Freedom Journey Worksheet The Freedom Line
Name:
Date:
Visual Prompt: The Mason-Dixon Line
Pennsylvania Slavery Not Allowed (North)
Mason-Dixon Line
Maryland Slavery Allowed (South)
Year 1850
Action Escaped
Line Type Imaginary
Fact Check: True or False?
Read each sentence. Circle T if the statement is true or F if it is false based on the text.
1. Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in the year 1850.
T
F
2. The Mason-Dixon Line is a real, physical wall built on the ground.
T
F
3. Pennsylvania was a northern state where slavery was not allowed.
T
F
4. The line was named after two Englishmen, Mason and Dixon.
T
F
5. Slavery was allowed in the states located above the Mason-Dixon Line.
T
F
Freedom Line Slides The Freedom Line
Harriet Tubman and the Mason-Dixon Boundary
The Great Map
1
Find the Mason-Dixon Line on your map.
2
Which state is North of the line?
3
Which state is South of the line?
Pennsylvania (North)
Mason-Dixon Line
Maryland (South)
History on the Clock
1750s
Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon survey the land between PA and MD.
1850
Harriet Tubman escapes to freedom in the North.
"The line became the boundary between slavery and liberty."
Memory Challenge
Why is the line called the "Mason-Dixon Line"?
What happened in the year 1850?
If you are in Maryland, which direction do you travel for freedom?
Freedom Journey Answer Key Answer Key
The Freedom Line (T/F Recap)
Teacher Resource
Fact Check Answers
1. Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in the year 1850.
T
F
2. The Mason-Dixon Line is a real, physical wall built on the ground.
T
F
3. Pennsylvania was a northern state where slavery was not allowed.
T
F
4. The line was named after two Englishmen, Mason and Dixon.
T
F
5. Slavery was allowed in the states located above the Mason-Dixon Line.
T
F
Teacher Note
This recap focuses on the literal details of the text provided. Use the visual prompt on the student page to help students spatially visualize the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Field Differences Worksheet Two Different Worlds
Name:
Date:
Visual Prompt: Comparing Economies
North
Corn & Wheat
Mainly for feeding people
South
Cotton & Sugar
Sold for profit (Cash Crops)
Agriculture: Farming
Economy: Producing & Trading
Fact Check: True or False?
Read each sentence. Circle T if the statement is true or F if it is false based on the text.
1. The Southern economy relied almost completely on agriculture.
T
F
2. Northern farmers grew cotton, sugar, and tobacco just like the South.
T
F
3. Enormous plantations often used forced labor for no wages.
T
F
4. People in the North bought crops from farmers in the South.
T
F
5. Northern farmers used enslaved Africans to grow corn and wheat.
T
F
Economic Divide Slides Two Different Worlds
Agriculture and the Economy of the 1850s
What is an Economy?
Economy
The system of producing and trading items or services.
Agriculture
Farming: growing crops and raising livestock to sell or eat.
Produce
Trade
Growth
The Southern Plantation
Enormous farms where crops were grown using forced labor.
Cotton
Sugar
Tobacco
The Hard Reality
Hundreds of enslaved Africans forced to work.
Horrible conditions for no wages.
Long, exhausting hours in the fields.
Regional Comparison
The North
1
Grew corn, wheat, fruits, and vegetables.
2
Raised livestock (cattle, sheep, pigs).
3
Used mainly to feed people and animals.
The South
1
Grew cotton, sugar, and tobacco.
2
Had large plantations with forced labor.
3
Sold crops for profit across the world.
Different but Linked
Northern states did not have the right weather for Southern crops, so they bought them from the South.
North Buys
South Sells
The Interdependent Economy
Field Differences Answer Key Answer Key
Field Differences (T/F Recap)
Teacher Resource
Fact Check Answers
1. The Southern economy relied almost completely on agriculture.
T
F
2. Northern farmers grew cotton, sugar, and tobacco just like the South.
T
F
3. Enormous plantations often used forced labor for no wages.
T
F
4. People in the North bought crops from farmers in the South.
T
F
5. Northern farmers used enslaved Africans to grow corn and wheat.
T
F
Teaching Point
Reinforce the concept of interdependence: the North and South had different economies but were connected through trade. The North bought raw materials from the South, and the South bought manufactured goods from the North.
Industry Power Worksheet Industry Power
Name:
Date:
Visual Prompt: The Industrial North
Iron & Coal
Factory Paid workers & machines
Steel Tools
Trading Center: Where goods are bought & sold
Distribution: Sending goods via railroad & ports
Fact Check: True or False?
Read each sentence. Circle T if the statement is true or F if it is false based on the text.
1. The Northern economy was focused on industry and manufacturing.
T
F
2. Workers in Northern factories were forced to work without being paid.
T
F
3. Steel was a strong metal used to build trains, engines, and bridges.
T
F
4. The South bought many manufactured goods from the North.
T
F
5. Northern factories had no way to send their goods to other places.
T
F
Iron Industry Slides Iron and Industry
Factories, Steel, and the Northern Economy
A New Way to Work
South: The Plantation
Focus on Agriculture. Enslaved people were forced to work in fields for no wages.
North: The Factory
Focus on Industry. Workers were paid to make things using machines.
Industry = Manufacturing
Trading Centers
Northern cities were hubs where raw materials arrived to be changed into finished goods.
Iron
Coal
Wood
"A trading center is where goods are bought and sold."
The Strongest Metal
Iron was turned into Steel. Steel was then sent to other factories to build the modern world.
Trains & Engines
Buildings & Bridges
Tools & Weapons
NORTHERN STEEL
Furniture
Clothing
Books
Glassware
Railroads and Ports
Northern factories had the best ways to distribute their goods across the world.
Railroads
Shipping Ports
Global Trade
People in the South and even in Great Britain bought steel and tools from Northern factories.
Industry Power Answer Key Answer Key
Industry Power (T/F Recap)
Teacher Resource
Fact Check Answers
1. The Northern economy was focused on industry and manufacturing.
T
F
2. Workers in Northern factories were forced to work without being paid.
T
F
3. Steel was a strong metal used to build trains, engines, and bridges.
T
F
4. The South bought many manufactured goods from the North.
T
F
5. Northern factories had no way to send their goods to other places.
T
F
Teaching Context
Highlight that Northern manufacturing turned raw materials (iron, coal) into finished products (steel, tools). This process created a "manufacturing economy" that contrasted with the South's "agricultural economy."
Labor and Liberty Worksheet Labor and Liberty
Name:
Date:
Visual Prompt: Two Kinds of Work
Northern Factory
Paid Labor
Workers had more freedom & choices
Southern Plantation
Forced Labor
Enslaved people had no legal rights
"Pitiful" Pay = Very little money for hard work
Fact Check: True or False?
Read each sentence. Circle T if the statement is true or F if it is false based on the text.
1. Factory workers in the North were paid for their hard work.
T
F
2. Factory work was always easy, safe, and very relaxing.
T
F
3. Even though their pay was pitiful, factory workers had more freedom.
T
F
4. Slavery became illegal in the North after it was illegal in the South.
T
F
5. Every person in the North was absolutely against slavery.
T
F
Labor Liberty Slides Labor and Liberty
Paid Work vs. Forced Labor
The Factory Worker
Thousands of people worked in Northern factories. They were paid for their hard work.
Paid wages
More freedom
The Harsh Reality
Bosses could be harsh.
Difficult, dangerous, and tiring work.
Pay was often "pitiful" (very little).
Vocabulary Spot: Pitiful
"Factory bosses could be harsh, and the pay was often pitiful."
Wealthy
Very Little Money
Based on how it's used, does it sound like a good thing or a bad thing?
The Fundamental Difference
Factory Workers
Even with difficult work and poor pay, they were free.
"They had the possibility of a better life."
Enslaved People
They were forced to work for no pay and had no freedom.
No legal way to leave or choose their own life.
Let's Discuss
If factory work was so hard and dangerous, why does the text say these workers had a better life than enslaved people?
Think about: Liberty • Choices • The Future
Labor and Liberty Answer Key Answer Key
Labor and Liberty (T/F Recap)
Teacher Resource
Fact Check Answers
1. Factory workers in the North were paid for their hard work.
T
F
2. Factory work was always easy, safe, and very relaxing.
T
F
3. Even though their pay was pitiful, factory workers had more freedom.
T
F
4. Slavery became illegal in the North after it was illegal in the South.
T
F
5. Every person in the North was absolutely against slavery.
T
F
Crucial Distinction
Students should understand that while factory conditions were difficult, the legal status of "free labor" (being paid and having the right to leave) was fundamentally different from "forced labor" (enslavement).
Abolitionist Crusade Worksheet The Great Abolition
Name:
Date:
Visual Prompt: The Abolitionist Message
The Movement Goal
Abolish
"To end slavery completely."
Frederick Douglass
Susan B. Anthony
Wendell Phillips
"They thought people from Africa should be treated as free human beings."
Fact Check: True or False?
Read each sentence. Circle T if the statement is true or F if it is false based on the text.
1. To "abolish" something means to keep it exactly the same.
T
F
2. Abolitionists believed that slavery was evil and cruel.
T
F
3. By the mid-1800s, there were only ten abolitionists in the country.
T
F
4. Frederick Douglass was an enslaved African who escaped to freedom.
T
F
5. Abolitionists were against slavery no matter what it did for the economy.
T
F
Abolitionist Movement Slides The Great Abolition
The Movement to End Slavery
A Call to Action
Abolish
To end something or to get rid of it completely.
Abolitionist
A person who worked to end the practice of slavery.
The Movement
"The abolitionist movement refers to organized activities or events to end slavery."
Why They Fought
Slavery is EVIL
Hateful & Cruel
Human Equality
Abolitionists were against slavery no matter what it did for the economy.
Famous Abolitionists
Frederick Douglass
An escaped enslaved African who became a powerful leader and speaker.
Susan B. Anthony
A famous leader who worked for the rights of all people.
Wendell Phillips
One of the thousands of people who helped lead the movement.
A Movement Growing
Small Group
Growing
Thousands
Mid-1800s
By the mid-1800s, what started as a small group had grown into a movement of thousands of people.
Abolitionist Crusade Answer Key Answer Key
The Great Abolition (T/F Recap)
Teacher Resource
Fact Check Answers
1. To "abolish" something means to keep it exactly the same.
T
F
2. Abolitionists believed that slavery was evil and cruel.
T
F
3. By the mid-1800s, there were only ten abolitionists in the country.
T
F
4. Frederick Douglass was an enslaved African who escaped to freedom.
T
F
5. Abolitionists were against slavery no matter what it did for the economy.
T
F
Historical Perspective
Focus on the growth of the movement: it started small and grew to thousands. Highlight the importance of leaders like Frederick Douglass who used their personal stories to advocate for change.
Secret Path Worksheet The Secret Path
Name:
Date:
Visual Prompt: The Underground Railroad
Speaker
Talking to people in the North about abolition
Conductor
Guiding enslaved people to freedom
"Abolitionists helped keep the Railroad running smoothly."
Fact Check: True or False?
Read each sentence. Circle T if the statement is true or F if it is false based on the text.
1. Harriet Tubman was a famous conductor on the Underground Railroad.
T
F
2. Harriet Tubman only helped people escape and never talked to Northerners.
T
F
3. The Underground Railroad was a secret network of people helping each other.
T
F
4. Abolitionists worked to keep the Underground Railroad running smoothly.
T
F
5. Harriet explained to people in the North how they could help end slavery.
T
F
Secret Path Slides The Secret Path
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
A Famous Abolitionist
Harriet Tubman was famous for two vital roles:
The Speaker
Talking to Northerners about why slavery must end.
The Conductor
Guiding enslaved people to freedom on the secret path.
"She explained what they could do to help enslaved Africans."
The Underground Railroad
It wasn't a real railroad with trains and tracks. It was a secret network of routes and safe houses.
Safe Houses
Secret Routes
Why "Underground"?
Because it was secret. No one could know about it except the people helping and the people escaping.
Abolitionists Working Together
Abolitionists helped keep the network running smoothly.
They provided food and shelter.
They raised money for travel costs.
They sent secret signals and messages.
Departure
Station
Freedom
Recall Challenge
Question 1
How did Harriet Tubman help enslaved people from the North?
Question 2
What did abolitionists do to help the Underground Railroad?
"She was a conductor and a speaker."
Secret Path Answer Key Answer Key
The Secret Path (T/F Recap)
Teacher Resource
Fact Check Answers
1. Harriet Tubman was a famous conductor on the Underground Railroad.
T
F
2. Harriet Tubman only helped people escape and never talked to Northerners.
T
F
3. The Underground Railroad was a secret network of people helping each other.
T
F
4. Abolitionists worked to keep the Underground Railroad running smoothly.
T
F
5. Harriet explained to people in the North how they could help end slavery.
T
F
Dual Roles
Harriet Tubman's influence was two-fold: direct action as a conductor and persuasive advocacy as a public speaker. Both roles were essential for the success of the abolitionist movement and the secret network.
Voice of Freedom Worksheet Voice of Freedom
Name:
Date:
Visual Prompt: The Power of Words
The Liberator
SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF ABOLITION
The Press
Leaders
"Pressured leaders like Abraham Lincoln to see why slavery was wrong."
Fact Check: True or False?
Read each sentence. Circle T if the statement is true or F if it is false based on the text.
1. Harriet Tubman worked alongside many famous abolitionists.
T
F
2. Abolitionists used newspapers to spread their message.
T
F
3. One of the famous newspapers was called The Liberator .
T
F
4. Abolitionists were unable to convince any political leaders.
T
F
5. The abolitionist movement became a strong force in America.
T
F
Voice of Freedom Slides Voice of Freedom
The Power of the Press and Political Change
The Power of the Press
Abolitionists printed newspapers to share the truth about slavery and call for its end.
The Liberator
One of the most famous abolitionist newspapers in America.
"They printed newspapers with names like The Liberator... to tell the world that slavery was wrong."
Political Pressure
Abolitionists pressured, or convinced, important leaders to join their cause.
The Movement
The Government
Targeting Change
Abraham Lincoln
Abolitionists worked to make sure he saw why slavery was an evil that had to end.
An Unstoppable Force
The abolitionist movement became a strong force in America.
Voice
Truth
Power
"ONE THAT COULD NOT BE IGNORED."
Harriet Tubman: Working Together
Harriet Tubman didn't work alone. She met and worked alongside many famous abolitionists.
Sharing her story with newspapers.
Speaking at organized events.
Helping leaders understand the reality.
Discussion Question
Why was it so important for someone like Harriet Tubman, who had lived the reality of slavery, to share her story with political leaders and newspaper editors?
Voice of Freedom Answer Key Answer Key
Voice of Freedom (T/F Recap)
Teacher Resource
Fact Check Answers
1. Harriet Tubman worked alongside many famous abolitionists.
T
F
2. Abolitionists used newspapers to spread their message.
T
F
3. One of the famous newspapers was called The Liberator .
T
F
4. Abolitionists were unable to convince any political leaders.
T
F
5. The abolitionist movement became a strong force in America.
T
F
Teaching Point
Explain that "pressuring" leaders meant lobbying and persuading them using moral arguments and public opinion through the press. This shows the political side of the abolitionist movement.
Rebel Resistance Worksheet Rebel Resistance
Name:
Date:
Visual Prompt: Acts of Rebellion
John Brown
Harpers Ferry: Tried to get guns for enslaved people.
Nat Turner
Virginia: Led a group to rebel against owners.
Denmark Vesey
Charleston: Planned a large rebellion.
"Rebel: To fight back against the plantation owners."
Fact Check: True or False?
Read each sentence. Circle T if the statement is true or F if it is false based on the text.
1. To rebel means to fight back against plantation owners.
T
F
2. Denmark Vesey successfully carried out his plan in Charleston.
T
F
3. Nat Turner led a group of enslaved people to rebel in Virginia.
T
F
4. John Brown was an abolitionist who tried to get guns to enslaved people.
T
F
5. Acts of rebellion were safe events where nobody ever lost their life.
T
F
Rebel Resistance Slides Rebel Resistance
Fighting Back Against the Plantation System
What is Rebellion?
To rebel means to fight back against those in power.
While some chose to escape on the Underground Railroad, others chose to fight back in the South.
Escape vs. Rebel
"Abolitionists and enslaved Africans worked together to bring an end to slavery."
Acts of Resistance
Nat Turner
Virginia
Led a group of enslaved people to rebel against plantation owners.
John Brown
Harpers Ferry
An abolitionist who tried to get weapons to enslaved people so they could fight back.
Planning for Freedom
Denmark Vesey
Charleston, South Carolina
He helped plan a large rebellion against plantation owners. His plan was discovered before it could be carried out.
A Deadly Struggle
These events were often violent. Many people lost their lives in the struggle to end slavery.
Small acts of rebellion happened every day.
Discussion Challenge
"Even in these years leading up to the Civil War, there were many violent events in which many people lost their lives in the struggle to end slavery."
Why was rebellion such a dangerous choice?
How did it differ from the Underground Railroad?
Rebel Resistance Answer Key Answer Key
Rebel Resistance (T/F Recap)
Teacher Resource
Fact Check Answers
1. To rebel means to fight back against plantation owners.
T
F
2. Denmark Vesey successfully carried out his plan in Charleston.
T
F
3. Nat Turner led a group of enslaved people to rebel in Virginia.
T
F
4. John Brown was an abolitionist who tried to get guns to enslaved people.
T
F
5. Acts of rebellion were safe events where nobody ever lost their life.
T
F
Teaching Point
Rebellion represented an active, forceful resistance to slavery that carried extreme risks. Contrast this with the secret escape methods of the Underground Railroad to help students understand the different ways people fought back.
Border Wars Worksheet A House Divided
Name:
Date:
Visual Prompt: The Westward Split
North
Free States
South
Slave States
Abolitionist View
"New states must not allow slavery."
Opposing View
"New states should decide for themselves."
Fact Check: True or False?
Read each sentence. Circle T if the statement is true or F if it is false based on the text.
1. The United States was growing and adding new states in the west.
T
F
2. Most states north of the Mason-Dixon Line allowed slavery.
T
F
3. Arguments over slavery became worse as the country expanded west.
T
F
4. Everyone agreed that new states should not allow slavery.
T
F
5. By the 1850s, the problem of slavery was tearing the country apart.
T
F
House Divided Slides A House Divided
Westward Expansion and the Spread of Slavery
Growing Westward
The United States was spreading west and adding new states. As the country expanded, so did the Mason-Dixon Line.
The 1850s Map
"Whether to end it or allow it to continue and to spread..."
North: Generally Free States
South: Slavery remains legal
The Struggle for Territories
The Abolitionists
They wanted to make sure new territories and states did not allow slavery.
The Opposition
Felt that new states should be able to decide for themselves.
A Great Conflict of Choice
Tearing the Country Apart
By the 1850s, the argument over slavery was too big to solve with simple lines on a map.
FREE
SLAVE
Looking Forward
As more territories west of the Mason-Dixon Line prepared to join the country, the divide between the North and South only grew deeper.
Discussion: Why was it so hard for the two sides to find a compromise?
Border Wars Answer Key Answer Key
A House Divided (T/F Recap)
Teacher Resource
Fact Check Answers
1. The United States was growing and adding new states in the west.
T
F
2. Most states north of the Mason-Dixon Line allowed slavery.
T
F
3. Arguments over slavery became worse as the country expanded west.
T
F
4. Everyone agreed that new states should not allow slavery.
T
F
5. By the 1850s, the problem of slavery was tearing the country apart.
T
F
Teaching Context
This lesson sets the stage for the Civil War. It highlights that geographic expansion wasn't just about land; it was about the spread of a specific social and economic system (slavery), which created irreconcilable differences between the North and South.
Fort Sumter Worksheet v2 (T/F Recap) The Spark of War
Name:
Date:
Visual Prompt: The Siege of Fort Sumter
The Union
North
Owned the fort in Charleston Harbor
34 Hours
The Confederacy
South
Fired the cannons to take the fort
Secede: To declare you are no longer part of a country
April 12, 1861: The day the bombardment began
Fact Check: True or False?
Read each sentence. Circle T if the statement is true or F if it is false based on the text.
1. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the United States.
T
F
2. Lincoln agreed that it was legal for a state to secede and break away.
T
F
3. Fort Sumter belonged to the U.S. government, even in a seceded state.
T
F
4. The bombardment of Fort Sumter lasted for thirty-four straight hours.
T
F
5. Many soldiers were killed on both sides during the battle at the fort.
T
F
Spark of War Slides The Spark of War
Secession, Fort Sumter, and the Start of the Civil War
Secession!
Shortly after Lincoln's election, several Southern states seceded.
Secede
To declare that you are no longer part of a country.
The First Seven
1. South Carolina (The First!)
2. Mississippi
3. Florida
4. Alabama
5. Georgia
6. Louisiana
7. Texas
A Divided Land
The Union
States in the North that did not secede.
President: Abraham Lincoln
The Confederacy
The "Confederate States of America"—the states that broke away.
President: Jefferson Davis
The Fort Sumter Problem
The fort belonged to the U.S. (Union), but it was sitting in the harbor of seceded South Carolina (Confederacy).
1
Leave
Agree that the South could secede.
2
Defend
Send more soldiers (might start a war).
3
Resupply
Send food and supplies to the soldiers.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
Early on April 12, 1861, the bombardment began.
Confederate cannons fired for 34 straight hours .
The air was filled with smoke and explosions.
Union soldiers finally surrendered the fort.
"Fort Sumter has been on fire..."
— Mary Chesnut
Fort Sumter Answer Key Answer Key
The Spark of War (T/F Recap)
Teacher Resource
Fact Check Answers
1. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the United States.
T
F
2. Lincoln agreed that it was legal for a state to secede and break away.
T
F
3. Fort Sumter belonged to the U.S. government, even in a seceded state.
T
F
4. The bombardment of Fort Sumter lasted for thirty-four straight hours.
T
F
5. Many soldiers were killed on both sides during the battle at the fort.
T
F
Teaching Context
Emphasize the start date of the Civil War (April 12, 1861). It is an interesting and important historical fact that despite the massive amount of cannon fire over 34 hours, nobody was killed in the actual bombardment of the fort.
