Objectives
My first objective is to help my students understand that what they are studying is relevant to their lives and then introduce them to the idea that previously lived lives can teach them how to live life in the present. To convince my students that the past, their present, and their future connect through the study of U.S. History is essential. I think adding a layer of instruction using key literary texts is critical for them to gain a greater understanding of the issue.
Using selected readings from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself and Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Life Among the Lowly by Harriet Beecher Stowe will offer my students an opportunity to gain an understanding of primary and secondary sources as both could be considered primary sources. The readings will also give them the background they need to understand the movement toward ending slavery in the United States.
My second objective is to compare and contrast both works in the context of the period they were printed. I will evaluate how they were both received by the public. Were these works of literature held to different standards because they dealt with the issue of slavery? If so, why?
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