purchased for this course.
On the day your essay is due, we will have a "panel
discussion" in which each of you will have a minimum of two minutes and a maximum
of three minutes to state your positions orally. Once we have allowed each
person to speak, will we conduct an informal debate, while remaining in role.
ROLES:
Lucretia Mott
William Lloyd Garrison
Charles Sumner
Sojourner Truth
Frederick Douglass
Stephen A. Douglas
Daniel Webster
Henry Clay
Abraham Lincoln
John C. Calhoun
Jefferson Davis
Roger Taney
Alexander H. Stephens
