Power, Protest, and Change: A Spirit of Reform

UNIT
Power, Protest,
and Change
A Spirit of Reform
Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Discuss It Perhaps more than any other country, the

United States was founded on dreams people had of shaping the
society in which they lived. What were some of those dreams?
Write your response before sharing your ideas.
Civil Rights Marches
274
UNIT 3
UNIT INTRODUCTION
ESSENTIAL In what ways does the struggle LAUNCH TEXT
INFORMATIVE MODEL
QUESTION: The Zigzag Road to Rights
for freedom change with history?
WHOLE-CLASS SMALL-GROUP INDEPENDENT

LEARNING LEARNING LEARNING
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES SPEECH POETRY COLLECTION 1
Focus Period: 1850–1890 Ain’t I a Woman? The Poetry of
Civil War and Sojourner Truth, Langston Hughes
Social Change adapted by Frances Gage Langston Hughes
ANCHOR TEXT: SPEECH PUBLIC DOCUMENT POETRY COLLECTION 2

from What to the Slave Declaration of Douglass
Is the Fourth of July? Sentiments Paul Laurence Dunbar
Frederick Douglass Elizabeth Cady Stanton
The Fifth Fact
Sarah Browning
COMPARE
ANCHOR TEXT: SPEECH MEDIA: PODCAST Who Burns for the

Second Inaugural Giving Women Perfection of Paper Martín Espada
Address the Vote
HISTORY
Abraham Lincoln Sandra Sleight-Brennan
from The Warmth of
Other Suns
Isabel Wilkerson
MEDIA: IMAGE GALLERY SHORT STORY
Perspectives The Story of an Hour
on Lincoln Kate Chopin ESSAY
What a Factory Can
Teach a Housewife
Ida Tarbell
LEGAL OPINION
Brown v. Board of
PERSUASIVE ESSAY
Education: Opinion
of the Court from Books as Bombs
Earl Warren Louis Menand
MEDIA: PODCAST
A Balance Between
Nature and Nurture
Gloria Steinem
PERFORMANCE TASK PERFORMANCE TASKS PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT PREP

WRITING FOCUS: SPEAKING AND LISTENING/RESEARCH FOCUS: Review Evidence for
Write an Informative Essay Panel Discussion/Research an Informative Essay
Presentation
PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT
Informative Text: Essay and Podcast
PROMPT:
What motivates people to struggle for change?
275
UNIT
3 INTRODUCTION
Unit Goals
Throughout this unit, you will deepen your perspective on power, protest,
and change by reading, writing, speaking, listening, and presenting. These
goals will help you succeed on the Unit Performance-Based Assessment.
Rate how well you meet these goals right now. You will revisit your ratings
later when you reflect on your growth during this unit.
1 2 3 4 5
SCALE
NOT AT ALL NOT VERY SOMEWHAT VERY EXTREMELY

WELL WELL WELL WELL WELL
READING GOALS 1 2 3 4 5
• Read and analyze a variety of texts to

gain the knowledge and insight needed
to write about the struggle for freedom.
• Expand your knowledge and use of

academic and concept vocabulary.
WRITING AND RESEARCH GOALS 1 2 3 4 5
• Write an informative essay that has a

clear structure and that draws evidence
from texts and original research.
• Conduct research projects of various

lengths to explore a topic and clarify
meaning.
LANGUAGE GOAL 1 2 3 4 5
• Use appropriate and varied sentence Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
structures to create cohesion and clarify
relationships.
SPEAKING AND LISTENING

GOALS 1 2 3 4 5
 STANDARDS
Language • Collaborate with your team to build on
Acquire and use accurately general the ideas of others, develop consensus,
academic and domain-specific words and communicate.
and phrases, sufficient for reading,
writing, speaking, and listening at
the college and career readiness
• Integrate audio, visuals, and text to
level; demonstrate independence
in gathering vocabulary knowledge present information.
when considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression.
276 UNIT 3 • POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE

essential question: In what ways does the struggle for freedom change with history?
Academic Vocabulary: Informative Text

Academic terms appear in all subjects and can help you read, write, and
discuss with precision and clarity. Here are five academic words that will be FOLLOW THROUGH
useful to you in this unit as you analyze and write informative texts. Study the words in this chart,
and mark them or their
Complete the chart. forms wherever they appear
1. Review each word, its root, and the mentor sentences. in the unit.
2. Use the information and your own knowledge to predict the meaning of
each word.
3. For each word, list at least two related words.
4. Refer to a dictionary or other resources if needed.
WORD MENTOR SENTENCES PREDICT MEANING RELATED WORDS
informational 1. This informational pamphlet inform; informative;

tells about the history of the uninformed; misinformed
ROOT: village.
-form- 2. The students found the
“shape”; “image” remarks both informational
and inspirational.
inquire 1. If you want to find out why

your application was denied,
ROOT: you must inquire.
-quir-/-quer- 2. In my research, I inquire about
“ask” the reasons for certain social
customs.
verbatim 1. The actor knew the script so

well that he could quote it
ROOT: verbatim.
-verb- 2. The witness’s ability to give a
“word” verbatim account persuaded
the jury that her memory was
reliable.
deduction 1. The astronomer’s deduction

was based on years of
ROOT: observation.
-duc- 2. The writer presented the
“lead” objective facts and then
shared his deduction from
them.
specific 1. Your report topic is too broad;

find one that is more specific.
ROOT: 2. Was there one specific event
-spec- that caused the war, or were
“sort”; “kind” there many?
Unit Introduction 277

UNIT
3 INTRODUCTION
LAUNCH TEXT | INFORMATIVE MODEL
This selection is an example of an

informative text, a type of writing
Zigzag
The
in which an author examines
concepts through the careful
selection, organization, and analysis
of information. This is the type
Road to Rights
of writing you will develop in the
Performance-Based Assessment at
the end of the unit.
As you read, think about how
the information is shared. Mark
the text to help you answer this
question: How does the writer help
readers understand the main point
of the essay?
NOTES
1
W hen we look back at history, we often like to identify trends.

Viewing the big picture, we may see a steady push toward
progress. However, every fight for rights involves a series of
advances and setbacks. The struggle for equal recognition of African
Americans demonstrates a zigzag road to rights.
2 The push-and-pull of this struggle was evident at the birth of
the nation. In his original draft of the Declaration of Independence,
Thomas Jefferson included a strong condemnation of slavery,
protesting this “cruel war against human nature.” Jefferson wanted
the Declaration of Independence to grant freedom to all men.
However, at the Continental Congress in 1776, both northern and
southern slaveholders objected to any mention of African American
rights. Powerful indeed was their pressure. Any mention of slavery
was deleted from the Declaration.
3 Although the removal of Jefferson’s antislavery paragraph was a
severe setback, reformers did not give up hope. With the ratification of
the Constitution, they gained an important tool for change. Article V
describes the conditions required for amending the Constitution. Laws
can be changed, and rights can be gained.
4 The struggle took another crucial step forward in 1863, when
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
It asserted that “all persons held as slaves” within states that had
seceded from the Union “are, and henceforward shall be, free.” Still,
freedom for slaves depended upon a Union victory. Slavery remained
legal in border states loyal to the Union, as well as in Confederate
areas under Northern control.

5 The hope of change promised by Article V paid off in 1865.

Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery in NOTES
the United States. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude . . .

shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their
jurisdiction.” The next two amendments, adopted in 1868 and 1870,
made African Americans citizens and gave them the right to vote.
The expanded Constitution reflects a nation willing to change.
6 Yet these significant advances did not guarantee full rights
for black Americans, as evidenced by a landmark decision by the
Supreme Court in 1896. In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, seven of eight
Supreme Court justices voted in support of Louisiana’s Separate Car
Act, which made it illegal for blacks to travel in trains reserved for
white passengers. This decision set an important legal precedent:
“Separate, but equal” facilities were constitutional.
7 That decision was eventually reversed in 1954, when the Supreme
Court issued a unanimous decision in the case of Brown v. Board of
Education. Finding that “separate educational facilities are inherently
unequal,” the decision promised an end to segregation. Once again,
progress toward equal rights surged forward.
8 Nonetheless, no single case, law, or amendment could instantly
erase the long tradition of prejudice and inequality. For example, even
though the Fifteenth Amendment guaranteed African Americans
the right to vote, state and local laws and policies often kept black
Americans from voting through tactics such as poll taxes, voter
registration exams, and intimidation. These strategies were outlawed
by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
9 The history of African American rights features many crucial
victories, from the Emancipation Proclamation through the Voting
Rights Act. However, the record of the struggle also includes the
difficult stumbling blocks that have had to be overcome. While the path
to progress is not smooth, one thing is certain: The zigzag will continue
into the future. History teaches us that rights gained can be lost,
curtailed, or ignored—and perhaps gained once more. ❧
 WORD NETWORK for POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE

Vocabulary A Word Network
setbacks | impediments
is a collection of words related
to a topic. As you read the unit
selections, identify words related to
the idea of struggle, and add them
to your Word Network. You might
begin with words from the Launch STRUGGLE
Text, such as setbacks. For each
word you identify, add a related
word. Continue to add words as
you complete this unit.
Tool Kit
Word Network Model
The Zigzag Road to Rights 279

UNIT
3 INTRODUCTION
Summary
Write a summary of “The Zigzag Road to Rights.” Remember that a
summary is a concise, complete, and accurate overview of a text. It should
contain neither opinion nor analysis.
Launch Activity
Draft a Focus Statement Complete this focus statement: The struggle
for freedom is , , and .
• Working individually, choose three words or phrases to complete the Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
statement. Write each one on a separate sticky note.

• Place everyone’s sticky notes on a board where they can be seen. Then,
work together to group words or phrases that are synonyms or that are
otherwise closely related.
• Again working individually, decide which three words or phrases you think
best complete the focus statement. Place a tally mark on each sticky note
that lists one of your choices.
• As a class, use the tally results to create a single focus statement.
Identify the words or phrases that received the most votes. Then, discuss
whether those three words or phrases create the strongest statement.
• Once the class has selected three words or phrases, discuss how
the order in which they are placed affects the meaning of the focus
statement. Choose the best order, and finish the statement.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: In what ways does the struggle for freedom change with history?
QuickWrite
Consider class discussions, the video, and the Launch Text as you think about
the prompt. Record your first thoughts here.
PROMPT: What motivates people to struggle for change?
 EVIDENCE LOG FOR POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE

Review your QuickWrite.
Summarize your initial position Title of Text: Date:
in one sentence in your Evidence

CONNECTION TO PROMPT TEXT EVIDENCE/DETAILS ADDITIONAL NOTES/IDEAS
Log. Then, record evidence from
“The Zigzag Road to Rights”
that supports your position.
After each selection, you will
continue to use your Evidence
Log to record the evidence
you gather and the connections How does this text change or add to my thinking? Date:
you make. The graphic shows

what your Evidence Log
looks like.
Tool Kit
Evidence Log Model
Unit Introduction 281

OVERVIEW: WHOLE-CLASS LEARNING
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
In what ways does the struggle

As you read these selections, work with your whole class to explore the struggle
for freedom.
From Text to Topic For Frederick Douglass, the struggle for freedom meant a
perilous escape from slavery. For Abraham Lincoln, it meant waging war against his
fellow citizens. The issue of slavery polarized the country before the Civil War. As
you read, consider what the selections show about the struggle for freedom during
the Focus Period—and its relationship to our ideas of freedom today.
Whole-Class Learning Strategies

Throughout your life, in school, in your community, and in your career, you will
continue to learn and work in large-group environments.
Review these strategies and the actions you can take to practice them as you work
with your whole class. Add ideas of your own for each step. Get ready to use these
strategies during Whole-Class Learning.
STRATEGY ACTION PLAN
Listen actively • Eliminate distractions. For example, put your cellphone away.
• Record brief notes on main ideas and points of confusion.
Clarify by asking • If you’re confused, other people probably are, too. Ask a question
questions to help your whole class.
• Ask follow-up questions as needed; for example, if you do not understand the

clarification or if you want to make an additional connection.
Monitor • Notice what information you already know and be ready to build on it.
understanding • Ask for help if you are struggling.
Interact and • Share your ideas and offer answers, even if you are unsure of them.
share ideas • Build on the ideas of others by adding details or making a connection.

CONTENTS
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES
Focus Period: 1850–1890
Civil War and Social Change
The second half of the nineteenth century was a period
of deep political and social conflict, influencing writers,
commentators, and activists to fight for freedom
and reform.
ANCHOR TEXT: SPEECH
from What to the Slave

Is the Fourth of July?
Frederick Douglass
How might America’s celebration of liberty affect

those Americans who are not yet free?
ANCHOR TEXT: SPEECH
Second Inaugural Address

Abraham Lincoln
Is warfare in the name of freedom and unity worth

the sacrifice?
MEDIA: IMAGE GALLERY
Perspectives on Lincoln
How do political cartoons show us what people

thought of President Lincoln in his own time?
PERFORMANCE TASK
WRITING FOCUS
Write an Informative Essay
Both Whole-Class readings present powerful arguments concerning the struggle to
end slavery in America. After reading, you will write an informative essay in which
you provide facts about the goals of these speeches.
Overview: Whole-Class Learning 283

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES • Focus Period: 1850 –1890
Civil War and Social Change

Voices of the Period History of the Period
“ .this. . Iwhole
would write something that would make
nation feel what an accursed thing
Dreams of Shaping Society More than any
other nation, the United States was founded
on dreams people had of shaping the society in
slavery is.
” —Harriet Beecher Stowe, which they lived. The Puritans who colonized
author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin New England came to build a new society, a
society in which they could freely practice their
religion. Some 150 years later, the American
“ Incountrymen, and
your hands, my dissatisfied fellow
not in mine, is the momentous
revolutionaries wrote a constitution that gave
citizens powerful tools to continue reshaping
issue of civil war. The government will not assail
society—tools such as freedom of speech and an
you. . . . You have no oath registered in heaven
elected, representative government. With these
to destroy the government, while I shall have tools, citizens could change the course of the
the most solemn one to ‘preserve, protect, and country.
defend’ it.
” —Abraham Lincoln,
The Crisis of Slavery By 1850, though, the
President of the United States question of whether those tools were enough
from 1861 to 1865 became grave. About 88 percent of the African
Americans in the country—approximately
14 percent of the nation’s total population—were
“ Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet
deprecate agitation, are men who want crops enslaved: treated as property, forced to work
for others, torn in many cases from their own
without plowing up the ground. They want
families, and subject to various other abuses and
rain without thunder and lightning. They want
cruelties. Many in the nation cried out for change,
the ocean without the awful roar of its many
but the economy of the South depended on
waters. This struggle may be a moral one, or it
the use of enslaved African Americans for labor.
may be a physical one, or it may be both moral When challenged, many in the South rallied to
and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power the defense of the institution.
concedes nothing without a demand. It never
In the North, industry was replacing agriculture as
did and it never will.
” —Frederick Douglass,
the motor of the economy. Northern states had
abolitionist begun passing antislavery laws in the eighteenth
century, and by 1850 slavery had all but vanished

in the North. Critics of slavery were becoming
TIMELINE
1857: In the Dred Scott decision,
the U.S. Supreme Court rules that
people of African descent cannot
1860: Abraham Lincoln
1850: China Taiping is elected president.
Rebellion begins. become U.S. citizens.
1850
1852: Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1859: John Brown,
Uncle Tom’s Cabin is published. an abolitionist, leads
a raid on the federal
1861: The Civil War begins with
Confederate forces firing on
arsenal at Harpers
Fort Sumter, South Carolina.
Ferry, Virginia.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: In what essential
ways does the struggle for
question: freedom
What does itchange
take towith history?
survive?
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Notebook What does the information shown in these charts help you understand
about differences between the North and South in their economies, population densities, and
overall lifestyles? How do you think these differences affected the outcome of the Civil War?
U.S. Population, 1860 U.S. Cotton Production, 1860 U.S. Factories and Employees, 1861
25,000,000 6,000,000
Bales of cotton produced
Number of factories
1,000,000
Number of whites
and employees
20,000,000 5,000,000 750,000
and slaves
15,000,000 4,000,000
500,000
10,000,000 3,000,000
250,000
5,000,000 2,000,000
0 0
North South 1,000,000 North South
(border states) 0
Whites Slaves North South Factories Employees
vocal in their opposition, with abolitionists strength of the country’s central government in
campaigning against slavery and assisting relation to the states.
runaway slaves.
Expansion and Progress Before the Civil
Civil War When Abraham Lincoln was elected War, the country had been busily expanding,
president in 1860, the divisions between North adding new territories and states as settlers
and South only sharpened. Beginning with South pushed west, seeking land. After the war, the
Carolina in 1860, 11 Southern states seceded country continued to grow at a furious pace.
(separated) from the United States. In 1861, the Settlers continued to move west, forcing Native
Civil War began, pitting North against South. Americans from their lands. Immigrants flooded
After years of suffering and devastation, the the nation’s cities, providing labor. For the first
North won the war in 1865. This victory set the time, electricity was being used on a large
nation’s future course, for it decided the issue of scale for everything from city lights to factory
slavery: No longer would anyone be enslaved in machines. The nation began linking frontiers to
the United States. In addition, it made clear the cities with railway tracks and telegraph wires.
fact that the centers of economic influence in the
Reform Movements While forces such as
country had shifted from the agricultural South
westward expansion and immigration were
to the industrial North. Finally, it confirmed the
reshaping the nation, reformers were attempting
to transform society. Pioneers such as Horace
1865: The Thirteenth 1867: The United States

1862: France Louis Pasteur Amendment, outlawing buys Alaska from Russia.
proposes the modern germ slavery, is added to the
theory of disease. U.S. Constitution.
1870
1863: President Lincoln 1865: President Lincoln 1869: Russia Leo Tolstoy’s War
issues the Emancipation is assassinated by and Peace is published.
Proclamation. John Wilkes Booth.
Historical Perspectives 285

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES • Focus Period: 1850 –1890
Mann championed public education. Other Some states, including ones newly added to the
activists pushed forward reforms of the justice Union, passed laws allowing women to vote.
system, leading to the development of the The right to vote was not granted to women
modern prison. During this period, women also nationwide, however, until the ratification of
began pursuing political and economic rights the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution
equal to men’s. in 1920.
A Historic Convention In the years around A Nation Comes of Age In the decades from
1850, women were discouraged from playing 1850 to 1914, the United States grew from
most major roles in public life. Their rights to a largely agricultural society into a modern
property were limited. In addition, women did industrial giant. During this time, important
not yet have the right to vote. In 1848, Elizabeth issues such as the freedom of African Americans,
Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott helped organize the rights of women, and the rights of workers
the Seneca Falls Convention, which met to discuss were discussed and argued. In the end, the
women’s rights. There, Stanton introduced a society of the United States was reshaped,
resolution to pursue the right to vote for women. not just by reformers, but by forces such as
With the support of Frederick Douglass, a former war, technological progress, and economic
slave and an active abolitionist, the resolution development. These forces laid the foundations of
passed. the nation we know today.
The Movement for Women’s Rights Reformers A Legacy of Protest The issues of power and
such as Stanton, Mott, and Susan B. Anthony change raised during the period were not resolved
campaigned vigorously for women’s rights. Their once and for all, however. Even though slavery
tactics included lobbying politicians, holding had been abolished, injustices against African
public lectures, publishing newspapers, picketing, Americans continued. New eras of protest were
and marching. born in the effort to end racial discrimination.
Women’s lives had generally improved but voting
Social Progress Some reforms were seen at the
equality was still an unachieved goal, and other
time. Even before the Seneca Falls Convention,
forms of inequality continued to reign. Protests
some states had passed laws giving women
continued. The literature in this unit tells of the
the right to their own property, although their
ongoing struggle for social justice.
husbands still had the right to manage shared
property.
TIMELINE
1877: The Reconstruction

1872: Susan B. Anthony is 1876: Baseball's Era ends in the South.
arrested for trying to vote National League
in a presidential election. is founded.
1870
1876: Alexander Graham Bell
1874: France Claude Monet patents the telephone.
gathers Impressionist painters 1879: Thomas Edison
for their first exhibit. invents a practical
electric light.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: In what essential
ways does the struggle for
question: freedom
What does itchange
take towith history?
survive?
Literature Selections ADDITIONAL FOCUS PERIOD

LITERATURE
Literature of the Focus Period Several of the selections in this
unit were written during the Focus Period and pertain to the
Student Edition
deep conflicts of the era over power and change:
UNIT 2
from “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”

The Writing of Walt Whitman
Frederick Douglass
• from The Preface to the 1885 edition
Second Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln
of Leaves of Grass
“Ain’t I a Woman?” Sojourner Truth
• from Song of Myself
Declaration of Sentiments, Elizabeth Cady Stanton • “I Hear America Singing”
“The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin • “On the Beach at Night Alone”
“Douglass,” Paul Laurence Dunbar • “America”
The Poetry of Emily Dickinson
Connections Across Time The struggle against social injustice
• “The Soul selects her own
and for the expansion of rights continued past the Focus Period. Society —”
In addition, the struggles of the Focus Period have influenced
• “The Soul unto itself”
contemporary writers and commentators.
• “Fame is a fickle food”
Brown v. Board of Education: Opinion of the Court, Earl Warren
• “They shut me up in Prose —”
“Was Brown v. Board a Failure?” Sarah Garland
• “There is a solitude of space”
“The Fifth Fact,” Sarah Browning • “I heard a fly buzz — when I
“Who Burns for the Perfection of Paper,” Martín Espada died —”
from The Warmth of Other Suns, Isabel Wilkerson • “I’m Nobody! Who are you?”
“What a Factory Can Teach a Housewife,” Ida Tarbell
from Books as Bombs, Louis Menand
“A Balance Between Nature and Nurture,” Gloria Steinem
1882: Europe The Triple 1884: Mark Twain’s The Adventures

Alliance (Germany, Austria- of Huckleberry Finn is published.
Hungary, and Italy) is formed.
1890
1882: The Standard Oil 1890: The U.S. Census Bureau
trust becomes the first declares the frontier closed.
1883: The Brooklyn Bridge
industrial monopoly.
is opened. 1886: The Statue of Liberty is
dedicated in New York Harbor.
Historical Perspectives 287

MAKING MEANING
About the Speaker

from What to the Slave Is the
Fourth of July?
Concept Vocabulary
You will encounter the following words as you read this excerpt from “What
to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” Before reading, note how familiar you are
Frederick Douglass
with each word. Then, rank the words in order from most familiar (1) to least
(1818–1895) was born familiar (6).
into slavery in Maryland.
He nevertheless learned to WORD YOUR RANKING
read and write, and at the
obdurate
age of 21 he escaped to
Massachusetts. There, he stolid
joined the abolitionist cause
and quickly became one disparity
of its most powerful public denounce
speakers, lecturing against
slavery and campaigning for equivocate
civil rights for all people. He
conceded
published his autobiography,
established a newspaper
for African Americans, and
After completing the first read, come back to the concept vocabulary and
went on to hold several
review your rankings. Mark changes to your original rankings as needed.
governmental positions.
First Read NONFICTION

Tool Kit Apply these these strategies as you conduct your first read. You will have
First-Read Guide and an opportunity to complete the close-read notes after your first read.
Model Annotation
NOTICE the general ideas of ANNOTATE by marking

the text. What is it about? vocabulary and key passages
Who is involved? you want to revisit.
CONNECT ideas within RESPOND by completing

the selection to what you the Comprehension Check and
already know and what you by writing a brief summary of
have already read. the selection.
 STANDARDS
Reading Informational Text
By the end of grade 11, read and
comprehend literary nonfiction in
the grades 11–CCR text complexity
band proficiently, with scaffolding as
needed at the high end of the range.

ANCHOR TEXT | SPEECH
from
What to the Slave
Is the Fourth of July?
Frederick Douglass
BACKGROUND
On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass addressed an audience at the
Rochester (New York) Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. At a time when many
people—some who were against slavery in principle—viewed the total
abolition of slavery as a radical cause, Douglass pulled no punches in
pleading his case.
F ellow citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called

upon to speak here today? What have I, or those I represent,
to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of
NOTES
political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration

of Independence, extended to us? And am I, therefore, called upon

to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the
benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from
your independence to us?
2 Would to God, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative
answer could be truthfully returned to these questions! Then would
my task be light, and my burden easy and delightful. For who is
there so cold that a nation’s sympathy could not warm him? Who
so obdurate and dead to the claims of gratitude that would not obdurate (OB dur iht) adj.
thankfully acknowledge such priceless benefits? Who so stolid and resistant to persuasion
selfish that would not give his voice to swell the hallelujahs of a stolid (STOL ihd) adj.
nation’s jubilee,1 when the chains of servitude had been torn from feeling little or no emotion
1. hallelujahs of a nation’s jubilee praises to God at the time of celebrating a national

anniversary.
from What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? 289

his limbs? I am not that man. In a case like that, the dumb might
NOTES eloquently speak, and the “lame man leap as an hart.”2
3 But such is not the state of the case. I say it with a sad sense of the
disparity (dih SPAR uh tee) n. disparity between us. I am not included within the pale of glorious
great difference or inequality anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable
distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice
are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty,
prosperity, and independence, bequeathed3 by your fathers, is shared
by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you
has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not
mine. You may rejoice; I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters4 into
the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you
in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. Do
you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today? . . .
4 Fellow citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear
the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous
yesterday, are, today, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts
that reach them. If I do forget, if I do not faithfully remember those
bleeding children of sorrow this day, “may my right hand forget her
CLOSE READ
cunning, and may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!”5 To
ANNOTATE: Parallelism is
the repetition of words or
forget them, to pass lightly over their wrongs, and to chime in with
phrases that have similar the popular theme would be treason most scandalous and shocking,
grammatical structures. and would make me a reproach before God and the world. My
In the last two sentences subject, then, fellow citizens, is American slavery. I shall see this
of paragraph 4, mark two day and its popular characteristics from the slave’s point of view.
examples of parallelism. Standing there identified with the American bondman, making his
QUESTION: What ideas wrongs mine, I do not hesitate to declare, with all my soul, that the
do these examples of character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than
parallelism connect? on this Fourth of July! Whether we turn to the declarations of the
past or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation
CONCLUDE: How does the
use of parallelism add to seems equally hideous and revolting. America is false to the past,
the power and meaning of false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the
this section of the speech? future. Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on

this occasion, I will, in the name of humanity which is outraged, in
the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name of the Constitution
and the Bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call
denounce (dih NOWNS) v. into question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command,
criticize harshly everything that serves to perpetuate slavery—the great sin and
equivocate (ih KWIHV uh kayt) shame of America! “I will not equivocate; I will not excuse;” I will
v. use unclear language to use the severest language I can command; and yet not one word shall
avoid committing oneself to
something
escape me that any man, whose judgment is not blinded by prejudice,
or who is not at heart a slaveholder, shall not confess to be right and
just.
2. “lame man leap as an hart” reference to the biblical passage Isaiah 35:6, promising
God’s rescue of the weak and fearful. (A hart is a male deer.)
3. bequeathed (bih KWEETHT) adj. handed down.
4. fetters n. chains.
5. “may . . . mouth” reference to the biblical passage Psalm 137, referencing the grief of
Jews who had been taken as captives to Babylon (c. 600 B.C.).

5 But I fancy I hear some one of my audience say, “It is just in this
circumstance that you and your brother abolitionists fail to make a NOTES
favorable impression on the public mind. Would you argue more,

and denounce less; would you persuade more, and rebuke6 less; your
cause would be much more likely to succeed.” But, I submit, where all
is plain, there is nothing to be argued. What point in the antislavery
creed would you have me argue? On what branch of the subject do
the people of this country need light? Must I undertake to prove that
the slave is a man? That point is conceded already. Nobody doubts conceded (kuhn SEED ihd)
it. The slaveholders themselves acknowledge it in the enactment of v. admitted
laws for their government. They acknowledge it when they punish
disobedience on the part of the slave. There are seventy-two crimes
in the State of Virginia which, if committed by a black man (no matter
how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while
only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like
punishment. What is this but the acknowledgment that the slave is
a moral, intellectual, and responsible being? The
manhood of the slave is conceded. It is admitted
in the fact that Southern statute books are covered Must I undertake
with enactments forbidding, under severe fines
and penalties, the teaching of the slave to read or
to prove that the
to write. When you can point to any such laws slave is a man?
in reference to the beasts of the field, then I may
consent to argue the manhood of the slave. When
the dogs in your streets, when the fowls of the air, when the cattle on
your hills, when the fish of the sea, and the reptiles that crawl, shall be
unable to distinguish the slave from a brute, then will I argue with you
that the slave is a man!
6 For the present, it is enough to affirm the equal manhood of the
Negro race. Is it not astonishing that, while we are plowing, planting,
and reaping, using all kinds of mechanical tools, erecting houses,
constructing bridges, building ships, working in metals of brass,
iron, copper, silver and gold; that, while we are reading, writing and
ciphering,7 acting as clerks, merchants, and secretaries, having among

us lawyers, doctors, ministers, poets, authors, editors, orators, and
teachers; that, while we are engaged in all manner of enterprises
common to other men, digging gold in California, capturing the whale
in the Pacific, feeding sheep and cattle on the hillside, living, moving,
acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives, and
children, and, above all, confessing and worshipping the Christian’s
God, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave,
we are called upon to prove that we are men!
7 Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty? That
he is the rightful owner of his own body? You have already
declared it. Must I argue the wrongfulness of slavery? Is that a
question for Republicans? Is it to be settled by the rules of logic and
6. rebuke (rih BYOOK) v. criticize.

7. ciphering (SY fuhr ihng) v. computing using arithmetic.

argumentation, as a matter beset with great difficulty, involving a
NOTES doubtful application of the principle of justice, hard to be understood?
How should I look today, in the presence of Americans, dividing
and subdividing a discourse, to show that men have a natural right
to freedom—speaking of it relatively and positively, negatively and
affirmatively? To do so would be to make myself ridiculous, and to
offer an insult to your understanding. There is not a man beneath the
canopy of heaven that does not know that slavery is wrong for him.
8 What, am I to argue that it is wrong to make men brutes, to rob
them of their liberty, to work them without wages, to keep them
ignorant of their relations to their fellow men, to beat them with
sticks, to flay their flesh with the lash, to load their limbs with irons,
to hunt them with dogs, to sell them at auction, to sunder their
families, to knock out their teeth, to burn their flesh, to starve them
into obedience and submission to their masters? Must I argue that
a system thus marked with blood, and stained with pollution, is
wrong? No! I will not. I have better employment for my time and
strength than such arguments would imply.
9 What, then, remains to be argued? Is it that slavery is not
divine; that God did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are
mistaken? There is blasphemy in the thought. That which is inhuman
cannot be divine! Who can reason on such a proposition? They that
can, may; I cannot. The time for such argument is passed.
CLOSE READ 10 At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument,
ANNOTATE: In paragraph is needed. O! had I the ability, and could I reach the nation’s ear,
10, mark words that I would, today, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting
suggest how strongly
reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light
Douglass feels. Mark
that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We
adjectives, nouns that
name forms of expression, need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling of
and nouns that name the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be
natural phenomena. roused; the propriety8 of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy
of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man
QUESTION: Why does
must be proclaimed and denounced.
Douglass compare certain

forms of expression to 11 What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer:
natural phenomena? a day that reveals to him, more than all other days of the year, the
gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him,
CONCLUDE: What is the
your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license;
effect of this language?
your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing
are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass-fronted
impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery;
your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all
your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast,
fraud, deception, impiety,9 and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up
crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a
nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than
are the people of these United States, at this very hour. . . .
8. propriety (pruh PRY uh tee) n. behavior that is accepted as socially correct or proper.
9. impiety (ihm PY uh tee) n. lack of respect for God.

12 Allow me to say, in conclusion, notwithstanding the dark
picture I have this day presented, of the state of the nation, I do not NOTES
despair of this country. There are forces in operation which must

inevitably work the downfall of slavery. “The arm of the Lord is not
shortened,”10 and the doom of slavery is certain. I, therefore, leave off
where I began, with hope. While drawing encouragement from the
Declaration of Independence, the great principles it contains, and
the genius of American institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the
obvious tendencies of the age. ❧
10.
“ The arm of the Lord is not shortened” reference to the biblical passage Isaiah 59:1,
assuring that God is able to hear and rescue those who call on him.
Comprehension Check
Complete the following items after you finish your first read.
1. What kind of “easy and delightful” speech does Douglass wish he could present?
2. What is the “mournful wail” that gives Douglass the topic for his speech?
3. According to Douglass, how do laws in the South prove that slaves are human beings?
4. At the end of this excerpt, what encouraging signs does Douglass find?
5. Notebook Write a summary of this excerpt from “What to the Slave Is the Fourth
of July?” to confirm your understanding of the speech.
RESEARCH
Research to Clarify Choose at least one unfamiliar detail from the text. Briefly research that
detail. In what way does the information you learned shed light on an aspect of the speech?
Research to Explore Choose something that interests you from the text, and formulate
a research question about it.

making meaning
Close Read the Text

1. This model, from paragraph 3 of the text, shows two sample annotations,
along with questions and conclusions. Close read the passage, and find
another detail to annotate. Then, write a question and your conclusion.
from What to the Slave Is
the Fourth of July?
ANNOTATE: These terms are similar.

QUESTION: What do these words show about
Douglass’s feelings toward American ideals?
CONCLUDE: They show his reverence. The
legacy of freedom is both sacred (“blessings”) ANNOTATE: Here,
and a part of every American’s identity (“rich Douglass is providing
inheritance”). contrasts.
QUESTION: What point is
The blessings in which you, this Douglass making by this
day, rejoice are not enjoyed in series of contrasts?
common. The rich inheritance of CONCLUDE: He is

justice, liberty, prosperity, and emphasizing the idea that
enslaved Americans are
independence, bequeathed by
denied freedom.
your fathers, is shared by you, not
by me. The sunlight that brought
light and healing to you, has
brought stripes and death to me.
This Fourth of July is yours,
not mine.
Tool Kit 2. For more practice, go back into the text, and complete the close-read notes.
Close-Read Guide and 3. Revisit a section of the text you found important during your first read.
Model Annotation Read this section closely, and annotate what you notice. Ask yourself
questions such as “Why did the author make this choice?” What can you
conclude?

 STANDARDS
Reading Informational Text Cite textual evidence
• Cite strong and thorough textual Analyze the Text to support your answers.
evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well Notebook Respond to these questions.
as inferences drawn from the text, 1. Analyze How does Douglass’s opening reference to the Declaration of
including determining where the text
leaves matters uncertain. Independence reinforce his message?
• Analyze and evaluate the 2. Interpret Identify two biblical allusions Douglass makes, and then explain
effectiveness of the structure an
author uses in his or her exposition
how each contributes to Douglass’s overall argument.
or argument, including whether 3. (a) Analyze In what ways is Douglass’s word choice suited to his audience?
the structure makes points clear,
convincing, and engaging.
(b) Evaluate How effective would it be for a modern audience? Explain.
• Delineate and evaluate the 4. Historical Perspectives Douglass presented this speech to an antislavery
reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, society—an audience that was already on his side. Why, then, did
including the application of
constitutional principles and use of Douglass speak as harshly as he did? Whom was he trying to reach?
legal reasoning and the premises, 5. Essential Question: How does the struggle for freedom change with
purposes, and arguments in works of
public advocacy. history? What have you learned about the struggle for freedom from
reading this speech?

Analyze Craft and Structure

Argumentative Structure Frederick Douglass’s famous speech “What
to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?“ is an argument, a discussion of a
controversial or debatable issue. In an argument, a writer or speaker uses
valid reasoning and evidence to support a claim—a particular belief,
conclusion, or point of view. The person who presents the argument also
may anticipate objections and challenges, or counterclaims, and then refute
them.
In general, an argument addresses at least one of these purposes:
• to change the audience’s mind about an issue

• to persuade the audience to accept an idea
• to motivate the audience to take a specific action
Douglass structures his speech to address all three purposes, either directly or
by implication.
CITE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE

Practice to support your answers.
Notebook Respond to these questions.

1. (a) What main claim shapes Douglass’s speech? (b) How early in the speech
does he introduce this claim?
2. In paragraph 10, Douglass states that “scorching irony, not convincing
argument, is needed.” Nevertheless, his speech does make an argument.
(a) In one sentence, state Douglass’s argument. (b) Up to that point, what
evidence has he presented to support his claim?
3. (a) In paragraph 5, what does Douglass acknowledge as a counterclaim to his
position? (b) How does he refute that counterclaim?
4. Reread the three purposes that most arguments address. (a) In the left-hand
column of the chart, record those purposes in the order in which you think
Douglass was effective in addressing them, from most successful to least
successful. (b) Use the right-hand column to explain your choices.
PURPOSE EXPLANATION
addressed most effectively:
addressed fairly effectively:
addressed least effectively:

Language Development
Concept Vocabulary
obdurate disparity equivocate
stolid denounce conceded

Fourth of July?
Why These Words? These concept vocabulary words help reveal the
nature of the debate over slavery. For example, although many people
conceded that slavery was profoundly wrong, few were willing to campaign
against it. On the other hand, some Americans whose economic success
depended on slave labor were obdurate, insisting that the institution
continue. One word suggests an acknowledgement of another point of view,
whereas the other suggests a rejection of it.
1. How does the concept vocabulary sharpen the reader’s understanding of

the debate over slavery?
 WORD NETWORK
Add words related to
struggle from the text to
your Word Network. 2. What other words in the speech connect to this concept?
Practice
1. How would you expect obdurate people to respond to advertisements?
2. Would you want to have stolid friends? Why, or why not?
3. Give an example of a disparity that you have noticed between two groups
of people.
4. How might a group of people denounce a government policy?
5. Suppose that you are trying to get information from people who
equivocate. What would you ask them to do?

6. If someone conceded a point, did he or she continue to argue against it?
Explain.
 STANDARDS
Language
• Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
Word Study
grammar and usage when writing or Notebook Latin Prefix: ob- The Latin prefix ob- often means
speaking.
• Apply knowledge of language to
“against.” It combines with the root -dur-, which means “hard,” to form
understand how language functions obdurate, which means “hardened against.” The word suggests a lack of
in different contexts, to make sympathy toward someone else’s difficulty or need and is a good synonym
effective choices for meaning or style, for hard-hearted.
and to comprehend more fully when
reading or listening. 1. Write a definition of obstruction based on your understanding of the
• Consult general and specialized
reference materials, both print and
prefix ob-. Check your answer in a print or an online college-level
digital, to find the pronunciation of dictionary.
a word or determine or clarify its
precise meaning, its part of speech,
2. Identify and define two other words in which the prefix ob- means “against.”
its etymology, or its standard usage. Use etymological information in a dictionary to verify your choices.

Conventions and Style

Types of Phrases A noun phrase consists of a noun and all of its
modifiers. It functions just as a one-word noun does—as a subject, a direct CLARIFICATION
or indirect object, a predicate nominative, an appositive, or the object of a Refer to the Grammar
preposition. A verb phrase consists of a main verb and all of its helping, or Handbook to learn more
auxiliary, verbs. about verb tense, verb
mood, and active and
Writers use noun phrases and verb phrases to add precision to their writing.
passive voice.
A noun phrase can be quite specific and richly detailed. A verb phrase can
indicate the exact tense, mood, and voice of the main verb.
This chart shows examples of noun phrases and verb phrases in the excerpt
from “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”
TYPE OF PHRASE COMPOSITION EXAMPLES
noun phrase a noun and its I am not that man. (predicate nominative)
modifiers, including
Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable
articles, adjectives, distance between us. (subject; direct object)
and adjective
phrases To drag . . . into the grand illuminated temple of
liberty . . . (object of a preposition)
verb phrase a main verb and its . . . when the chains of servitude had been torn from his
helping verbs, but limbs?
not any interrupting In a case like that, the dumb might eloquently speak. . . .
adverbs, such as not
. . . I do not despair of this country.
Read It
1. Each of these sentences contains at least one noun phrase or verb
phrase—or both. Mark and label those phrases.
a. Douglass spoke to the Rochester Ladies Anti-Slavery Society.
b. He felt that listeners had not supported abolitionism strongly enough,
and that he could stir them into action.
c. His powerful words and his urgent tone shocked many and are still
resonating with readers today.
2. Connect to Style Reread paragraph 4 of the excerpt from “What to the
Slave Is the Fourth of July?” Mark and label two noun phrases and two
verb phrases. Explain how the use of the phrases you identified shapes
Douglass’s style—how the reader “hears” the speaker’s voice.
Write It
Notebook Replace each of these nouns with a noun phrase: crowd,
message, shame. Replace each of these verbs with a verb phrase: feel,
participate, work. Then, use each phrase in an original sentence that relates
to Douglass’s speech.

EFFECTIVE EXPRESSION
Writing to Sources
As Douglass’s speech demonstrates, you can strengthen an argument by
addressing counterclaims. A similar technique can strengthen informative
writing as well: By addressing misconceptions or disproven ideas, you
can guide readers to a clearer understanding of the information that you
Fourth of July? present. For example, if you were writing to explain why explorer Christopher
Columbus had difficulty gaining support for his first Atlantic voyage, you
might correct the following misconception by stating the fact:
Misconception: People thought that the world was flat and that Columbus
would sail off the edge.
Fact: People thought that Columbus had underestimated the distance and
that the crew would die when supplies ran out.
Assignment
In this speech, Douglass mentions Southern laws that made it a criminal
offense to teach a slave to read and write. Briefly research how some
slaves, including Douglass himself, learned to read. Then, write an
informative paragraph in which you draw connections between your
research and Douglass’s speech. Include these elements in your paragraph:
• a clear introduction to the topic
• a misconception that you correct with a fact
• a formal, objective tone
Vocabulary and Conventions Connection Consider using several of the

concept vocabulary words. Also, remember to use noun phrases and verb
phrases to make your sentences precise and informative.
obdurate disparity equivocate
stolid denounce conceded

 STANDARDS
Writing
• Write informative/explanatory texts
to examine and convey complex Reflect on Your Writing
ideas, concepts, and information After you have drafted your informative paragraph, answer the
clearly and accurately through the
effective selection, organization, and following questions.
analysis of content.
• Establish and maintain a formal 1. How do you think that refuting a misconception strengthened your
style and objective tone while presentation?
attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in which
they are writing.
2. Why These Words? The words you choose make a difference in your
Speaking and Listening
Evaluate a speaker’s point of view,
writing. Which words helped you convey information precisely?
reasoning, and use of evidence
and rhetoric, assessing the stance,
premises, links among ideas, word
choice, points of emphasis, and tone
used.


Assignment
Tone is the attitude a speaker expresses toward the subject or audience.
A speaker’s tone may convey any emotion; for instance, it may be loving,
angry, scornful, or amused. In this speech, Douglass changes his tone
for a variety of reasons. With a partner, identify two passages from the
excerpt that convey different tones. Then, take turns giving a dramatic
reading of each example.
1. Choose Examples Together, look for examples of passages in which

Douglass emphasizes each of these ideas.
• He expresses confusion about his purpose for speaking at this occasion.
• He seeks common ground with his audience.
• He reaches a turning point.
• He introduces a counterclaim.
• He expresses outrage.
2. Listen to Dramatic Readings Before you present your dramatic
readings, review your examples. Decide which example you will present
and which one your partner will present. Then, follow these steps.
• Practice reciting the passages. Try to convey the tone you feel
Douglass wanted to express. Use your voice and body language to
emphasize that tone.
• Introduce each passage by stating the idea that Douglass wanted to
present; then, deliver your dramatic reading.
• After you have both recited, briefly summarize your thoughts about
Douglass’s use of tone in each passage.
3. Evaluate the Examples Use a presentation evaluation guide like the

one shown to assess your classmates’ readings. Then, as a class, discuss
how Douglass’s use of tone contributes to his argument.
Presentation Evaluation Guide  evidence log

Rate each statement on a scale of 1 (not demonstrated) to 5 (demonstrated). Before moving on to a
new selection, go to your
The speaker clearly introduced the passage. Evidence Log and record
what you learned from
The speaker communicated expressively. “What to the Slave Is the
Fourth of July?”
The speaker used body language, including gestures, to emphasize the
tone of the passage.
The speaker accurately interpreted the tone of the passage.
The speaker showed a good understanding of the text.

MAKING MEANING
About the Speaker

Second Inaugural Address
Concept Vocabulary
You will encounter the following words as you read Lincoln’s second
inaugural address. Before reading, note how familiar you are with each word.
Then, rank the words in order from most familiar (1) to least familiar (6).
Abraham Lincoln WORD YOUR RANKING

(1809–1865) took office
as president on March 4, insurgent
1861—just six weeks before
perish
the Civil War began. The war
shaped his presidency, as he
rend
sought to reunify the nation.
Lincoln took a keen interest
scourge
in the operations of the war,
appointing senior officers, unrequited
following the war’s progress
through telegraph updates, malice
and even visiting Union
encampments. His belief
that slavery was morally After completing the first read, come back to the concept vocabulary and
wrong drove him to issue review your rankings. Mark changes to your original rankings as needed.
a preliminary Emancipation
Proclamation in 1862 and a
final version on January 1, First Read NONFICTION
1863. From that point on,
Apply these strategies as you conduct your first read. You will have an
the Civil War was viewed as
a fight to end slavery, as well
opportunity to complete the close-read notes after your first read.
as to restore the Union.
Tool Kit NOTICE the general ideas of ANNOTATE by marking

First-Read Guide and the text. What is it about? vocabulary and key passages
Model Annotation Who is involved? you want to revisit.
CONNECT ideas within the RESPOND by completing

selection to what you already the Comprehension Check and
know and what you have by writing a brief summary of
already read. the selection.
 STANDARDS
• By the end of grade 11, read and

ANCHOR TEXT | SPEECH
Second
Inaugural Address
Abraham Lincoln
BACKGROUND
On March 4, 1865, a crowd of perhaps as many as 40,000 people gathered
on the muddy grounds of the United States Capitol to see Abraham Lincoln
sworn in for his second term. Despite rain earlier in the morning, the sun
broke through the clouds as Lincoln came forward. He gave the following NOTES
speech to hopeful listeners, who (as one of his bodyguards later said)
“seemed to hang on his words as though they were meat and drink.”
Indeed, Frederick Douglass told Lincoln that the speech had been “a sacred
effort.” Following the speech, Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase administered
the oath of office. Ironically, Lincoln would die a little more than a month
later at the hands of John Wilkes Booth, who stood in the crowd on the
Capitol steps that day and listened to Lincoln give the speech.
Fellow-Countrymen:
1
A t this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential
office, there is less occasion for an extended address than there
was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to
be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four
years, during which public declarations have been constantly called
Second Inaugural Address 301

forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs
NOTES the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is
new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all
else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and
it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high
hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.
2 On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts
were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it; all
sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered
from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war,
insurgent (ihn SUR juhnt) adj. insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—
rebellious or in revolt against seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both
a government in power
parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than
let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let
perish (PEH rish) v. die it perish, and the war came.
3 One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not
distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern
part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest.
All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To
strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for
rend (rehnd) v. tear apart which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the
with violent force government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial
enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude
CLOSE READ or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that
ANNOTATE: Mark the the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict
sentence in paragraph 3 itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result
that states the
less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray
government’s policy
to the same God, and each invokes his aid against the other. It may
regarding the expansion of
slavery. seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance
in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces, but “let
QUESTION: Why does
us judge not, that we be not judged.”1 The prayers of both could not
the president include this
information?
be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty
has his own purposes. “Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it
CONCLUDE: What effect
must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the
does this information have,
offense cometh.”2 If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of
particularly in shaping the
audience’s view of the
those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but
Confederacy? which, having continued through his appointed time, he now wills
to remove, and that he gives to both North and South this terrible
war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we
discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the
scourge (SKURJ) n. cause of believers in a living God always ascribe to him? Fondly do we hope,
serious trouble or suffering fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily
unrequited (uhn rih KWY tihd) pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled
adj. not repaid or avenged by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil
1. “let us judge not, that we be not judged” reference to the words of Jesus in the
biblical passage Matthew 7:1.
2. “ Woe unto the world . . . the offense cometh.” reference to the biblical passage
Matthew 18:7, in which Jesus warns about allowing sin into one’s life.

shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall
be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand NOTES
years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.”3
4 With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in malice (MAL ihs) n. desire to
the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the harm or inflict injury
work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who
shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do
all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among
ourselves and with all nations. ❧
3. “ the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether” reference to the
biblical Psalm 19:9, praising the rightness of God’s ways.
Comprehension Check
Complete the following items after you finish your first read.
1. To what event is Lincoln referring when he says, “On the occasion corresponding to this
four years ago. . .”?
2. What was on people’s minds at the time of the occasion you identified in item 1?
3. What is the “peculiar and powerful interest” that Lincoln says was “somehow the cause
of the war?”
4. What does Lincoln intend to do to heal the nation, after the war?
5. Notebook Write a summary of Lincoln’s second inaugural address to confirm your

understanding of the speech.
RESEARCH
Research to Clarify Choose at least one unfamiliar detail from the text. Briefly research
that detail. In what way does the information you learned shed light on an aspect of
the speech?
Research to Explore Choose something that interests you from the text, and formulate
a research question about it.

making meaning
Close Read the Text

1. This model, from paragraph 2 of the text, shows two sample annotations,
along with questions and conclusions. Close read the passage, and find
another detail to annotate. Then, write a question and your conclusion.
SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS
ANNOTATE: Lincoln is comparing and

contrasting reasons the North and South
went to war.
QUESTION: For what purpose might Lincoln ANNOTATE: The
do this? final words are
CONCLUDE: By showing insight about the very dramatic.
war’s causes, Lincoln might be indicating his QUESTION: What
ability to reunite the nation. is the effect of
these words?
Both parties deprecated war, but one CONCLUDE:

Appearing at the
of them would make war rather than
end of a long,
let the nation survive, and the other complex sentence,
would accept war rather than let it the simple words
perish, and the war came. emphasize the
horror of war.
Tool Kit
Close-Read Guide and
Model Annotation
2. For more practice, go back into the text, and complete the close-read notes.
3. Revisit a section of the text you found important during your first read. Read
this section closely, and annotate what you notice. Ask yourself questions
such as “Why did the author make this choice?” What can you conclude?
 STANDARDS
• Determine two or more central
ideas of a text and analyze their Cite textual evidence
development over the course of the Analyze the Text to support your answers.

text, including how they interact
and build on one another to provide Notebook Respond to these questions.
a complex analysis; provide an
objective summary of the text.
1. (a) Paraphrase, or state in your own words, Lincoln’s comment that “all
• Analyze and evaluate the else chiefly depends” upon “the progress of our arms.” (b) Interpret To
effectiveness of the structure an what is Lincoln referring with the words “all else”?
author uses in his or her exposition
or argument, including whether 2. Connect How do Lincoln’s statements in paragraph 2 connect to the rest
the structure makes points clear, of the speech?
convincing, and engaging. 3. (a) Make Inferences The term irony refers to a discrepancy between
• Determine an author’s point
of view or purpose in a text in appearances and reality. Think about the irony in paragraph 3. In what
which the rhetoric is particularly way does Lincoln see irony in the abolition of slavery in the United States?
effective, analyzing how style and (b) Interpret What does Lincoln find ironic about the prayers of both sides?
content contribute to the power,
persuasiveness, or beauty of the text. 4. Historical Perspectives In what ways is this speech a commentary on the
• Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, issue of slavery?
and nineteenth-century foundational
U.S. documents of historical and 5. Essential Question How does the struggle for freedom change with
literary significance for their themes, history? What have you learned about the struggle for freedom from
purposes, and rhetorical features. reading this speech?


Structure Writers often use a chronological structure, or time order, as
a framework for their ideas. You may be used to seeing chronological order
in the plot of a novel or play, but this kind of structure is also effective in
nonfiction. For example, listeners can more easily follow the logic of a speech
when ideas are presented within a chronological structure.
• The speaker establishes the chronological structure by discussing the

events or actions that led to the present situation—which is often the
occasion for the speech.
• The present situation is examined. At this point, the audience
understands the central idea of the speech and contemplates the
author’s reasoning.
• The chronological framework is completed by a discussion of the future.
This part can be a persuasive call to action or an explanation of a final
step. It is always a clear statement of the speaker’s central idea.
In his second inaugural address, Lincoln recalls the past, discusses the
present, and looks to the future.


1. (a) What does Lincoln say about the nature of the speech he made when he first
took office, four years earlier? (b) How does he contrast that information with the
speech that he is making in the present, at his second inauguration?
2. In this chart, briefly record the content of each part of the chronological framework
of Lincoln’s speech.
LINCOLN’S SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS: CHRONOLOGICAL CONTENT
Past
Present
Future
3. What does the content of the speech tell you about Lincoln’s intended policy for his
second term?
4. (a) What national issue does Lincoln discuss in paragraph 3? (b) What might have
been the effect of the speech if Lincoln had developed it to discuss only this issue?
Explain.
5. How does Lincoln’s use of chronological structure contribute to the effectiveness of
the speech? Explain.

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
Concept Vocabulary
insurgent rend unrequited
perish scourge malice

Why These Words? These concept vocabulary words remind the audience
of the terrible nature of the conflict that the nation was enduring at the
moment. Lincoln says that the insurgents would rend the nation. He speaks
of the scourge of war—and, indeed, the war took many American lives and
destroyed much of the nation’s property.
1. How does the concept vocabulary convey the nature of the conflict?
2. What other words in the speech connect to this concept?
Practice
 WORD NETWORK Notebook Complete these activities.
1. Use each concept vocabulary word in a sentence that demonstrates your
understanding of the word’s meaning.
your Word Network.
2. In two of your sentences, replace the concept word with a synonym. What
is the effect of your word change? For example, which sentence seems
more powerful? Which one seems more positive or more negative?
Word Study
Synonyms and Nuances In this speech, Lincoln refers to the “scourge”
 STANDARDS of war. Scourge is a very strong word, an example of charged language.
Language Lincoln might have chosen another word with a similar denotation, such as
• Demonstrate command of the blight or curse. These words are synonyms because they have similar general
grammar and usage when writing or
meanings. They are also all examples of charged, or emotionally laden
speaking. language. However, each word has its own nuance, or shade of meaning.
• Apply knowledge of language to For example, blight suggests disease or withering, whereas curse suggests a
understand how language functions supernatural source of suffering.
in different contexts, to make
effective choices for meaning or style,
and to comprehend more fully when 1. Write two sentences, using a synonym for scourge in each sentence.
reading or listening. Make sure that each sentence demonstrates the shade of meaning of the
• Analyze nuances in the meaning of synonym you choose.
words with similar denotations.
• Acquire and use accurately general
academic and domain-specific words
and phrases, sufficient for reading,
writing, speaking, and listening at 2. Reread the second inaugural address. Which synonym for scourge most
the college and career readiness
level; demonstrate independence closely reflects Lincoln’s use of the word? Explain.
in gathering vocabulary knowledge
when considering a word or phrase
expression.


Types of Phrases A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins
with a preposition. Some prepositions are listed here.
about across at beneath by

concerning despite except for from
in into near of on
regarding than to toward with
A prepositional phrase also includes an object and any modifiers of that

object. The object of the preposition may be a noun, a pronoun, a gerund
(a verb form that acts as a noun), or, occasionally, a clause. Prepositional
phrases function in sentences as either adverbs or adjectives. They help
writers and speakers express their ideas with greater clarity and precision.
Type of PHRASE Definition Examples
adverb phrase a prepositional phrase that Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre. (tells where)
modifies a verb, an adjective, or
John Wilkes Booth shot him during a play. (tells when)
another adverb, by telling how,
where, when, or to what degree
adjective a prepositional phrase that modifies The president from Illinois died soon after. (tells which one)
phrase a noun or pronoun, by telling what
Crowds beyond number mourned his loss. (tells how many)
kind, how many, or which one
Read It
1. Mark the prepositional phrase in each sentence. Then, label each one as
an adverb phrase or an adjective phrase.
a. Lincoln delivered his address at the White House.
b. The East Portico of the White House was a historic place.
c. Lincoln spoke in a clear, strong voice.
2. Connect to Style Reread paragraph 3 of Lincoln’s speech. Mark and
then label two adjective phrases and two adverb phrases. Explain how the
use of prepositional phrases contributes to Lincoln’s style and helps clarify

his ideas.
Write It
Notebook Expand the numbered sentences by adding one or more
adverb phrases or adjective phrases. Label each phrase in parentheses.
EXAMPLE
The sun began shining.
The sun began shining through the clouds (adverb phrase) at the
moment (adverb phrase) of Lincoln’s speech (adjective phrase).
1. Lincoln spoke, and everyone paid rapt attention.

2. Most listeners applauded when the words touched their minds and hearts.

Writing to Sources
Eyewitness accounts are important sources of historical information.
Historians look for as many such accounts as are available in order to
compare what each eyewitness has recorded. In addition to each person’s
unique insights, historians look for corroboration of descriptions and
sequences of events.
Assignment
Imagine that you had been present when Abraham Lincoln delivered this
inaugural address. Write an informative eyewitness account in the
form of a letter or journal entry. Include details such as these:
• personal details, such as where you were standing
• an estimate of how many people were present
• Lincoln’s appearance and delivery
• the effect of the speech on the crowd
• your opinion of the speech
Report narrative details in an orderly sequence. You might want to remark,

for example, on your difficulties as you looked for a place to stand and
observe the occasion. Then, describe the scene from the vantage point
you eventually found.
Vocabulary and Conventions Connection Consider including several of

the concept vocabulary words. Also, remember to use prepositional phrases
to add precision to your account.
insurgent rend unrequited
perish scourge malice

 STANDARDS
Writing Reflect on Your Writing
to examine and convey complex After you have drafted your informative eyewitness account, answer
ideas, concepts, and information these questions.
effective selection, organization, and 1. Did you write as if you had been actually present?
• Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen
details, and well-structured event
2. What kinds of details did you add to make your account realistic?
sequences.
Evaluate a speaker’s point of view,
3. Why These Words? The words you choose can greatly increase the
reasoning, and use of evidence
and rhetoric, assessing the stance, effect of your writing. Which words do you think are most helpful in
premises, links among ideas, word conveying the sense that “you had been there”?
choice, points of emphasis, and tone
used.


Assignment
With a partner, prepare a brief reading and discussion of key passages
from Lincoln’s speech.
1. Choose the Passages Work together to choose two passages that you
feel express key ideas with particular force or clarity.
• Read the sentences or passages aloud, pausing to restate, or paraphrase,
Lincoln’s words.
• Work together to develop a clear statement about the reasons you chose
the two passages: What qualities in the language or ideas make these
two passages especially powerful?
2. Prepare Your Delivery Read through the passages, and note natural
breaks. These may be indicated by punctuation marks, but you also can
choose places where you will want to pause for emphasis.
3. Deliver Your Reading and Analysis Follow these tips as you read
your passages aloud and discuss your choices.
• Speak slowly so that listeners can follow any challenging language or ideas.
• Use gestures and body language carefully to emphasize meaning
without causing distraction. In addition, vary the volume of your voice
and the speed with which you speak to accurately reflect the ideas you
are expressing.
• Remember that the language of Lincoln’s speech is formal. In addition,
some word choices are different from those in modern speech. Make
sure your interpretation reflects the meanings of such words accurately.
• Pause after you complete your readings of the passages. Then, present
your interpretations of the passages in your own words.
4. Evaluate Presentations As your classmates deliver their presentations,

listen attentively. Use the evaluation guide to analyze their presentations.
Presentation Evaluation Guide  evidence log

Rate each statement on a scale of 1 (not demonstrated) to 5 Before moving on to a
(demonstrated). new selection, go to your
Evidence Log and record
The speaker read the text with proper emphasis on meaning. what you learned from
Lincoln’s second inaugural
The speaker used appropriate gestures and body language. address.
The speaker’s pace and volume were varied and appropriate for the
thoughts and feelings expressed in the text.
The speaker’s interpretations and evaluations were accurate and well

expressed.

Making Meaning
About Political Cartoons

and Photojournalism
Many political cartoons, Media Vocabulary
especially in the nineteenth
century, were published The following words will be useful to you as you analyze, discuss, and write
anonymously; in fact, of the about political cartoons and photojournalism.
three cartoons in this gallery,
only the pro-Lincoln caricature Composition: arrangement • The composition may emphasize one part of an
of the President’s height is of the parts of an image, image more than another.
attributable (to Frank Billew). whether drawn or recorded • The composition may offer clues to the political
The others, expressing the in some other visual format purpose of the image.
dissatisfaction with Lincoln’s
leadership that seethed in the Caricature: exaggeration • In political cartoons, caricature often shows
North among the Democrats of details relating to how the cartoonist (or the publication that hired
and those Republicans people and events, often the cartoonist) feels about a particular person,
unsatisfied with Lincoln’s for humorous effect, in a group, or situation.
leadership in the war, were cartoon or other created • Sometimes, elements of a public figure’s
published anonymously in image appearance become commonly caricatured,
various newspapers.
making that person easy to identify.
Photojournalism—capturing
Labeling and Captions: • In political cartoons, key details are often
news in photographs—
written labels and other labeled to help readers recognize their meaning.
emerged in the 1840s.
text that often accompany • Photographs are more likely to use captions or
The new technology of
photography found a use in
politically charged images annotations that present the context in which
revealing events and preserving to clarify their meanings the photograph was taken.
images for history, including
battlefield photographs of the
Civil War.
First Review MEDIA: ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Apply these strategies as you conduct your first review. You will have an
opportunity to conduct a close review after your first review.
LOOK at each image and NOTE elements in each image

determine whom or what it that you find interesting and

portrays. want to revisit.
CONNECT details in the ESPOND by completing

R
images to other media the Comprehension Check.
you’ve experienced, texts you’ve
read, or images you’ve seen.
 STANDARDS
310 UNIT 3 • Power, Protest, and Change

MEDIA | IMAGE GALLERY
BACKGROUND
As Lincoln’s second election campaign approached, he was faced with a
Republican party threatening to splinter, a bloody Civil War in its final stages,
and a Democratic party ready to capitalize on his apparent vulnerability.
However, Lincoln overcame these obstacles by combining the political heft
of an impending Union victory, the support of the soldier vote, and political
deals brokered within the Republican party. His campaign’s slogan was
“Don’t change horses in the middle of a stream.” As you study these images,
ask yourself these questions: What opinions did people have of Lincoln in his
own time? How is he thought of today?
IMAGE 1: The Union Must Be Preserved at All

Hazards This 1864 cartoon depicts Democratic NOTES
presidential candidate George Brinton McClellan
trying to keep a map of the United States from being
pulled apart by President Abraham Lincoln and the
Confederate president Jefferson Davis. The cartoon
depicts both Lincoln and Davis as short-sightedly
putting their own political goals (abolition for Lincoln,
secession for Davis) ahead of the country’s well-being.
Perspectives on Lincoln 311

IMAGE 2: Columbia
Demands Her Children!
“Columbia,” a personification
of America, is condemning
Abraham Lincoln for the
Union casualties of the Civil
War. Lincoln’s reply refers to
a false report that Lincoln had
told a joke on the battlefield
of Antietam.
NOTES
IMAGE 3: Long Abe a Little Longer In this celebration of Lincoln’s reelection,
Lincoln is caricatured as being president “even longer”—a play on words
regarding his height and his length of time in office, as well as a reference to
his “stature,” or importance, as president.
NOTES

IMAGE 4: The Body of the Martyr President,
Abraham Lincoln, Lying in State Further
increasing his stature in the eyes of the nation,
Lincoln’s assassination made him a martyr, as the
North was united in grief. Many historians have
called Lincoln’s funeral the greatest in the history
of the United States.
NOTES
NOTES
IMAGE 5: Funeral Procession in New York City Millions turned

out to see Lincoln’s funeral train pass on its way to his burial in
Springfield, Illinois—and, in some cities, to attend a ceremony in his
honor. In this photograph of a funeral procession held during a stop in
New York City, a young Theodore Roosevelt (later President Roosevelt)
and his brother watch the scene from a window (in the upper
left-hand corner of the image).

IMAGE 6: Civil Rights Activists at the Lincoln Memorial Almost a
century after Lincoln’s death, leaders of the Civil Rights movement, including
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (seated, farthest right) gather in front of the Lincoln
Memorial during the 1963 March on Washington. The Civil Rights movement often
looked to Abraham Lincoln, “the Great Emancipator,” for inspiration.
NOTES

Comprehension Check
Use the chart to note details about the subject of each image. Identify people and/or symbols,
objects, the setting (if there is one), and activities or events depicted.
ACTIVITIES AND/OR
IMAGE PEOPLE AND/OR SYMBOLS OBJECTS SETTING
EVENTS
image 1
image 2
image 3
image 4
image 5
image 6
NOTES

making meaning
Close Review
Revisit the images and your first-review notes. Write down
any new observations that seem important. What questions
do you have? What can you conclude?
perspectives on lincoln
Analyze the Media

Notebook Complete the activities.
1. Present and Discuss Choose the image you find most interesting or
persuasive. Share your choice with the class, and discuss why you chose it.
Explain what you noticed in the image, the questions it raised for you, and
the conclusions you reached about it.
2. Review and Synthesize Review all the images. What perspectives do

they present? What argument are they making? Are they examples of
journalism, art, both, or neither? Explain.
3. Essential Question: In what ways does the struggle for freedom

change with history? What have you learned about the struggle for
freedom from these cartoons and photographs?
language development
Media Vocabulary
composition caricature labeling and captions
Use these vocabulary words in your responses to the

following questions.
1. (a) In Image 1, what are the positions of the three people in relation to
one another? To the map of the United States? (b) What might the artist
 STANDARDS have intended to convey through this depiction?
Integrate and evaluate multiple
sources of information presented in
different media or formats as well
as in words in order to address a
question or solve a problem. 2. (a) In Image 2, what visual details clarify the identity of the woman on the
Speaking and Listening left? (b) On what visual details does Image 3 rely to convey its message?
• Integrate multiple sources of
information presented in diverse
formats and media in order to
make informed decisions and solve
problems, evaluating the credibility
and accuracy of each source and 3. (a) In what sense does Image 6 express a political idea? (b) How does that
noting any discrepancies among idea reflect the ideas expressed in Images 4 and 5?
the data.
• Make strategic use of digital
media in presentations to enhance
understanding of findings, reasoning,
and evidence and to add interest.

Assignment
 evidence log
Before moving on to a
Create and present an image gallery. Choose a person about whom
or an event about which Americans had or have varying perspectives.
Conduct research, using print and online sources, to find relevant political
cartoons and photographs. Create a slide show of your image gallery, and
“Perspectives on Lincoln.”
write an informative script to accompany your presentation.
Plan the Project To help you prepare your image gallery, consider
these questions.
• Why is or was the person or event important? What are you trying to
show your audience about the perspectives that people had or have of
the person or event?
• What sources will you use to conduct your research?
• What technology will you need to present your image slide show?
When choosing photographs, consider how the images reflect attitudes,

not just how they preserve a moment in time. When you have chosen your
images, make a storyboard.
storyboard template
Prepare the Informative Script Think about the relationships among the
images. Consider how you might use the script to point out those relationships.
• Choose a logical sequence of images. Decide how to use transitions in
your script to show that sequence.
• Decide how much time to spend on presenting each image. Tailor the
length of each section of your script accordingly.
• Once you have written your script, practice reading it aloud.
Present and Discuss Present a slide show of your image gallery to the
class, using your script to narrate each image as you show it. Afterward,
discuss how well the various perspectives were captured in
the images.

PERFORMANCE TASK: WRITING FOCUS
WRITING TO SOURCES
• from WHAT TO THE SLAVE IS

Write an Informative Essay
THE FOURTH OF JULY? You’ve just read two important nineteenth-century speeches. In the first,
Frederick Douglass looks forward to the liberation of people from slavery. In
• SECOND INAUGURAL
ADDRESS the second, Abraham Lincoln looks forward to the end of a war and to a just
and lasting peace. You’ve also examined political cartoons and other images
• PERSPECTIVES ON LINCOLN
from the period that portray differing attitudes about Abraham Lincoln.
Assignment
Write an informative essay that looks at American history after the Civil
War and that answers this question:
Tool Kit Did the nation achieve the goals that Douglass and
Student Model of an Lincoln desired?
Informative Essay Begin by doing some library or online research. Investigate the period
following the Civil War by looking up “Reconstruction” and taking notes
on your findings. Include facts, details, and definitions that clarify your
response. Connect your findings to specific details from the selections in
Whole-Class Learning.
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
As you write your essay,
Elements of an Informative Essay
consider using some of
the academic vocabulary An informative essay uses facts, details, data, and other kinds of evidence
you learned in the to present information about a topic. Readers turn to informative texts when
beginning of the unit. they wish to learn about a specific idea, concept, or subject area.
informational An effective informative essay contains these elements:
deduction
verbatim • a thesis statement that introduces the concept or subject
inquire • relevant facts and concrete details that expand upon the topic
specific • extended definitions, quotations, and other examples that support the
information presented
• use of varied sentence structures to clarify the relationships among ideas
• precise language and technical vocabulary where appropriate
• a formal style and an objective tone
 STANDARDS
• a conclusion that follows from and supports the information presented Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Writing
to examine and convey complex
Model Informative Essay For a model of a LAUNCH TEXT
ideas, concepts, and information
clearly and accurately through the well-crafted informative essay, see the Launch Text, UNIT
3 INTRODUCTION
LAUNCH TEXT | INFORMATIVE MODEL
“The Zigzag Road to Rights.” Review the Launch Text

The Zigzag
effective selection, organization, and
This selection is an example of an
informative text, a type of writing
in which an author examines
concepts through the careful
selection, organization, and analysis Road to Rights
of information. This is the type
of writing you will develop in the
for examples of the elements described above. You

Performance-Based Assessment at
the end of the unit.
As you read, think about how
the information is shared. Mark
• Conduct short as well as more

the text to help you answer this
question: How does the writer help
readers understand the main point
will look more closely at these elements as you

of the essay?
sustained research projects to 1

W hen we look back at history, we often like to identify trends.
prepare to write your own informative essay.

NOTES Viewing the big picture, we may see a steady push toward
answer a question or solve a

progress. However, every fight for rights involves a series of
advances and setbacks. The struggle for equal recognition of African
Americans demonstrates a zigzag road to rights.
2 The push-and-pull of this struggle was evident at the birth of
the nation. In his original draft of the Declaration of Independence,
problem; narrow or broaden the

protesting this “cruel war against human nature.” Jefferson wanted
the Declaration of Independence to grant freedom to all men.
However, at the Continental Congress in 1776, both northern and
southern slaveholders objected to any mention of African American
inquiry when appropriate; synthesize

rights. Powerful indeed was their pressure. Any mention of slavery
was deleted from the Declaration.
3 Although the removal of Jefferson’s antislavery paragraph was a
severe setback, reformers did not give up hope. With the ratification of
the Constitution, they gained an important tool for change. Article V
describes the conditions required for amending the Constitution. Laws
multiple sources on the subject,

can be changed, and rights can be gained.
4 The struggle took another crucial step forward in 1863, when
seceded from the Union “are, and henceforward shall be, free.” Still,
demonstrating understanding of the

freedom for slaves depended upon a Union victory. Slavery remained
legal in border states loyal to the Union, as well as in Confederate
areas under Northern control.
subject under investigation. LIT22_SE11_U03_LT.indd 278 22/03/21 4:15 PM
• Write routinely over extended

time frames and shorter time frames
for a range of tasks, purposes, and
audiences.

Prewriting / Planning
Write a Working Thesis Reread the assignment. Based on the work you have done
so far in this unit, think about what you want to say in response to the question that the
assignment asks. Write a draft of your thesis statement (or thesis)—the sentence that
presents the controlling idea of your text.
Compare and Contrast Douglass and Lincoln had different goals, but some of their
concerns were similar. Record some areas of comparison and contrast that you might use to
support your thesis statement.
Douglass’s Goals Common Goals Lincoln’s Goals
Gather Evidence Several kinds of information support the thesis  evidence log
developed in the Launch Text. Think about ways in which you can effectively
Review your Evidence Log
support your thesis. Consider these types of evidence:
and identify key details you
• facts: relevant statements that can be proved true may want to cite in your
informative essay.
• statistics: facts presented in the form of numerical data
• definitions: explanations of key terms that may be unfamiliar to

readers
• quotations: statements from authoritative sources (such as historical

 Standards
documents) Writing
• Introduce a topic; organize complex
• examples: specific circumstances that illustrate a general idea ideas, concepts, and information so
that each new element builds on that
Always confirm your evidence by using more than one source. which precedes it to create a unified
whole; include formatting, graphics,
and multimedia when useful to
Connect Across Texts The prompt asks you to connect your findings to aiding comprehension.
• Develop the topic thoroughly by
specific details from the speeches by Douglass and Lincoln. Also include selecting the most significant and
details from the political cartoons and other images of Lincoln in your relevant facts, extended definitions,
response. Return to those texts, and on note cards record direct quotations concrete details, quotations, or
other information and examples
from the speeches that you might use to support your ideas. Look back at appropriate to the audience’s
the Launch Text to see how the writer weaves direct quotations from court knowledge of the topic.
cases, proclamations, and amendments into the informative essay.
Performance Task: Write an Informative Essay 319
Performance Task: Writing focus
ENRICHING WRITING WITH RESEARCH
Conducting Research Most informative writing requires some research.

Find relevant information from reputable sources, and then weave it into
your essay.
Assessing Strengths and Limitations of Information Some
information is reliable and useful, whereas other information may be suspect
or simply not helpful. Evaluate the quality of the information you find by
answering these questions:
• Will this information help me develop my topic or thesis?
• Will my audience understand this information, or will I need to provide
more background or detail?
• Is this information current, or is it outdated?
Read It
This excerpt from the Launch Text shows how the writer integrates details
found through research. The researched information is underlined.
LAUNCH TEXT EXCERPT
The writer quotes The struggle took another crucial step forward in 1863, when
directly from the President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
researched text to
illustrate one of the
seceded from the Union “are, and henceforward, shall be free.”
“zigzag” steps to rights
for African Americans. Still, freedom for slaves depended upon a Union victory. Slavery
remained legal in border states loyal to the Union, as well as in
Confederate areas under Northern control.
Avoiding Plagiarism Plagiarism means taking someone’s ideas and words

and passing them off as your own. Nobody expects you to be an expert in
every subject. However, when you rely on other experts, you must credit
them. Follow these steps to avoid plagiarism.
1. Quote. If the source uses wording that you find especially strong or apt,
quote it directly. Make sure the reader can tell whom you are quoting.
Example: In his original draft of the Declaration of Independence,
 Standards protesting this “cruel war against human nature.”
Writing
Gather relevant information from 2. Paraphrase. When an author’s ideas are important but the wording is
multiple authoritative print and less critical, restate the information in your own words.
digital sources, using advanced
searches effectively; assess the Example:
strengths and limitations of each Original: The struggle took another crucial step forward in 1863, when
source in terms of the task, purpose,
and audience; integrate information
into the text selectively to maintain Paraphrase: Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 would prove to
the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism be a benchmark in the fight for civil rights.
and overreliance on any one source
and following a standard format for 3. Cite. Follow the format your teacher prefers to cite sources for any
citation. information you use that is not common public knowledge.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION : In what ways does the struggle for freedom change with history?
College and Career Readiness
Write It
Organize your notes in a way that will best help you support your thesis
CITATIONS
statement. When citing sources, use a
Taking and Organizing Notes Develop a system for organizing your consistent style, such as the
notes so that you know which are paraphrased and which are directly one established by the Modern
Language Association (MLA):
quoted. Try using this format for one of your notes to see whether it works
• Sources are cited following
well for you. Then, copy it or revise it to use for each of your sources.
the quotation or reference.
The citation appears in
parentheses with a page
TITLE: PAGE reference, as applicable.
AUTHOR: • If the parenthetical
citation appears at the
SUMMARY, QUOTATION, OR PARAPHASE? (Circle one) end of a sentence, the
NOTES: period follows the final
parenthesis.
Evaluating Sources Review your notes, and look for conflicting

information. If you find substantial differences, consider the reliability and
credibility of the sources: web sites ending with .edu or .gov generally
provide more accurate information than sites ending with .com. When two
sources conflict, look for a third source to confirm facts.
Weaving Research Into Text As you draft your essay, work to integrate
quotations and other information from your sources. Clearly introduce each The writer clearly
reference and note its relevance, as in this model. introduces the
Integrating Quotations quotation, identifying
its author and
Lincoln’s proclamation was not guaranteed to have the effects integrating it with
he wanted. In his Lincoln Prize–winning book, Lincoln’s surrounding text,
Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg College professor and then links it to
Allen Guelzo called it “one of the biggest political gambles in a main point: The
American history” (7). It might easily have backfired. proclamation might
have made a situation
worse instead of
better.

Drafting
Organize Your Essay Your essay should include an introduction, a body,
and a conclusion. Each section of the essay should build on what has come
before.
This outline shows the key sections of the Launch Text. In an informative
essay, you have the option of adding headings to separate sections that
belong together. Whether or not you use headings, each section of the text
should have a specific purpose.
Consider the Launch Text outline as you organize information for your draft.
LAUNCH TEXT
Model: “The Zigzag Road to Rights” Informative Essay Outline

Outline Introduction
Introduction
Paragraph 1 states the thesis: The struggle for equal
recognition of African Americans demonstrates a
zigzag road to rights.
Body
BODY
Paragraph 2 (failure): revisions to the Declaration of
Independence
Paragraph 3 (improvement): Article V of the
Constitution
Paragraph 4 (improvement): the Emancipation
Proclamation
Paragraph 5 (improvement): the Thirteenth
Amendment
Paragraph 6 (failure): Plessy v. Ferguson
Paragraph 7 (improvement): Brown v. Board of
Education
Paragraph 8 (improvement): the Voting Rights Act of Conclusion

1965
CONCLUSION
Paragraph 9 recalls the thesis: History teaches us that
rights gained can be lost, curtailed, or ignored—
and perhaps gained once more.
 STANDARDS
Writing
• Develop the topic thoroughly by Write a First Draft Use your outline to write your first draft. Include a
selecting the most significant and variety of evidence, and make clear connections among ideas. Be sure that
relevant facts, extended definitions, each paragraph has a purpose and follows logically from the paragraphs that
concrete details, quotations, or
other information and examples
come before it. Keep your readers in mind as you craft your text. Consider
appropriate to the audience’s what they might already know and what might be unfamiliar. Work at
knowledge of the topic. making your writing engaging and logical. Include headings if they might
• Provide a concluding statement clarify things for your readers. Write a conclusion that follows from your
or section that follows from
and supports the information or thesis and supports the information you presented.
explanation presented.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION : In what ways does the struggle for freedom change with history?
Language Development: Conventions
Syntax: Sentence Patterns

Sentences come in a variety of patterns. Some sentence patterns are best
suited for simple ideas; some patterns better convey complex, related ideas.
Read It
These sentences from the Launch Text demonstrate a variety of sentence
patterns. Subjects are underlined once, and verbs are underlined twice.
• Simple Sentence (one independent clause): In his original draft PUNCTUATION
of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson included a Punctuate compound and
strong condemnation of slavery. complex sentences correctly.
• Use a comma before the
• Inverted Sentence (verb precedes subject): Powerful indeed was
coordinating conjunction in
their pressure. a compound sentence.
• Compound Sentence (two or more independent clauses): Laws • Use a semicolon between
can be changed, and rights can be gained. independent clauses in
a compound sentence
• Complex Sentence (one independent clause and one or more with no coordinating
dependent clauses): The struggle took another crucial step forward conjunction.
in 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation • Use a comma after a
Proclamation. subordinate clause that
begins a complex sentence.
• Compound-Complex Sentence (two or more independent clauses
and one or more dependent clauses): While the path to progress is
not smooth, one thing is certain: The zigzag will continue into the
future.
Write It
As you draft, choose sentence patterns that best match the ideas you want
to convey. Here are some strategies and examples.
STRATEGY EXAMPLES
To convey two
Today, all adult citizens can vote. Many hold

closely related ideas,
higher office.
combine simple
Today, all adult citizens can vote, and many hold
sentences to make
higher office.
compound sentences.
 STANDARDS
Voting rights are among an American’s most
Invert simple Writing
important privileges. Use appropriate and varied
sentences to add
Among an American’s most important privileges transitions and syntax to link the
interest. major sections of the text, create
are voting rights.
cohesion, and clarify the relationships
among complex ideas and concepts.
Eighteen-year-olds rarely vote.
Language
Add subordinate Eighteen-year-olds who are not informed Vary syntax for effect, consulting
clauses to provide rarely vote. references for guidance as needed;
detail. Even when the polls are nearby, eighteen-year- apply an understanding of syntax
olds rarely vote. to the study of complex texts when
reading.

Revising
Evaluating Your Draft
Use this checklist to evaluate the effectiveness of your first draft. Then,
use your evaluation and the revising instructions on this page to guide
your revision.
FOCUS AND ORGANIZATION EVIDENCE AND ELABORATION CONVENTIONS
Provides an introduction that Develops the topic using Attends to the norms
establishes the topic and thesis relevant facts, definitions, and conventions
statement. details, quotations, of the discipline,
examples, and/or other especially the correct
Presents main points in a logical evidence. use and punctuation
order. of compound and
Uses vocabulary and complex sentences.
Uses words, phrases, and clauses to word choices that are
clarify relationships among ideas. appropriate for the Uses appropriate
purpose and audience, and varied sentence
Provides a conclusion that follows including precise words and structures to create
logically from the preceding technical vocabulary where cohesion and clarify
information. appropriate. relationships.
Revising for Focus and Organization

 WORD NETWORK Strong Conclusion Your conclusion should reflect the information that
precedes it, but it also should suggest the topic’s importance or somehow
Include interesting words
connect the topic to a broader view. Notice how the Launch Text writer
from your Word Network in
draws a conclusion about the topic’s connection to the past and the future in
your informative essay.
the conclusion of “The Zigzag Road to Rights.”
LAUNCH TEXT EXCERPT
The history of African American rights features many crucial

victories, from the Emancipation Proclamation through the
Voting Rights Act. However, the record of the struggle also
includes the difficult stumbling blocks that have had to be
overcome. While the path to progress is not smooth, one thing
is certain: The zigzag will continue into the future. History
teaches us that rights gained can be lost, curtailed, or ignored—
and perhaps gained once more.
 STANDARDS
Writing
• Use precise language, domain-
specific vocabulary and techniques
such as metaphor, simile, and Revising for Evidence and Elaboration
analogy to manage the complexity of
Technical Vocabulary If you use topic-specific words, consider how
the topic.
• Provide a concluding statement you might define them for your audience. Be sure to spell and use those
or section that follows from words correctly.
and supports the information or
explanation presented.

ESSENTIAL
ESSENTIAL In In
QUESTION:
QUESTION: what ways
what waysdoes
doesthe
thestruggle
strugglefor
forfreedom
freedomchange
change with
with history?
history?
PEER REVIEW
Exchange essays with a classmate. Use the checklist to evaluate your classmate’s essay and
provide supportive feedback.
1. Is the thesis clear?
yes no If no, explain what confused you.
2. Are there sufficient examples and details to support the thesis?
yes no If no, tell what you think might be missing.
3. Does the text conclude in a logical, satisfying way?
yes no If no, indicate what you might change.
4. What is the strongest part of your classmate’s essay? Why?
Editing and Proofreading

Edit for Conventions Reread your draft for accuracy and consistency.
Correct errors in grammar and word usage. Make sure that you have quoted
your sources accurately and indicated your sources.
Proofread for Accuracy Read your draft carefully, looking for errors in
spelling and punctuation. If you are including technical vocabulary, use a
dictionary to check your spelling.
Publishing and Presenting

Create a final version of your text. Pair up with a classmate (not your peer
reviewer), and read each other’s work. Discuss ways in which your two
essays are alike and different. Are your thesis statements similar? Did you
incorporate some of the same details? Even if the content is similar, do
your styles differ? Share your findings with the class, and talk about what
comparing the texts has taught you about developing a topic and supporting
a thesis.
Reflecting
Consider what you learned by writing your text. Was your research sufficient
to respond to the prompt, or would you have preferred to spend more time  STANDARDS
researching the topic? Think about what you will do differently the next time Writing
you write an informative essay. Develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is most
significant for a specific purpose and
audience.

OVERVIEW: SMALL-GROUP LEARNING
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

As you read these selections, work with your group to explore the various ways in
which the struggle for freedom has changed over time.
From Text to Topic During the Civil War era, opponents of slavery argued that
the nation had not fully lived up to its founding promise of liberty. In the selections
in this section, others add their voices to the chorus, clamoring for liberty, justice,
and equal rights. As you read, consider what the selections show about how the
struggle for freedom has changed and grown over time.
Small-Group Learning Strategies

Throughout your life, in school, in your community, and in your career, you will
continue to develop strategies when you work in teams. Use these strategies during
Small-Group Learning. Add ideas of your own for each step.
Prepare • Complete your assignments so that you are prepared for group work.
• Organize your thinking so you can contribute to your group’s discussions.
Participate fully • Make eye contact to signal that you are listening and taking in what is being said.
• Use text evidence when making a point.
Support others • Build off ideas from others in your group.

• Invite others who have not yet spoken to join the discussion.
Clarify • Paraphrase the ideas of others to ensure that your understanding is correct.
• Ask follow-up questions.

CONTENTS
SPEECH
Ain’t I a Woman?
Sojourner Truth, adapted by Frances Gage
Haven’t women proved over time that they are deserving

of power?
PUBLIC DOCUMENT
Declaration of Sentiments
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
The Declaration of Independence did not

COMPARE
free us all—a form of tyranny still exists!
MEDIA: PODCAST
Giving Women the Vote

Sandra Sleight-Brennan
The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment came

down to a single vote—and a surprising turn of events.
SHORT STORY
The Story of an Hour

Kate Chopin
What might it mean to a woman to be truly free?
LEGAL OPINION
Brown v. Board of Education:

Opinion of the Court Earl Warren
Can educational facilities be equal if they are racially
segregated?
PERFORMANCE TASKS
SPEAKING AND LISTENING FOCUS
Panel Discussion
RESEARCH FOCUS:
Research Presentation
Overview: Small-Group Learning 327

OVERVIEW: SMALL-GROUP LEARNING
Working as a Team
1. Take a Position In your group, discuss the following question:
What issue today might persuade you to join a movement
for social change?
As you take turns sharing your positions, be sure to provide reasons for
your response. After all group members have shared, discuss some of the
connections among the issues that were presented.
2. List Your Rules As a group, decide on the rules that you will follow
as you work together. Two samples are provided. Add two more of your
own. As you work together, you may add or revise rules based on your
experience together.
• People should respect each other’s opinions.
• No one should dominate the discussion.
3. Apply the Rules Share what you have learned about power, protest,
and change. Make sure each person in the group contributes. Take notes
on and be prepared to share with the class one thing that you heard from
another member of your group.
4. Name Your Group Choose a name that reflects the unit topic.

Our group’s name:
5. Create a Communication Plan Decide how you want to communicate

with one another. For example, you might use online platforms,
collaboration apps, video conferencing, email, or group texts.
Our group’s decision:

Making a Schedule
First, find out the due dates for the Small-Group activities. Then, preview
the texts and activities with your group, and make a schedule for
completing the tasks.
SELECTION ACTIVITIES DUE DATE
Ain’t I a Woman?

Opinion of the Court
Was Brown v. Board a Failure?
Working on Group Projects

As your group works together, you’ll find it more effective if each person has
a specific role. Different projects require different roles. Before beginning a
project, discuss the necessary roles, and choose one for each group member.
Here are some possible roles; add your own ideas.
Project Manager: monitors the schedule and keeps everyone on task

Researcher: organizes research activities
Recorder: takes notes during group meetings
Overview: Small-Group Learning 329

MAKING MEANING
About the Author

Ain’t I a Woman?
Concept Vocabulary
As you perform your first read of “Ain’t I a Woman?” you will encounter
these words.
racket fix obliged
Sojourner Truth (c. 1797–
1883) was born into slavery Context Clues When you come across unfamiliar words in a text, you can
in Swartekill, New York, as often determine their meanings by using context clues— words and phrases
Isabella Baumfree. In 1826, Punishment was harsh; many were subjected to the lash, which tore the
when one of her owners skin and caused lasting physical and emotional scars that appear in nearby
refused to honor his promise text. There are various kinds of context clues. Some provide information
to free her, Baumfree fled from which you can draw inferences, or reasonable guesses, about a word’s
with Sophia, her infant meaning.
daughter. In 1843, she
changed her name to Example Sentence: Punishment was harsh: Many were subjected
Sojourner Truth and began to the lash, which tore the skin and caused deep physical and
her career as an abolitionist.
emotional scars.
Her memoirs were published
in 1850, and she toured the Inference: Because it causes the skin to tear and leaves scars, a lash
country to promote not only must be a whip or cane.
abolitionism but also equal
You can verify your preliminary definition by consulting a reliable print
civil rights for women.
or online dictionary.
Apply your knowledge of context clues and other vocabulary strategies to

determine the meanings of unfamiliar words you encounter during your
first read.
First Read NONFICTION

Apply these these strategies as you conduct your first read. You will have an
opportunity to complete a close read after your first read.
NOTICE the general ideas of ANNOTATE by marking

 STANDARDS
the grades 11–CCR Text complexity CONNECT ideas within RESPOND by completing
band proficiently, with scaffolding as the selection to what you the Comprehension Check and
already know and what you by writing a brief summary of
Language have already read. the selection.
• Use context as a clue to the
meaning of a word or phrase.
• Verify the preliminary
determination of the meaning of a
word or phrase.

SPEECH
Ain’t I a
Woman?
Sojourner Truth,
adapted by Frances Gage
BACKGROUND
Sojourner Truth delivered her speech, titled “On Woman’s Rights,” at the
Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, in 1851. Frances Gage, an
abolitionist, published this adapted version in 1863. Though Gage admitted
she had “given but a faint sketch” of Truth’s speech, her version served the
cause of the suffrage movement of the time and has endured. It is by far
the best-known version of the speech.
W
1 ell, children, where there is so much racket there must be

NOTES
something out of kilter.1 I think that ’twixt2 the Negroes of
the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights,
Mark context clues or indicate
the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what’s all this here another strategy you used that
talking about? helped you determine meaning.
2 That man over there says that women need to be helped into racket (RAK iht ) n.
carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place MEANING:
everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over

mudpuddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look
at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered fix (fihks) n.
into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could MEANING:
work as much and eat as much as a man—when I could get it—and
bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen
children, and seen them most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried
1. kilter n. proper state or condition.
2. ’twixt prep. between.
Ain’t I a Woman? 331
out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a
NOTES woman? Then they talk about this thing in the head; what’s this they
call it? [A member of the audience whispers, “Intellect.”] That’s it,
honey. What’s that got to do with women’s rights or Negroes’ rights?
If my cup won’t hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn’t
you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full? Then that
little man in black there, he says women can’t have as much rights
as men, ’cause Christ wasn’t a woman! Where did your Christ come
from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman!
Man had nothing to do with him.3 If the first woman God ever made4
Mark context clues or indicate was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these
another strategy you used that
helped you determine meaning.
women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side
obliged (uh BLYJD) adj. up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.
MEANING:
3 Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain’t got
nothing more to say. ❧
3. Man had nothing to do with him reference to the biblical teaching of the virgin birth
of Jesus.
4. the first woman God ever made the biblical Eve.
MEDIA CONNECTION
VIDEO
BACKGROUND
Sojourner Truth’s original speech was transcribed at the
time by her friend Marius Robinson.Truth’s dialect was most
likely Dutch-accented English because of her regional
upstate New York roots.
Discuss It Watch this performance of the original

speech and compare it to the one you have read. Listen
closely and note how the original speech differs from the
“On Woman’s Rights,” the 1851 Speech
version adapted by Gage. What do you think might have
by Sojourner Truth
been Gage’s reasoning for making the changes she did?
Write your response before sharing your ideas. Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Comprehension Check
Complete the following items after you finish your first read. Review and clarify
details with your group.
1. What two reform movements does the speech connect?
2. According to the speech, what privileges do many people think women should enjoy?
3. Identify two hardships that the writer says Truth suffered.
4. What effect does the writer think women can have on the world if they work together?
5. Notebook Confirm your understanding of the text by writing a summary.
RESEARCH
that detail. In what way does the information you learned shed light on an aspect of
the speech?
Research to Explore This speech may spark your curiosity to learn more about Sojourner
Truth, the era, or the topic. Briefly research a topic that interests you. You may want to
share what you discover with your group.

MAKING MEANING
Close Read the Text

With your group, revisit sections of the text you marked
during your first read. Annotate details that you notice.
What questions do you have? What can you conclude?
AIN’T I A WOMAN?

Analyze the Text to support your answers.
Complete the activities.

GROUP DISCUSSION
1. Review and Clarify With your group, reread paragraph 2 of the
If you disagree with
selection. Discuss the figurative meanings of “pints” and “cups.” What do
someone’s opinion, allow
they have to do with the overall argument in this speech?
the speaker to finish his or
her point. Then, raise your 2. Present and Discuss Now, work with your group to share the passages
objection tactfully—for from the selection that you found especially important. Take turns
example, you might say, “I
presenting your passages. Discuss what you noticed in the selection, the
see it a little differently.”
questions you asked, and the conclusions you reached.
Make sure that you have
textual evidence to support 3. Essential Question: In what ways does the struggle for freedom
your idea. change with history? What has this text taught you about power,
protest, and change? Discuss with your group.
Concept Vocabulary
racket fix obliged
 WORD NETWORK
Why These Words? The three concept vocabulary words are related.
With your group, determine what the words have in common. How do
these word choices enhance the impact of the text?
your Word Network.
Practice
Notebook Confirm your understanding of the concept vocabulary
words by using them in sentences. Be sure to use context clues that hint at
each word’s meaning.
 STANDARDS
• Determine two or more central
ideas of a text and analyze their Word Study
development over the course of the
text, including how they interact Latin Root: -lig- At the end of this speech, Gage chooses to use the
and build on one another to provide phrase “Obliged to you for hearing me. . . .” The English word obliged is
a complex analysis; provide an built from the Latin root -lig-, which means “to bind.” Find several other
• Determine an author’s point words that have this same root. Then, write the words and their meanings.
of view or purpose in a text in
which the rhetoric is particularly
effective, analyzing how style and
content contribute to the power,
persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.


Effective Rhetoric “Ain’t I a Woman?” is a speech that makes an
argument; its message is meant to persuade an audience. The writer of
the speech connects ideas and builds the argument to its climax by using a
refrain, or repeated chorus. This refrain, “And ain’t I a woman?” urgently
restates the main idea and challenges listeners to rethink their ideas about
equality.

Work on your own to fill in the chart. Track the ways in which the writer
uses refrain to build an argument. Find each use of the repeated
question, “Ain’t I a woman?” Then, list the textual details that lead up
to each repetition. Finally, consider how each set of details adds meaning
to the question. After you have completed the chart, share and discuss
your responses with your group.
TEXTUAL DETAILS THAT LEAD TO . . . ADDED MEANING
first statement of the refrain:
first repetition of the refrain:
second repetition of the refrain:

third repetition of the refrain:
fourth repetition of the refrain:

Author’s Style
Use of Words and Phrases A writer or speaker’s diction is his or her choice
of words and phrases. Diction is a key element of a speaker’s style—his or her
distinct way of using language.
AIN’T I A WOMAN? • Diction may be formal, informal, elevated, simple, technical, poetic, or
have many other qualities.
• Diction may change to reflect the audience—the listeners a speaker is
attempting to reach.
• A speaker’s diction reflects both the occasion and purpose of a speech.
Compare the opening lines of the original Sojourner Truth speech as

performed in the Media Connection with the Frances Gage adaptation:
Truth’s 1851 speech: May I say a few words? I want to say a few words
about this matter.
Gage’s 1863 Adaptation: Well, children, where there is so much racket
there must be something out of kilter.
Note that Sojourner Truth was born into slavery and received no formal
education. The diction of her 1851 speech was straightforward and
conversational. Frances Gage imposed a Southern colloquial dialect,
which resulted in an exaggerated, folksy voice.
 STANDARDS
Language
• Apply the understanding that
usage is a matter of convention, can Read It
change over time, and is sometimes Work individually. Review the two versions of Truth’s speech. Use a chart like
contested.
• Apply knowledge of language to the one shown to identify differences you notice in the two works. When
understand how language functions you have completed the chart, meet with your group to discuss whether or
in different contexts, to make not the colloquial diction changed the message of the original speech. Also,
effective choices for meaning or style,
and to comprehend more fully when discuss the question: Was Gage justified in changing Truth’s words? Why, or
reading or listening. why not?
Ain’t I a Woman?—Frances Gage On Woman’s Rights—Sojourner Truth
Write It
Notebook Write a paragraph that suggests the impact that Sojourner
Truth may have had on her audience in 1851. Try to use a mix of formal and
informal diction in your paragraph.

Effective expression
Writing to Sources
Assignment
With your group, prepare an informative text that presents facts about a
topic. Choose from the following options:
a biographical sketch about Sojourner Truth that expands upon the
brief biography that accompanies this selection and that sheds light
upon some of the references in “Ain’t I a Woman?”
an extended definition of woman as it would have been seen by

many in Sojourner Truth’s audience, focusing on the daily life of an
ordinary woman in 1850s America
a cause-and-effect article about the results of antislavery speeches

by abolitionists in the 1850s
Project Plan Work with your group to divide the informative writing option  evidence log
that you chose into manageable sections or parts. Outline your ideas, and
assign each member one part of the writing.
Working Title: _____________________________________________________ what you learned from
“Ain’t I a Woman?”
SECTION
ASSIGNED PERSON
OR PART
Introduction
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Conclusion
 STANDARDS
Writing
Write informative/explanatory texts
Tying It Together Work together to draft an introduction that touches on to examine and convey complex
all the sections or parts that you plan to write. Once everyone has written his ideas, concepts, and information
or her part of the project, get together again to read the parts aloud, suggest effective selection, organization, and
revisions, and draft a conclusion that follows from those parts. analysis of content.

MAKING MEANING
Comparing Text to Media

In this lesson, you will compare the Declaration
of Sentiments, a public document related to the
campaign for women’s suffrage, and a podcast
DECLARATION OF GIVING WOMEN THE VOTE
SENTIMENTS
called “Giving Women the Vote.” First, you will
complete the first-read and close-read activities for
the Declaration of Sentiments.
About the Author

Concept Vocabulary
As you perform your first read, you will encounter these words.
degraded oppressed subordinate
Context Clues If these words are unfamiliar to you, try using context
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
clues—other words and phrases that appear in a text—to help you
(1815–1902) became
determine their meanings. There are various kinds of context clues. Some
interested in reform
provide details that help you infer the word’s meaning. You can then use a
movements through a
cousin, who introduced
dictionary to confirm your inference.
her to Henry Brewster
Elaborating Details: Even when the terrifying storm was at its worst,
Stanton, an abolitionist.
my cousin maintained her usual calm and cheerful demeanor.
Cady and Stanton married
in 1840—agreeing that the Inference: Calm and cheerful relate to a person’s behavior. Demeanor
bride’s promise to obey her must mean “how someone behaves.”
husband would be omitted
from their vows. Stanton Dictionary Meaning: “outward behavior or bearing”
was the primary writer of the
Declaration of Sentiments, Apply your knowledge of context clues and other vocabulary strategies
adopted at the 1848 to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words you encounter during your
Seneca Falls Convention. first read.
Later, Stanton and
Susan B. Anthony founded First Read NONFICTION
the National Woman
Suffrage Association.
notice the general ideas of ANNOTATE by marking

 STANDARDS Who is involved? you want to revisit.
CONNECT ideas within the RESPOND by completing
selection to what you already the Comprehension Check and
Language
• Use context as a clue to the know and what you have by writing a brief summary of
meaning of a word or phrase. already read. the selection.
• Verify the preliminary
determination of the meaning of a
word or phrase.

PUBLIC DOCUMENT
Declaration
For decades after the Declaration
of Sentiments, American suffragists
continued to campaign for the right
of Sentiments
to vote. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
BACKGROUND
In 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott convened the first
women’s rights conference to demand that women be given basic
human rights, including the right to vote, to own property, and to have
equal status under the law. Of those who attended the conference in
Seneca Falls, New York, about a third—32 men and 68 women—signed
the Declaration of Sentiments. The document was highly controversial.
An article published shortly after the convention described it as “the most
shocking and unnatural event ever recorded in the history of womanity.”
W hen, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for

one portion of the family of man to assume among the people NOTES
of the earth a position different from that which they have hitherto
occupied, but one to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God
entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires
that they should declare the causes that impel them to such a course.
2 We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women
are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
inalienable1 rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these
ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance
to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government, laying
its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such
1. inalienable (ihn AYL yuh nuh buhl) adj. absolute; not able to be taken or given away.
Declaration of Sentiments 339

form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and
NOTES happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long
established should not be changed for light and transient2 causes;
and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more
disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves
by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a
long train of abuses and usurpations3 pursuing invariably the same
object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism,4
it is their duty to throw off such government, and to provide new
guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance
of the women under this government, and such is now the necessity
which constrains them to demand the equal station to which they
are entitled. The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries
and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct
object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove
this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
3 He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the
elective franchise.5
4 He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which
another strategy you used that
she had no voice.
helped you determine meaning. 5 He has withheld from her rights which are given to the most
degraded (dih GRAY dihd) adj. ignorant and degraded men—both natives and foreigners.
MEANING: 6 Having deprived her of this first right of a citizen, the elective
franchise, thereby leaving her without representation in the halls of
oppressed (uh PREHST) v. legislation, he has oppressed her on all sides.
MEANING: 7 He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead.
8 He has taken from her all right in property, even to the wages she
earns.
9 He has made her, morally, an irresponsible being, as she can
commit many crimes with impunity,6 provided they be done in
the presence of her husband. In the covenant of marriage, she is
compelled to promise obedience to her husband, he becoming, to
all intents and purposes, her master—the law giving him power to

deprive her of her liberty, and to administer chastisement.7
10 He has so framed the laws of divorce, as to what shall be the proper
causes, and in case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the
children shall be given, as to be wholly regardless of the happiness of
women—the law, in all cases, going upon a false supposition of the
supremacy of man, and giving all power into his hands.
11 After depriving her of all rights as a married woman, if single, and
the owner of property, he has taxed her to support a government
which recognizes her only when her property can be made profitable
to it.
2. transient (TRAN see uhnt) adj. not lasting.

3. usurpations (yoo suhr PAY shuhnz) n. illegal seizures.
4. evinces a design . . . despotism shows an intent to submit women to a situation of
total control.
5. elective franchise right to vote.
6. impunity (ihm PYOO nih tee) n. total freedom from punishment.
7. chastisement (CHAS tyz muhnt) n. strong, punishing criticism.

NOTES
The demands of suffragist leaders aroused intense passions. In this artist’s

interpretation of a real event, suffragist Lucretia Mott is attacked by a mob
when she appears in public.
12 He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and

from those she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty
remuneration. He closes against her all the avenues to wealth and
distinction which he considers most honorable to himself. As a
teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not known.
13 He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education, another strategy you used that
all colleges being closed against her. helped you determine meaning.
He allows her in church, as well as state, but a subordinate subordinate (suh BAWR duh
14
position, claiming apostolic8 authority for her exclusion from the adj.
niht)
ministry, and, with some exceptions, from any public participation in MEANING:
the affairs of the church.

15 He has created a false public sentiment by giving to the world
a different code of morals for men and women, by which moral
delinquencies which exclude women from society, are not only
tolerated, but deemed of little account in man.
16 He has usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as
his right to assign for her a sphere of action, when that belongs to her
conscience and to her God.
17 He has endeavored, in every way that he could, to destroy her
confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make
her willing to lead a dependent and abject life.
8. apostolic (ap uh STOL ihk) adj. derived from the Bible (specifically, from the apostles
appointed by Jesus to spread the gospel).

18 Now, in view of this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people
NOTES of this country, their social and religious degradation—in view
of the unjust laws above mentioned, and because women do feel
themselves aggrieved, oppressed, and fraudulently deprived of their
most sacred rights, we insist that they have immediate admission to
all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of the
United States.
19 In entering upon the great work before us, we anticipate no small
amount of misconception, misrepresentation, and ridicule; but
we shall use every instrumentality within our power to effect our
object. We shall employ agents, circulate tracts, petition the state and
national legislatures, and endeavor to enlist the pulpit and the press
in our behalf. We hope this convention will be followed by a series of
conventions, embracing every part of the country.
20 Firmly relying upon the final triumph of the right and the true, we
do this day affix our signatures to this declaration. ❧
Comprehension Check
1. According to this document, which truths are self-evident?
2. According to Stanton, why do women have a duty to throw off the government?
3. What does Stanton say is the result of denying women the right to vote?
4. What governmental action does the Declaration of Sentiments demand?
5. Notebook Confirm your understanding of the text by writing a summary.
RESEARCH
Research to Explore This public document may spark your curiosity to learn more about
this topic, author, or era. Briefly research a topic that interests you. You may wish to share
what you discover with your group.

MAKING MEANING
Close Read the Text

DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS
Cite textual evidence


1. Review and Clarify With your group, discuss the “long train of
abuses and usurpations” that are listed in the document. If you were to GROUP DISCUSSION
categorize them, what headings would you use? Explain. Give everyone a chance to
contribute to the discussion.
2. Present and Discuss Now, work with your group to share the passages
If you notice that someone is
from the selection that you found especially important. Take turns
not participating, encourage
presenting your passages. Discuss what you noticed in the selection, the
him or her to join in.
questions you asked, and the conclusions you reached.
freedom from reading this text?
Concept Vocabulary
degraded oppressed subordinate
Why These Words? The three concept vocabulary words are related. With  WORD NETWORK
your group, discuss the words, and determine a concept that the words,
have in common. How do these word choices enhance the text’s impact?
your Word Network.
Practice
Notebook Confirm your understanding of the concept vocabulary
words by using them in sentences. Be sure to use context clues that hint at
each word’s meaning.
Word Study
Latin Prefix: sub- According to the Declaration of Sentiments, the
document should tell the world that American women are in a subordinate  STANDARDS
position. The word subordinate begins with the Latin prefix sub-, which Language
means “under.” Find several other words that begin with this prefix. Use Consult general and specialized
reference materials, both print and
etymological information from the dictionary to verify your choices. Then, digital, to find the pronunciation
write the words and their meanings. of a word or determine or clarify
its precise meaning, its part of
speech, its etymology, or its
standard usage.

MAKING MEANING

Author’s Choices: Allusions An allusion is an unexplained reference
CLARIFICATION within a literary work to a well-known person, place, event, text, or work
An extended allusion of art. An allusion adds meaning to a text by offering a point of similarity
may imitate or borrow the or comparison to the ideas the author is presenting. Authors assume that
structure of the text after readers understand both the reference and the layer of meaning it adds.
which it is modeled, the
Although most allusions are conveyed in a word or a phrase, some provide
wording of that text, or
both. structure for an entire piece of writing. In the Declaration of Sentiments,
Elizabeth Cady Stanton creates an extended allusion by modeling her
argument after the Declaration of Independence.

Use this chart to analyze how the extended allusion to the Declaration of
Independence helps introduce, develop, and conclude the argument made
in the Declaration of Sentiments. A first example has been done for you.
Gather your notes, and then share your responses with your group.
Declaration of Allusion to the Declaration of Development of Ideas
Sentiments Independence
Paragraphs 1–2 The Declaration of Independence The allusion suggests that

reads: “We hold these truths to be the Declaration of Sentiments
self-evident: that all men are created is equal in importance
equal. . . . ” Stanton revises this to to—and perhaps even goes
read:“. . . all men and women are beyond— the Declaration of
created equal.” Independence.
Paragraphs 3–17
Paragraphs 18–20


Types of Clauses A clause is a group of words that has a subject and
a predicate. An independent clause can stand on its own as a complete
sentence. A subordinate (also called dependent) clause is unable to stand
alone because it does not express a complete thought. Writers use a variety
DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS
of subordinate clauses to add information, to clarify meaning, and to link
related ideas.
TYPE OF CLAUSE COMPOSITION EXAMPLES
Independent subject, predicate; expresses a We hold these truths to be self-

complete thought evident . . . (paragraph 2)
. . . it is their duty to throw off such
government . . . (paragraph 2)
Subordinate subject, predicate; does not express . . . that they should declare the
a complete thought; begins with a causes . . . (paragraph 1)
word such as which, who, that, since, . . . as she can commit many crimes
when, if, as, although, or because with impunity . . . (paragraph 9)
Read It
1. Each example contains one independent clause and one subordinate
clause. Mark independent clauses once and subordinate clauses twice.
a. Although some proponents of women’s rights supported the
Declaration of Sentiments, others considered it too radical.
b. It was no secret that the work entailed danger and public censure.
c. Because suffrage is such a precious right, Americans should vote in all
elections.
2. Connect to Style Reread this excerpt from Declaration of Sentiments.
Mark independent clauses once and subordinate clauses twice.
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are  evidence log
created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain Before moving on to
inalienable rights. . . . a new selection, go to

your Evidence Log and
Notebook Explain how the use of these clauses helps the writer show a
record what you learned
main idea and the details that support it.
from “Declaration of
Sentiments.”
Write It
Notebook Complete this paragraph by adding a clause to each  STANDARDS
sentence as directed. Reading Informational Text
Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-,
If I had been working alongside Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and nineteenth-century foundational
[independent clause]. I also would have marched for female suffrage, U.S. documents of historical and
[subordinate clause]. Many people fought against giving women literary significance for their themes,
purposes, and rhetorical features.
the vote [subordinate clause]. The work was important, however,
Language
so [independent clause].
Demonstrate command of the
grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.

MAKING MEANING
Comparing Text to Media

This podcast discusses the final steps that made
women’s suffrage a reality. After listening to it, you
will compare how broadcast media can provide
DECLARATION OF GIVING WOMEN THE VOTE
SENTIMENTS
information in a way that differs from the way
information is conveyed in a text.
About the Producer

Media Vocabulary
These words or concepts will be useful to you as you analyze, discuss, and
write about podcasts.
Frame: main spoken • A frame has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Sandra Sleight-Brennan narrative of a • Usually, one narrator or host presents the frame.
(b. 1951) is an award- production
winning scriptwriter and
Special Elements: • Sound effects can add realism. Background music
media producer. She is the
features that provide can highlight the emotion connected with an event.
driving force behind many
points of emphasis Either element can set a mood.
audio and video projects,
in a production • Interview segments can add information and insights.
Web-based documentaries,
and a variety of multimedia Dramatic reenactments can bring events to life.
efforts. Although she has
covered a wide range of Tone: production’s • In a podcast, tone is created through the narrator or
topics, she has a special attitude toward a host’s word choice and vocal qualities, as well as the
interest in projects that subject or audience use of special elements.
show societal change and
that reflect the struggles
of minorities. Sleight-
Brennan’s work has been First Review MEDIA: AUDIO
broadcast on radio stations Apply these strategies as you listen to the podcast.
across the country.
LISTEN and note who is NOTE elements that you find

speaking, what they’re saying, interesting and want to revisit. Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
and how they’re saying it.
CONNECT ideas in the RESPOND by completing

audio to other media you’ve the Comprehension Check.
experienced, texts you’ve
read, or images you’ve seen.
 STANDARDS
Reading Informational Text Listening Strategy: Take Notes
comprehend literary nonfiction in Notebook As you listen, record your observations and questions,
the grades 11–CCR text complexity making sure to note time codes for later reference.

MEDIA | PODCAST

Sandra Sleight-Brennan
BACKGROUND
The campaign to give the vote to all American women faced many
disappointments in the decades following the Seneca Falls Convention. Finally,
however, in June 1919, Congress passed a women’s suffrage amendment to the
United States Constitution and sent it to the states for ratification. Nine months
later, 35 states had ratified the amendment. Only one more state’s ratification
was needed, but the deadline for ratification was drawing near. “Giving Women
the Vote,” which Sandra Sleight-Brennan produced in 2010 to commemorate the
ninetieth anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment, tells the story of that final
state’s ratification—and the surprising way in which it happened.
NOTES
Giving Women the Vote 347

Comprehension Check
Complete the following items after you finish your first review. Review and clarify
1. According to the interview with the reporter from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, what was
the result of the campaign for women’s suffrage in the years just prior to 1920?
2. Which state became the final battleground for making the Nineteenth Amendment the
law of the land?
3. What was the significance of the red or yellow roses worn by people on the scene?
4. According to the dramatic reenactment, why did Harry Burn change his vote?
5. Notebook Write a summary to confirm your understanding of the ratification

of the Nineteenth Amendment, as presented in the podcast.
RESEARCH
Research to Clarify Choose at least one unfamiliar detail from the podcast. Briefly
research that detail. In what way does the information you learned shed light upon an
aspect of the podcast? Share your findings with your group.

MAKING MEANING
Close Review
With your group, review your notes. If necessary, listen to
the podcast again. Record any new observations that seem
important. What questions do you have? What can you
conclude?

Analyze the Media to support your answers.
1. Present and Discuss Choose the part of the podcast you find most
interesting or powerful. Share your choice with your group, and discuss
why you chose it. Explain what you noticed about that section, what
questions it raised for you, and what conclusions you reached about it.
2. Synthesize With your group, review the entire podcast. Do the frame
and the special elements work together to inform listeners? Are they
examples of information, of entertainment, or of both? Explain.

freedom from listening to this podcast? Discuss with your group.
Media Vocabulary
frame special elements tone
Use these vocabulary words in your responses to the following

questions.
1. (a) What do listeners learn from the narrator about the ratification
process? (b) Why might Sleight-Brennan have wanted to include this
information?
2. How do the comments dramatized by the characters of Harry Burn and

his mother help to show the tensions surrounding this final vote for
ratification?
3. This podcast was produced in recognition of the ninetieth anniversary of  STANDARDS

the Nineteenth Amendment. What attitude toward the event do you think Speaking and Listening
it was meant to encourage in listeners? Explain. Evaluate a speaker’s
point of view, reasoning, and use
of evidence and rhetoric, assessing
the stance, premises, links among
ideas, word choice, points of
emphasis, and tone used.
Declaration of Sentiments • Giving Women the Vote 349

Writing to Compare
You have read a document that launched the women’s suffrage movement—
Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s Declaration of Sentiments. You have also listened to
a podcast about the ratification of the nineteenth amendment in 1920. Now,
deepen your understanding of the issue of women’s suffrage by comparing and
contrasting elements of the two selections and putting your ideas in writing.
Assignment
Both the document and the podcast illustrate the methods suffragists
and politicians used to convince people that granting women the vote
was the right course of action. Write a compare-and-contrast essay in
which you analyze how each selection shows persuasion at work. Focus
on the arguments and rhetorical strategies used by the people involved in
Giving Women the Vote the campaign. How did they seek to communicate key ideas in powerful,
convincing ways?
 STANDARDS
Reading Informational Text Prewriting
• Analyze and evaluate the
effectiveness of the structure Analyze the Texts Persuasion involves communicating a point of view
an author uses in his or her
and convincing others to adopt it. Persuasion is accomplished through
exposition or argument, including
whether the structure makes effective rhetoric, or the use of stylistic elements to build meaning in a
points clear, convincing, and powerful way. The elements of rhetoric include:
engaging.
• Determine an author’s point • strong arguments—clearly stated claims supported by compelling evidence
of view or purpose in a text in • a lofty or passionate tone
which the rhetoric is particularly
effective, analyzing how style • the repetition of words, phrases, or ideas
and content contribute to the • the use of striking images
power, persuasiveness or beauty
of the text. • allusions to established or respected ideas or texts
• Integrate and evaluate multiple • the use of analogies, or comparisons.
sources of information presented
in different media or formats
as well as in words in order to Notebook Complete the activity, and answer the questions.
address a question or solve a 1. Analyze elements of rhetoric used by suffragists and their supporters in
problem.
each selection. Assign each group member one element to look for in
either one or both selections. Then, discuss and analyze your findings.
Rhetorical Element Declaration of Sentiments Giving Women the Vote
Argument
Tone
Repetition
Imagery
Allusion
Analogy
2. Which elements of persuasion are showcased in both selections?

3. These two selections focus on events 70 years apart. How did the
suffragists’ arguments or strategies change over time?

Drafting
Draw Conclusions As a group, review and discuss your Prewriting notes.
Based on those notes, what can you conclude about the use of rhetoric
in the suffrage movement, as illustrated by these two selections? Which
elements carried the movement to its successful conclusion?
Thesis/central idea:
Develop a Project Plan Work with your group to outline the body of your
essay and divide the writing task into manageable parts. Use a chart like
this one to assign parts. Write a description of each part in the left column,
and the name of the person assigned to it in the right. Discuss and note key
pieces of evidence to use in each section.
SECTIONS OR PARTS PERSON ASSIGNED
Part I:
Evidence:
Part II:
Evidence:
Part III:
Evidence:
Part IV:
Evidence:
Part V:
Evidence:
Write a Draft Work as a group to draft an introduction that includes your

 evidence log
working thesis and touches on all the sections or parts the body of the essay
will include. Then, work independently to draft the body sections. When
everyone is finished, share your drafts aloud. Discuss revisions that will make
each section stronger. Tie the parts of your essay together with effective
what you’ve learned
transitions. Finally, draft a conclusion that follows logically from all sections of from the Declaration of
the essay. Sentiments and “Giving
Women the Vote.”
Reviewing, Revising, and Editing
Have each group member edit and proofread the text independently. Apply
all your changes to the draft. Then, have one person read the finished essay
aloud. What last small changes need to be made to finalize your work?
Declaration of Sentiments • Giving Women the Vote 351

MAKING MEANING
About the Author

Concept Vocabulary
As you perform your first read of “The Story of an Hour,” you will encounter
these words.
persistence imploring importunities
Kate Chopin (1850–1904)
was born Kate O’Flaherty Familiar Word Parts Separating a word into its parts can often help you
in St. Louis, Missouri. At identify its meaning. Those parts might include familiar prefixes.
the age of 20, she married
Louisiana cotton trader Some prefixes, such as im-, have more than one meaning. When you
Oscar Chopin. The couple come across an unfamiliar word, consider all the meanings of the prefix.
lived in New Orleans before
moving to a rural Louisiana • For example, in the word immobile, im- means “not.” Added to the base
plantation. Chopin briefly word mobile, which means “in motion,” im- creates a new word that means
ran the plantation after her “not mobile,” or “still.“
husband’s death but then • In the word immigrate, im- means “into” or “toward.” Added to the base
returned to St. Louis with word migrate, which means “move from one region to another,” im- creates
their six children. There, a new word that means “move into a new place.”
she began writing fiction.
In the portraits of Louisiana When you read an unfamiliar word that has a prefix, think about other
that she created from that words with the same prefix. Consider which meaning makes the most
point forward, Chopin often sense with the base word. If a prefix has more than one meaning, try
addressed women’s rights out both to determine the meaning of the unfamiliar word.
and racial prejudice.
Apply your knowledge of familiar word parts and other vocabulary strategies
to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words you encounter during your
first read.
First Read FICTION


notice whom the story is ANNOTATE by marking
about, what happened, where vocabulary and key passages
and when it happened, and you want to revisit.
why those involved reacted as
they did.
 STANDARDS
Reading Literature
By the end of grade 11, read and CONNECT ideas within RESPOND by completing
comprehend literature, including the selection to what you the Comprehension Check and
stories, dramas, and poems, in the
grades 11–CCR text complexity already know and what you by writing a summary of the
band proficiently, with scaffolding as have already read. selection.
Language
Identify and correctly use patterns of
word changes that indicate different
meanings or parts of speech.

SHORT STORY
The Story
of an Hour
Kate Chopin
BACKGROUND
“The Story of an Hour” was considered daring in its time. The editors of
at least two magazines refused the story, calling it immoral. They wanted
Chopin to soften her female character and to make her less independent
and less unhappy in her marriage. Undaunted, Chopin continued to deal
with issues of women’s growth and emancipation in her writing, advancing
ideas that are widely accepted today.
K nowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble,

great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the
news of her husband’s death.
NOTES
2 It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences;

veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband’s friend
Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the
newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was
received, with Brently Mallard’s name leading the list of “killed.”
He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second
telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender
friend in bearing the sad message.
3 She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same,
with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once,
with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms. When the
storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She
would have no one follow her.
4 There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy
armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion
that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul.
5 She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees
that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of
rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares.
The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her
faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.
The Story of an Hour 353

6 There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through
NOTES the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west
facing her window.
7 She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair,
quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and
shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in
its dreams.
8 She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke
repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull
stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of
those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather
indicated a suspension of intelligent thought.
9 There was something coming to her and she was waiting for
it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and
elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching
toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air.
10 Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. She was beginning to
recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was
striving to beat it back with her will—as powerless as her two white
slender hands would have been. When she abandoned herself a little
whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and
over under her breath: “free, free, free!” The vacant stare and the look
of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen
and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and
relaxed every inch of her body.
11 She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that
held her. A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the
suggestion as trivial. She knew that she would weep again when she
saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never
looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she
saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come
that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her
Mark familiar word parts or arms out to them in welcome.
indicate another strategy you

used that helped you determine 12 There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she
meaning. would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers
persistence (puhr SIHS tuhns) n. in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they
MEANING: have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature. A kind
intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she
looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination.
13 And yet she had loved him—sometimes. Often she had not. What
did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for
in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly
recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!
14 “Free! Body and soul free!” she kept whispering.
15 Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to
imploring (ihm PLAWR ihng) v. the keyhole, imploring for admission. “Louise, open the door! I
MEANING: beg; open the door—you will make yourself ill. What are you doing,
Louise? For heaven’s sake open the door.”

16 “Go away. I am not making myself ill.” No; she was drinking in a
very elixir of life1 through that open window. NOTES
17 Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring
days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her
own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only Mark familiar word parts or
yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long. indicate another strategy you
used that helped you determine
18 She arose at length and opened the door to her sister’s
meaning.
importunities. There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she
importunities (ihm pawr TOO
carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. She clasped her n.
nuh teez)
sister’s waist, and together they descended the stairs. Richards stood MEANING:
waiting for them at the bottom.
19 Someone was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was
Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly
carrying his gripsack2 and umbrella. He had been far from the scene
of the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood
amazed at Josephine’s piercing cry; at Richards’ quick motion to
screen him from the view of his wife.
20 But Richards was too late.
21 When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of
the joy that kills. ❧
1. elixir of life mythical liquid believed to prolong a person’s life indefinitely.

2. gripsack small bag for holding clothes; suitcase.
Comprehension Check
1. What medical problem afflicts Mrs. Mallard?

2. What news does Mrs. Mallard receive as the story opens?
3. As Mrs. Mallard sits alone in her room, what word does she keep whispering to herself?
4. What happens when Brently Mallard turns up, alive?
5. Notebook Write a summary of the story to confirm your understanding.
RESEARCH
Research to Explore This story may spark your curiosity to learn more. Briefly research a
relevant topic that interests you. You may want to share what you discover with your group.

MAKING MEANING
Close Read the Text

THE STORY OF AN HOUR

Notebook Complete the activities.

GROUP DISCUSSION
Listen carefully as others
1. Review and Clarify With your group, discuss the ending of the story. Do
present their ideas so that you agree with the doctors’ evaluation? Why, or why not?
you do not simply repeat 2. Present and Discuss Now, work with your group to share the passages
their words when your turn from the selection that you found especially important. Take turns
comes. Try to add something presenting your passages. Discuss what you noticed in the selection, the
new to the discussion. questions you asked, and the conclusions you reached.
change with history? What has this text taught you about the struggle
for freedom? Discuss with your group.
Concept Vocabulary
persistence imploring importunities
 WORD NETWORK Why These Words? The three concept vocabulary words from the text are
related. With your group, discuss the words, and determine what the words
have in common. How do these word choices enhance the text?
your Word Network.
Practice
Notebook Use a dictionary or thesaurus to find and record two
synonyms for each of the concept vocabulary words. Then, write a

sentence that explains how you think Chopin’s word choices affect readers’
understanding of the story. Share your sentences with your group.
 STANDARDS
Reading Literature
• Determine two or more themes or Word Study
central ideas of a text and analyze
their development over the course of
Notebook Denotation and Connotation The denotation of
the text, including how they interact a word is its dictionary meaning. Connotation refers to the shades of
and build on one another to produce meaning a word conveys. As Mrs. Mallard sits in her room, she hears
a complex account; provide an
Josephine’s importunities for her to open the door. The denotation of the
word is “instances of persistent begging.” The connotation, however,
• Analyze the impact of the author’s
choices regarding how to develop suggests that such begging is especially annoying. Use a thesaurus to find
and relate elements of a story or four other words that mean “to beg,” and think about their connotations.
drama. Then, list the words in order—from least to most forceful, or from most
Language negative to most positive.
• Analyze nuances in the meaning of
words with similar denotations.


Development of Theme In this story, the author develops a central
idea, or theme, about the ways in which the society of her time constrains
women. To develop that thematic insight, Chopin focuses on the contrast
between Mrs. Mallard’s internal monologue—her main character’s
thoughts and conversation with herself—and the external situation in which
Mrs. Mallard finds herself.

Use the chart to track Mrs. Mallard’s actions and the emotional journey
she undergoes. Then, explain how Mrs. Mallard’s actions and feelings
suggest Chopin’s theme about the status of women in the society of her
era. Note that there may be more than one theme. Complete this chart
independently, and then share your responses with your group.
WHAT MRS. MALLARD WHAT MRS. MALLARD

PARAGRAPH THEMATIC MEANING
DOES FEELS
9
10
17


Author’s Choices: Irony “The Story of an Hour” is an ironic tale. Irony is
a contradiction between appearance and reality, between expectation and
outcome, or between meaning and intention. In literature, readers frequently
encounter three types of irony.
THE STORY OF AN HOUR
Situational Irony: Something happens that contradicts readers’

expectations.
Example: In the story “The Necklace,” a couple must replace a diamond
necklace that the wife borrowed from a friend and lost. Years later, after
falling into poverty in order to pay for the replacement necklace, the
couple discover the original was a fake.
Dramatic Irony: Readers or viewers are aware of something that a
character does not know.
Example: In Romeo and Juliet, characters believe that Juliet is dead, but
the audience knows that she is simply in a drugged sleep.
Verbal Irony: Someone says something that deliberately contradicts
what that person actually means.
Example: In Julius Caesar, Marc Antony refers to Brutus as “an honorable
man” when he means to prove that Brutus, Caesar’s killer, is extremely
dishonorable.
Read It
Work individually. Complete each situation below, and write your response
to it based on the story. Then, reconvene with your group to compare and
contrast your responses.
PARAGRAPHS SITUATION WHY IS THIS IRONIC?
5–6 Mrs. Mallard has

 STANDARDS just learned about
Reading Literature her husband’s
Analyze a case in which grasping death, but now she

point of view requires distinguishing notices . . .
what is directly stated in a text from
what is really meant.
• Propel conversations by posing and 20–21 Mrs. Mallard has
responding to questions that probe
reconciled herself
reasoning and evidence; ensure a
hearing for a full range of positions to her newfound
on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or freedom, but now
challenge ideas and conclusions; and she discovers . . .
promote divergent and creative
perspectives.
• Respond thoughtfully to diverse
perspectives; synthesize comments,
claims, and evidence made on Write It
all sides of an issue; resolve Notebook Choose a favorite movie with a classic, expected ending.
contradictions when possible;
and determine what additional Write a paragraph that changes the ending so that it becomes ironic. Explain
information or research is required to how your new ending is an example of situational irony.
deepen the investigation or complete
the task.

Effective expression

Assignment
Hold a group discussion to consider how readers of Chopin’s time might
have responded to “The Story of an Hour.” Use what you know about
the history of the era. Choose one of these social groups as the focus for
your discussion.
How might women in various social roles have responded to the story?
How might other writers or artists have responded to the story?
How might social critics or activists have responded to the story?
Preparing for the Discussion Locate areas of the text that support your
ideas about how the social group you selected might respond to the story.
Record your best examples here. Then, join up with others who chose the
same perspective, and compare notes as a group.
Perspective: _______________________________________________________
SECTION OF TEXT POSSIBLE RESPONSE / EXPLANATION

Holding the Discussion Decide as a group whether you want to go

through the story section by section and have each person respond from his
 evidence log
or her chosen perspective, or whether you prefer to look at the whole text
through one perspective at a time. Either way, make sure that everyone has
a chance to speak and to express opinions that are supported with evidence
from the text and knowledge about 1890s America. If questions emerge
from your discussion, decide together how you will locate the answers.
“The Story of an Hour.”

MAKING MEANING
Comparing Texts
In this lesson, you will read and compare the decision
of the Supreme Court in the case Brown v. Board of
Education and the magazine article “Was Brown v.
Brown v. Board of Was Brown v. Board
Education: OPINION OF
Board a Failure?” First, you will complete the first- a Failure?
THE COURT read and close-read activities for the Supreme Court
decision. The work you do with your group on this
title will help prepare you for your final comparison.
About the Author

Opinion of the Court
Concept Vocabulary
As you read the Supreme Court’s opinion in Brown v. Board of Education,
you will encounter these words.
Earl Warren (1891–1974),
a lawyer and three-time plaintiffs jurisdiction disposition
governor of California,
served as the fourteenth Familiar Word Parts In your reading, you may encounter words that are
Chief Justice of the United a bit unfamiliar but that seem to have word parts that you recognize. As this
States, from 1953 to 1969. example shows, the word part that you recognize can help you determine
Warren’s time on the the meaning of the unfamiliar word.
Court was an active one,
with landmark decisions Sentence: A sense of possibilities can embolden children to learn.
in race relations, criminal
Familiar Word Part: bold, which means “without fear” or
procedure, and legislative
apportionment. After the “courageous”
assassination of President Conclusion: Since bold involves a lack of fear, embolden must have
John F. Kennedy in 1963,
something to do with instilling fearlessness in someone.
Warren headed a federal
commission that investigated
the murder. First Read NONFICTION

notice the general ideas of ANNOTATE by marking

 STANDARDS
the grades 11–CCR text complexity CONNECT ideas within the RESPOND by completing
band proficiently, with scaffolding as selection to what you already the Comprehension Check and
know and what you have by writing a brief summary of
Language
Identify and correctly use patterns of
already read. the selection.
word changes that indicate different
meanings or parts of speech.

LEGAL OPINION

Opinion of the Court Earl Warren
BACKGROUND
In 1951, when 17 states required schools to be segregated by race, 13
parents brought a lawsuit against the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas.
At the forefront of the case was the Brown family. Linda Brown, an African
American third-grader, was not allowed to attend the elementary school seven
blocks from her house. Instead, she was required to take a bus to a school
across town. Since the United States Supreme Court decision in the 1896 case
Plessy v. Ferguson, racial segregation of schools had been allowed so long
as the schools were “separate but equal.” In the landmark case of Brown v.
Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously (9–0) to overrule
Plessy.
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES NOTES
Brown v. Board of Education,

347 U.S. 483 (1954) (USSC+)
347 U.S. 483

Argued December 9, 1952
Reargued December 8, 1953
Decided May 17, 1954
APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS*
Syllabus
1 Segregation of white and Negro children in the public schools of
a State solely on the basis of race, pursuant to1 state laws permitting
or requiring such segregation, denies to Negro children the equal
protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment—
even though the physical facilities and other “tangible” factors of
white and Negro schools may be equal.
1. pursuant to in a way that agrees with or follows.
Brown v. Board of Education: Opinion of the Court 361
2 (a) The history of the Fourteenth Amendment is inconclusive2 as to
NOTES its intended effect on public education.
3 (b) The question presented in these cases must be determined not on
the basis of conditions existing when the Fourteenth Amendment was
adopted, but in the light of the full development of public education
and its present place in American life throughout the Nation.
4 (c) Where a State has undertaken to provide an opportunity for an
education in its public schools, such an opportunity is a right which
must be made available to all on equal terms.
5 (d) Segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis
of race deprives children of the minority group of equal educational
opportunities, even though the physical facilities and other
“tangible” factors may be equal.
6 (e) The “separate but equal” doctrine adopted in Plessy v. Ferguson,
163 U.S. 537, has no place in the field of public education.
7 (f) The cases are restored to the docket3 for further argument on
specified questions relating to the forms of the decrees.
Opinion
8 MR. CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN delivered the opinion of the Court.
9 These cases come to us from the States of Kansas, South Carolina,
Virginia, and Delaware. They are premised on4 different facts and
different local conditions, but a common legal question justifies their
consideration together in this consolidated opinion.
10 In each of the cases, minors of the Negro race, through their legal
representatives, seek the aid of the courts in obtaining admission to
the public schools of their community on a nonsegregated basis. In
Mark familiar word parts or each instance, they had been denied admission to schools attended
used that helped you determine by white children under laws requiring or permitting segregation
meaning. according to race. This segregation was alleged to deprive the
plaintiffs (PLAYN tihfs) n. plaintiffs of the equal protection of the laws under the Fourteenth
MEANING: Amendment. In each of the cases other than the Delaware case, a
three-judge federal district court denied relief to the plaintiffs on the
so-called “separate but equal” doctrine announced by this Court
in Plessy v. Fergson, 163 U.S. 537. Under that doctrine, equality of
treatment is accorded when the races are provided substantially equal
facilities, even though these facilities be separate. In the Delaware
case, the Supreme Court of Delaware adhered to that doctrine, but
ordered that the plaintiffs be admitted to the white schools because of
their superiority to the Negro schools.
Mark familiar word parts or 11 The plaintiffs contend that segregated public schools are not
used that helped you determine
“equal” and cannot be made “equal,” and that hence they are
meaning. deprived of the equal protection of the laws. Because of the obvious
jurisdiction (jur ihs DIHK importance of the question presented, the Court took jurisdiction.
shuhn) n.
MEANING:
2. inconclusive adj. not fully resolving all doubts or questions.
3. docket n. list of the legal cases that will be tried in a court of law.
4. premised on based on.

Argument was heard in the 1952 Term, and reargument was heard
this Term on certain questions propounded5 by the Court. NOTES
12 Reargument was largely devoted to the circumstances surrounding

the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868. It covered
exhaustively consideration of the Amendment in Congress,
ratification6 by the states, then-existing practices in racial segregation,
and the views of proponents and opponents of the Amendment. This
discussion and our own investigation convince us that, although
these sources cast some light, it is not enough to resolve the problem
with which we are faced. At best, they are inconclusive. The most
avid proponents of the post-War Amendments undoubtedly intended
them to remove all legal distinctions among “all persons born or
naturalized in the United States.” Their opponents, just as certainly,
were antagonistic to both the letter and the spirit of the Amendments
and wished them to have the most limited effect. What others in
Congress and the state legislatures had in mind cannot be determined
with any degree of certainty.
13 An additional reason for the inconclusive nature of the
Amendment’s history with respect to segregated schools is the
status of public education at that time. In the South, the movement
toward free common schools, supported by general taxation, had
not yet taken hold. Education of white children was largely in
the hands of private groups. Education of Negroes was almost
nonexistent, and practically all of the race were illiterate. In fact, any
education of Negroes was forbidden by law in some states. Today,
in contrast, many Negroes have achieved outstanding success in
the arts and sciences, as well as in the business and professional
world. It is true that public school education at the time of the
Amendment had advanced further in the North, but the effect of
the Amendment on Northern States was generally ignored in the
congressional debates. Even in the North, the conditions of public
education did not approximate those existing today. The curriculum
was usually rudimentary; ungraded schools were common in rural
areas; the school term was but three months a year in many states,
and compulsory school attendance was virtually unknown. As a
consequence, it is not surprising that there should be so little in the
history of the Fourteenth Amendment relating to its intended effect
on public education.
14 In the first cases in this Court construing the Fourteenth
Amendment, decided shortly after its adoption, the Court interpreted
it as proscribing all state-imposed discriminations against the
Negro race. The doctrine of “separate but equal” did not make its
appearance in this Court until 1896 in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson,
supra,7 involving not education but transportation. American courts
have since labored with the doctrine for over half a century. In this
5. propounded v. suggested for consideration.

6. ratification n. process of officially approving and accepting an agreement.
7. supra mentioned earlier in this writing.

Court, there have been six cases involving the “separate but equal”
NOTES doctrine in the field of public education. In Cumming v. County Board of
Education, 175 U.S. 528, and Gong Lum v. Rice, 275 U.S. 78, the validity
of the doctrine itself was not challenged. In more recent cases, all
on the graduate school level, inequality was found in that specific
benefits enjoyed by white students were denied to Negro students of
the same educational qualifications. Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada,
305 U.S. 337; Sipuel v. Oklahoma, 332 U.S. 631; Sweatt v. Painter, 339 U.S.
629; McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637. In none of these
cases was it necessary to reexamine the doctrine to grant relief to the
Negro plaintiff. And in Sweatt v. Painter, supra, the Court expressly
reserved decision on the question whether Plessy v. Ferguson should be
held inapplicable to public education.
15 In the instant cases, that question is directly presented. Here,
unlike Sweatt v. Painter, there are findings below that the Negro and
white schools involved have been equalized, or are being equalized,
with respect to buildings, curricula, qualifications and salaries of
teachers, and other “tangible” factors. Our decision, therefore, cannot
turn on merely a comparison of these tangible factors in the Negro
and white schools involved in each of the cases. We must look instead
to the effect of segregation itself on public education.
16 In approaching this problem, we cannot turn the clock back to
1868, when the Amendment was adopted, or even to 1896, when
Plessy v. Ferguson was written. We must consider public education in
the light of its full development and its present place in American
life throughout the Nation. Only in this way can it be determined if
segregation in public schools deprives these plaintiffs of the equal
protection of the laws.
17 Today, education is perhaps the most important function of state
and local governments. Compulsory school attendance laws and the
great expenditures for education both demonstrate our recognition
of the importance of education to our democratic society. It is
required in the performance of our most basic public responsibilities,

even service in the armed forces. It is the very foundation of good
citizenship. Today it is a principal instrument in awakening the child
to cultural values, in preparing him for later professional training,
and in helping him to adjust normally to his environment. In these
days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to
succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. Such
an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a
right which must be made available to all on equal terms.
18 We come then to the question presented: Does segregation of
children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though
the physical facilities and other “tangible” factors may be equal,
deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational
opportunities? We believe that it does.
19 In Sweatt v. Painter, supra, in finding that a segregated law school
for Negroes could not provide them equal educational opportunities,

this Court relied in large part on “those qualities which are incapable
of objective measurement but which make for greatness in a law NOTES
school.” In McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, supra, the Court, in

requiring that a Negro admitted to a white graduate school be treated
like all other students, again resorted to intangible considerations:
“. . . his ability to study, to engage in discussions and exchange
views with other students, and, in general, to learn his profession.”
Such considerations apply with added force to children in grade
and high schools. To separate them from others of similar age and
qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of
inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their
hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone. The effect of
this separation on their educational opportunities was well stated
by a finding in the Kansas case by a court which nevertheless felt
compelled to rule against the Negro plaintiffs:
Segregation of white and colored children in public schools

has a detrimental effect upon the colored children. The impact
is greater when it has the sanction8 of the law, for the policy
of separating the races is usually interpreted as denoting the
inferiority of the negro group. A sense of inferiority affects the
motivation of a child to learn. Segregation with the sanction of
law, therefore, has a tendency to [retard] the educational and
mental development of negro children and to deprive them of
some of the benefits they would receive in a racial[ly] integrated
school system.
20 Whatever may have been the extent of psychological knowledge

at the time of Plessy v. Ferguson, this finding is amply supported by
modern authority. Any language in Plessy v. Ferguson contrary to this
finding is rejected.
21 We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine
of “separate but equal” has no place. Separate educational facilities
are inherently unequal. Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and
others similarly situated for whom the actions have been brought are, Mark familiar word parts or
by reason of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal used that helped you determine
protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. meaning.
This disposition makes unnecessary any discussion whether such disposition (dihs puh ZIHSH
segregation also violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth uhn) n.
Amendment. MEANING:
22 Because these are class actions, because of the wide applicability

of this decision, and because of the great variety of local conditions,
the formulation of decrees in these cases presents problems of
considerable complexity. On reargument, the consideration of
appropriate relief was necessarily subordinated to the primary
question—the constitutionality of segregation in public education. We
have now announced that such segregation is a denial of the equal
8. sanction n. official permission or approval.

protection of the laws. In order that we may have the full assistance
NOTES of the parties in formulating decrees, the cases will be restored to the
docket, and the parties are requested to present further argument
on Questions 4 and 5 previously propounded by the Court for the
reargument this Term. The Attorney General of the United States
is again invited to participate. The Attorneys General of the states
requiring or permitting segregation in public education will also
be permitted to appear as amici curiae upon request to do so by
September 15, 1954, and submission of briefs by October 1, 1954.
23 It is so ordered. ❧
Comprehension Check
1. What change are the plaintiffs in this case seeking?
2. What standard had been set earlier by the Plessy v. Ferguson decision?
3. According to the opinion of the Court, what fundamental conflict exists between

segregation and the Fourteenth Amendment?
4. Notebook Write a summary of Brown v. Board of Education.
RESEARCH
that detail. In what way does the information you learned shed light on an aspect of the
Supreme Court’s opinion? Share your findings with your group.

MAKING MEANING
Close Read the Text

BROWN v. BOARD OF EDUCATION:
OPINION OF THE COURT

1. Review and Clarify With your group, review paragraphs 15–19.
GROUP DISCUSSION
Then, discuss the justices’ argument about why “separate but equal” is
inherently unequal. If you do not fully
understand a classmate’s
2. Present and Discuss Share with your group the passages from the text comment, ask for
that you found especially significant, taking turns with others. Discuss clarification. Using a
what you noticed in the text, what questions you asked, and what respectful tone, state exactly
conclusions you reached. what you don’t understand.
3. Essential Question: In what ways does the struggle for freedom  WORD NETWORK
change with history? What has this text taught you about the struggle
for freedom? Discuss with your group.
your Word Network.
Concept Vocabulary
plaintiffs jurisdiction disposition
Why These Words? The three concept vocabulary words from the text are
related. With your group, discuss the words, and determine what the words
have in common. How do these word choices enhance the text?
 STANDARDS
Practice Use each concept vocabulary word in a sentence. Make sure to

include context clues that hint at the word’s meaning. Determine the meaning of words
and phrases as they are used
in a text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical
Word Study meanings; analyze how an author
uses and refines the meaning of a
Technical Words Most professions, including such fields as medicine and key term or terms over the course
law, have their own technical language, often called jargon. In writing the of a text.
Court’s opinion in Brown v. Board of Education, Chief Justice Earl Warren Language
Acquire and use accurately general
uses technical legal words such as plaintiffs, jurisdiction, and disposition. academic and domain-specific
Find four other words in the selection that could be classified as legal jargon. words and phrases, sufficient for
Write the words and their meanings. reading, writing, speaking, and
listening at the college and career
readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering
vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
expression.

MAKING MEANING

Author’s Choices: Structure In Brown v. Board of Education, Chief
Justice Earl Warren delivers the opinion, or legal judgment, of the Court.
He defends the Court’s position in the form of an analytical argument.
In an analytical argument, a writer or speaker uses logical reasoning
BROWN v. BOARD OF EDUCATION:
and persuasive evidence to examine an issue and to support a particular
conclusion, called a claim. In legal opinions, the writer presenting
the argument anticipates and considers objections and challenges, or
counterclaims.

to support your answers.
Practice
Work with your group to analyze the structure of the Court’s opinion. Review
the text, and complete the chart. Notice the order of topics: Warren proceeds
from historical to legal to social considerations before arriving at a conclusion.
Identify specific details from each section of the opinion, and explain the main
idea they develop. Then, explain how each section adds to the line of reasoning
that results in the Court’s decision.
TOPIC DETAILS IN THE TEXT MAIN IDEA
Fourteenth
Amendment
(historical
considerations)
Plessy v. Ferguson
(legal
considerations)
Importance of
education
(social
considerations)
Conclusions
reached by the
Court

Language development

Coordinating Conjunctions A coordinating conjunction connects
words, phrases, or clauses of equal rank. You can improve your sentence
variety by using coordinating conjunctions to combine short, simple
sentences into compound sentences.
Original: These cases are premised on different facts. A common

legal question justifies their consideration together.
evision: These cases are premised on different facts, but a

R
common legal question justifies their consideration together.
Coordinating conjunctions show different relationships between the words or PUNCTUATION

ideas that they connect. Study this chart. If you use a coordinating
conjunction to join two
Coordinating Conjunction Relationship independent clauses,
and addition or similarity place a comma before the
coordinating conjunction.
but, yet contrast
so result or effect
for reason or cause
or, nor choice
Read It  EVIDENCE LOG

In each item from or about the Supreme Court’s opinion in Brown v. Board new selection, go to your
of Education, mark the coordinating conjunction and the words or groups of Evidence Log and record
words that it connects. what you learned from the
1. Compulsory attendance laws and the great expenditures for education Supreme Court’s opinion
demonstrate our recognition of its importance. in Brown v. Board of
Education.
2. Education is a principal instrument in awakening the child to cultural values,
but success in life without the opportunity of an education is doubtful.
3. The state undertakes to make education available, yet it must be available  STANDARDS
to all on equal terms. Reading Informational Text

Analyze and evaluate the
4. Education is a key function of government, for it is the very foundation of effectiveness of the structure
good citizenship. an author uses in his or her
exposition or argument, including
whether the structure makes
Write It points clear, convincing, and
engaging.
Notebook Use a coordinating conjunction to combine each pair of
Language
sentences. Write the new sentence. • Demonstrate command of the
1. According to the plaintiffs, public schools are not “equal.” The schools conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing
cannot be made “equal.” or speaking.
2. Schools may have equal physical facilities. That fact doesn’t guarantee • Apply knowledge of language
equal educational opportunities. to understand how language
functions in different contexts,
3. Minority children in segregated schools may lack motivation to learn. to make effective choices
By their very nature, such schools tend to instill a sense of inferiority. for meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully when
4. The Court agreed. Segregation in public schools was struck down. reading or listening.

Writing to Sources
News articles inform the public about major events taking place in the world.
They often summarize and explain complex happenings in a way that is easily
understood.
BROWN V BOARD OF EDUCATION:

Assignment
With your group, analyze the Supreme Court’s opinion in Brown v. Board
of Education. Then, write a news article in which you summarize and
explain the Court’s historic decision.
• Outline the essay, and take note of the key ideas you will include in
your article.
• Provide an accurate summarization of the opinion.
• Use precise words to ensure your reporting is factual.
• Avoid injecting your own group’s opinions or commentary.
• Title your article and list its contributors.
Vocabulary and Conventions Connection Consider including some of

the concept vocabulary words. Also, consider using coordinating conjunctions
to link ideas and to combine short sentences.
plaintiffs jurisdiction disposition
Reflect on Your Writing

After you have drafted your news article answer these questions.
1. In what ways is your writing suited to a general audience?

2. Are your summarizations and explanations an accurate reflection of the
original text?
3. Why These Words? The words you choose can greatly increase the
effect of your writing. To what extent are your word choices precise
and clear?


Assignment
Chief Justice Warren’s Court tried several cases concerning civil rights.
Choose one of the following cases to research. Then, hold a group
discussion in which you share your findings.
Bolling v. Sharpe
Cooper v. Aaron
Lucy v. Adams
Loving v. Virginia
1. Perform Research As a group, decide which case to research, and

then, working individually, find 2-3 reputable sources to consult. Keep the
following in mind as you conduct research:
• Internet sources that contain .gov or .edu are generally more reliable
than sites containing .com or .org.
• Be sure to verify evidence by cross-checking with another source.
2. Take Notes As you research, take careful, accurate notes and be sure
to indicate which sources you used. At the end of your notes document,
create a set of “talking points” to bring up during your group’s discussion.
3. Hold the Discussion When all group members have completed their
research, come together to discuss your findings.
• Appoint a facilitator, who will lead the discussion and ensure that the
group stays on topic and follows ground rules for discussion.
• When it is your turn to share your research, refer to your talking points. Be
brief and to the point, but try to make your research findings interesting
to listeners. When you have finished presenting, invite questions from
listeners.
• When you are listening to others present, be respectful and attentive.
When invited to do so, ask questions that are relevant to the topic.
4. Summarize Findings At the conclusion of your group discussion, work

with your group’s facilitator to summarize the work of Earl Warren’s Court  evidence log
as it relates to civil rights. Share your findings with other groups, and Before moving on to a
invite questions from your audience. new selection, go to your
what you learned from the
Supreme Court’s opinion
in Brown v. Board of
Education.
371
Performance Task: Speaking and Listening FOCUS
SOURCES
• AIN’T I A WOMAN?
Panel Discussion
• DECLARATION OF Assignment
SENTIMENTS
You have read a variety of texts by people who sought to protest social
• GIVING WOMEN THE VOTE ills and encourage change. Work with your group to hold an informative
• THE STORY OF AN HOUR panel discussion that addresses these questions:
• BROWN v. BOARD OF
What were the goals of these reformers?
EDUCATION: OPINION OF Why did they want to achieve those goals?
THE COURT
Make a video recording of your discussion to share with others.
Plan With Your Group

Analyze the Texts There are four texts in the chart. If there are four
members in your group, have each member choose one text as his or her
area of expertise. If there are more than four members, form partnerships
to choose texts. Use the chart headings to formulate key ideas about the
particular text you or your partnership has chosen.
TITLE GOAL OF REFORMER REASONS FOR GOAL
Ain’t I a Woman?
Declaration of
Sentiments
Giving Women
the Vote

Brown v. Board of
Education: Opinion
of the Court
Gather Evidence Find specific details from your text to support your ideas.
 STANDARDS Take notes or use note cards to list quotations from the text that support
Speaking and Listening your understanding of the reformer’s goal. If necessary, conduct research
Come to discussions prepared, to locate evidence that supports your understanding of why that goal was
having read and researched material
under study; explicitly draw on that important to the reformer.
preparation by referring to evidence
from texts and other research on
the topic or issue to stimulate a
thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange
of ideas.

Essential Question: In what ways does the struggle for freedom change with history?
Organize Your Presentation Choose a moderator to present the

assignment questions, which each panel member will answer in turn. The
moderator should also make sure that each speaker keeps to agreed-upon
time limits and doesn’t speak out of turn. Decide on the order in which
presenters will speak. Ask a classmate from another group to make a video
recording of your discussion.
Rehearse With Your Group

Practice With Your Group Use this checklist to evaluate the effectiveness
of your group’s first run-through. Then, use your evaluation and these
instructions to guide your revision.
PRESENTATION
CONTENT USE OF MEDIA
TECHNIQUES
Each speaker The equipment The speakers

clearly answers the functions properly. use formal
questions asked. he focus moves
T language
appropriately.
Each speaker smoothly from

supports ideas speaker to speaker. The speakers

with evidence make eye
from the texts contact and
or additional speak clearly.
research. Interactions

between
speakers and
the moderator
are civil and
smooth.
Fine-Tune the Content If necessary, find additional examples from your

chosen text to support your ideas. Make sure that you have incorporated all
of the outside research you did as you respond to the moderator’s questions.
Improve Your Use of Media Watch a playback of your recording, and
give feedback to your recorder. In particular, make sure that the sound is
audible so that viewers can easily hear what is being asked and answered.
Brush-Up on Your Presentation Techniques Listen for places where
you may revert to language that is more informal or less polished. Try to  STANDARDS
speak as though you are educating an audience that is eager to learn about Speaking and Listening
• Present information, findings, and
these reformers. supporting evidence, conveying a
clear and distinct perspective, such
that listeners can follow the line of
Present and Evaluate reasoning, alternative or opposing
perspectives are addressed, and
As you record your final panel discussion, give all speakers equal time to the organization, development,
substance, and style are appropriate
share their ideas. As you watch the videos made by other groups, evaluate to purpose, audience, and a range of
the presentations based on the evaluation checklist. formal and informal tasks.
• Adapt speech to a variety of
contexts and tasks, demonstrating
a command of formal English when
indicated or appropriate.
Performance Task: Panel Discussion 373

Performance Task: Research
Primary SOURCES
• Mary Chesnut’s Civil War

Research Presentation
• Bombardment of Assignment
Sumter (art)
You have explored ways in which people across history have struggled for
• Recollections of a freedom. Now, expand your knowledge by researching how individuals in
Private
the Civil War period dealt with realities of war. With your group, read the
• Civil War Soldier (art) primary sources that have been provided. Then, form additional research
questions based on your reading and locate another source to explore.
Synthesize your learning to answer this question:
What can we learn from ordinary people about
extraordinary wartime events?
Share your learning in a research presentation.
Plan With Your Group

Analyze the Texts As a group, analyze and discuss each primary source
listed here. Remember that a primary source is a document, image, or artifact
that provides information about a historical topic. As you study each source,
note what information it conveys and also note what further questions
the source raises. Perform additional research as needed to find additional
information on events, authors, or artists.
TITLE WHAT WE LEARNED QUESTIONS WE HAVE
Mary Chesnut’s Civil

War
Bombardment of
Sumter (art)
Recollections of a
Private
Civil War Soldier (art)
Formulate a Research Question Once you have studied the sources that
have been provided, formulate a research question that arises from your
reading. With your group, locate and analyze a source that will provide the
information you seek, and take notes on your learning.
Synthesize Your Findings Review what you’ve learned from the primary
sources you consulted. Then, with your group, answer the question posed in
the assignment.

Primary Source 1
from Mary Chesnut’s

Civil War
Mary Chesnut
BACKGROUND
The excerpts are from the diary of Mary Chestnut, who provides an
eyewitness account of events leading to and following an attack on Fort
Sumter.
APRIL 7, 1861. Today things seem to have settled down a little. Primary Sources
One can but hope still. Lincoln or Seward have made such silly Diaries and Journals What
advances and then far sillier drawings back. There may be a chance details of style and form tell
you that you are reading a
for peace, after all.
diary or journal entry?
Things are happening so fast.
My husband has been made an aide-de-camp of General
Beauregard.
Three hours ago we were quietly packing to go home. The conven-
tion has adjourned.
Now he tells me the attack upon Fort Sumter may begin tonight.
Depends upon Anderson and the fleet outside. The Herald says that
this show of war outside of the bar is intended for Texas.
John Manning came in with his sword and red sash. Pleased as a
boy to be on Beauregard’s staff while the row goes on. He has gone
with Wigfall to Captain Hartstene with instructions.
Mr. Chesnut is finishing a report he had to make to the convention.
Mrs. Hayne called. She had, she said, “but one feeling, pity for
those who are not here.”
Jack Preston, Willie Alston—“the take-life-easys,” as they are
called—with John Green, “the big brave,” have gone down to the
island—volunteered as privates.
Seven hundred men were sent over. Ammunition wagons
rumbling along the streets all night. Anderson burning blue lights—
Primary Sources
signs and signals for the fleet outside, I suppose.
Diaries and Journals
Today at dinner there was no allusion to things as they stand in Judging from her list
Charleston Harbor. There was an undercurrent of intense excitement. of dinner guests, what
There could not have been a more brilliant circle. In addition to our can you infer about
usual quartet (Judge Withers, Langdon Cheves, and Trescot) our two Mary Chesnut’s social
governors dined with us, Means and Manning. circumstances?
from Mary Chesnut’s Civil War 375

 Primary Source: Art

Describe the spectators’
differing reactions to the
attack on Fort Sumter as
shown in this illustration.
Bombardment of Sumter, Harper’s Weekly, 1861
These men all talked so delightfully. For once in my life I listened. Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
That over, business began. In earnest, Governor Means rummaged

a sword and red sash from somewhere and brought it for Colonel
Chesnut, who has gone to demand the surrender of Fort Sumter.
And now, patience—we must wait.
Why did that green goose Anderson go into Fort Sumter? Then
everything began to go wrong.
Now they have intercepted a letter from him, urging them to let
him surrender. He paints the horrors likely to ensue if they will not.
He ought to have thought of all that before he put his head in
the hole.

APRIL 12, 1861. Anderson will not capitulate.
Yesterday was the merriest, maddest dinner we have had yet.
Men were more audaciously wise and witty. We had an unspoken
foreboding it was to be our last pleasant meeting. Mr. Miles dined
with us today. Mrs. Henry King rushed in: “The news, I come for the
latest news—all of the men of the King family are on the island”—of
which fact she seemed proud.
While she was here, our peace negotiator—or envoy—came Primary Sources
in. That is, Mr. Chesnut returned—his interview with Colonel Diaries and Journals
Anderson had been deeply interesting—but was not inclined to What seems to be Chesnut’s
emotional state as she writes
be communicative, wanted his dinner. Felt for Anderson. Had
this entry? What clues in the
telegraphed to President Davis for instructions. . . .
text support your analysis?
I do not pretend to go to sleep. How can I? If Anderson does not
accept terms—at four—the orders are—he shall be fired upon.
I count four—St. Michael chimes. I begin to hope. At half-past four,
the heavy booming of a cannon.
I sprang out of bed. And on my knees—prostrate—I prayed as I
never prayed before.
There was a sound of stir all over the house—pattering of feet in
the corridor—all seemed hurrying one way. I put on my double gown
and a shawl and went, too. It was to the housetop.
The shells were bursting. In the dark I heard a man say “waste of
ammunition.”
I knew my husband was rowing about in a boat somewhere in
that dark bay. And that the shells were roofing it over—bursting
toward the fort. If Anderson was obstinate—he was to order the forts
on our side to open fire. Certainly fire had begun. The regular roar
of the cannon—there it was. And who could tell what each volley
accomplished of death and destruction.
The women were wild, there on the housetop. Prayers from the
women and imprecations from the men, and then a shell would light
up the scene. Tonight, they say, the forces are to attempt to land.
The Harriet Lane had her wheelhouse smashed and put back to sea.
We watched up there—everybody wondered. Fort Sumter did not
fire a shot.
Today Miles and Manning, colonels now—aides to Beauregard—

dined with us. The latter hoped I would keep the peace. I give him
only good words, for he was to be under fire all day and night, in the
bay carrying orders, etc.
Last night—or this morning truly—up on the housetop I was so
weak and weary I sat down on something that looked like a
black stool.
from Mary Chesnut’s Civil War 377

“Get up, you foolish woman—your dress is on fire,” cried a man.

And he put me out.
It was a chimney, and the sparks caught my clothes. Susan Preston
and Mr. Venable then came up. But my fire had been extinguished
before it broke out into a regular blaze. . . .
Primary Sources APRIL 13, 1861. Nobody hurt, after all. How gay we were last
Diaries and Journals night.
What do you learn from Reaction after the dread of all the slaughter we thought those
the entry of April 13, 1861,
dreadful cannons were making such a noise in doing.
that you would probably
Not even a battery the worse for wear.
not learn from a textbook?
Fort Sumter has been on fire. He has not yet silenced any of
our guns. So the aides—still with swords and red sashes by way of
uniform—tell us.
But the sound of those guns makes regular meals impossible.
None of us go to table. But tea trays pervade the corridors, going
everywhere.
Some of the anxious hearts lie on their beds and moan in solitary
misery. Mrs. Wigfall and I solace ourselves with tea in my room.
These women have all a satisfying faith.
APRIL 15, 1861. I did not know that one could live such days of
excitement.
They called, “Come out—there is a crowd coming.”
A mob indeed, but it was headed by Colonels Chesnut and
Manning.
The crowd was shouting and showing these two as messengers of
good news. They were escorted to Beauregard’s headquarters. Fort
Sumter had surrendered.
Those up on the housetop shouted to us, “The fort is on fire.” That
had been the story once or twice before.
When we had calmed down, Colonel Chesnut, who had taken
it all quietly enough—if anything, more unruffled than usual in his
serenity—told us how the surrender came about.
Wigfall was with them on Morris Island when he saw the fire in
the fort, jumped in a little boat and, with his handkerchief as a white
flag, rowed over to Fort Sumter. Wigfall went in through a porthole.
When Colonel Chesnut arrived shortly after and was received by
the regular entrance, Colonel Anderson told him he had need to pick
his way warily, for it was all mined.
As far as I can make out, the fort surrendered to Wigfall.
But it is all confusion. Our flag is flying there. Fire engines have
been sent to put out the fire.
Everybody tells you half of something and then rushes off to tell
something else or to hear the last news. . . . ❧

Primary Source 2
Recollections of
a Private
Warren Lee Goss
In the weeks that followed the attack on Fort Sumter,

thousands of men on both sides volunteered to fight. Among
the early enlistees was Warren Lee Goss of Massachusetts.
“Cold chills” ran up and down my back as I got out

of bed after the sleepless night, and shaved preparatory
to other desperate deeds of valor. I was twenty years of
age, and when anything unusual was to be done, like
fighting or courting, I shaved.
With a nervous tremor convulsing my system, and my
heart thumping like muffled drumbeats, I stood before
the door of the recruiting office, and before turning the
knob to enter read and reread the advertisement for
recruits posted thereon, until I knew all its peculiarities.
The promised chances for “travel and promotion”
seemed good, and I thought I might have made a
mistake in considering war so serious after all. “Chances
for travel!” I must confess now, after four years of
soldiering, that the “chances for travel” were no myth;
but “promotion” was a little uncertain and slow.
I was in no hurry to open the door. Though
determined to enlist, I was half inclined to put it off

awhile; I had a fluctuation of desires; I was fainthearted
and brave; I wanted to enlist, and yet—Here I turned the
knob, and was relieved. . . . Primary Source: Art

My first uniform was a bad fit: My trousers were too long by three What attitude toward war
or four inches; the flannel shirt was coarse and unpleasant, too large does this 1861 painting
of a young Civil War
at the neck and too short elsewhere. The forage cap was an ungainly
soldier convey? Explain.
bag with pasteboard top and leather visor; the blouse was the only
part which seemed decent; while the overcoat made me feel like a
little nubbin of corn in a large preponderance of husk. Nothing except
“Virginia mud” ever took down my ideas of military pomp quite
so low.
Recollections of a Private 379

Primary Sources After enlisting I did not seem of so much consequence as I had
Diaries and Journals expected. There was not so much excitement on account of my
What does this account military appearance as I deemed justly my due. I was taught my
reveal about experiences facings, and at the time I thought the drillmaster needlessly fussy
of new soldiers?
about shouldering, ordering, and presenting arms. At this time
men were often drilled in company and regimental evolutions long
before they learned the manual of arms, because of the difficulty of
obtaining muskets. These we obtained at an early day, but we would
willingly have resigned them after carrying them a few hours. The
musket, after an hour’s drill, seemed heavier and less ornamental
than it had looked to be.
The first day I went out to drill, getting tired of doing the same
things over and over, I said to the drill sergeant: “Let’s stop this
fooling and go over to the grocery.” His only reply was addressed
to a corporal: “Corporal, take this man out and drill him”; and the
corporal did! I found that suggestions were not so well appreciated
in the army as in private life, and that no wisdom was equal to
a drillmaster’s “Right face,” “Left wheel,” and “Right, oblique,
march.” It takes a raw recruit some time to learn that he is not to
think or suggest, but obey. Some never do learn. I acquired it at last,
in humility and mud, but it was tough. Yet I doubt if my patriotism,
during my first three weeks’ drill, was quite knee high. Drilling
looks easy to a spectator, but it isn’t. After a time I had cut down
my uniform so that I could see out of it, and had conquered the drill
sufficiently to see through it. Then the word came: on to
Washington! . . . ❧

Essential Question: In what ways does the struggle for freedom change with history?
Develop Your Script

Plan Your Presentation Now that you have gathered information,
create an outline and script for your group to follow during your research
presentation.
• Be sure your presentation provides a response to the Assignment prompt:
What can we learn from ordinary people about extraordinary wartime
events?
• Develop a working script in which you decide which group member
will deliver what information. For example, you may want each group
member to discuss findings from one particular primary source.
• Be sure to include information about your additional research question
and how you went about finding answers to it.
• Conclude with a summary of your findings.
Rehearse With Your Group

Practice With Your Group Rehearse your presentation with your group.
Use this checklist to evaluate the effectiveness of your group’s first run-
through. Then, use your evaluation and these instructions to guide your
revision.
CONTENT PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES
ach speaker clearly identifies

E he focus moves smoothly from
T

the topic of his or her portion speaker to speaker.
of the presentation. he speakers use formal
T

ach speaker supports ideas
E language appropriately.

with evidence from the texts he speakers make eye contact
T
or additional research.
and speak clearly.
Fine-Tune the Content If necessary, find additional examples from your

source materials to support your ideas. Consider switching the order of
presenters, if necessary, for flow and logic. You may also want to include
visuals to add interest to your presentation.

Brush-Up on Your Presentation Techniques Adapt your word choice
if you find your presentation seems too informal. Make eye contact with
your audience when it is your turn to speak. When others in your group are
presenting, keep your focus on them.
Present and Evaluate

Once you have finished your presentation, invite comments and feedback
from your audience. As you watch and listen to presentations of other
groups, take notes and offer feedback based on the evaluation checklist.
Performance Task: Panel Discussion 381

OVERVIEW: INDEPENDENT LEARNING
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

Freedom is a concept that means so many things, including the right to choose your
path in life and to follow your ambitions wherever they may take you. In this section,
you will complete your study of the struggle for freedom by exploring an additional
selection related to the topic. You’ll then share what you learn with classmates. To
choose a text, follow these steps.
Look Back Think about the selections you have already studied. What more do
you want to know about the topic of the struggle for freedom?
Look Ahead Preview the texts by reading the descriptions. Which one seems most
interesting and appealing to you?
Look Inside Take a few minutes to scan the text you chose. Choose a different
one if this text doesn’t meet your needs.
Independent Learning Strategies

Throughout your life, in school, in your community, and in your career, you will need
to rely on yourself to learn and work on your own. Review these strategies and the
actions you can take to practice them during Independent Learning. Add ideas of
your own for each category.
Create a schedule • Understand your goals and deadlines.

• Make a plan for what to do each day.

Practice what you • Use first-read and close-read strategies to deepen your understanding.
have learned • After you read, evaluate the usefulness of the evidence to help you understand
the topic.
• After reading, consult reference sources for background information that can
help you clarify meaning.
Take notes • Record important ideas and information.

• Review your notes before preparing to share with a group.

CONTENTS
Choose one selection. Selections are available online only.
POETRY COLLECTION 1
The Poetry of Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes
How does it feel to grow up an outsider in the land of the free?
POETRY COLLECTION 2
Douglass Paul Laurence Dunbar
The Fifth Fact Sarah Browning
Who Burns for the Perfection of Paper Martín Espada

How does the past affect our present view of change?
HISTORY
from The Warmth of Other Suns

Isabel Wilkerson
How far will people travel to find the freedom that they desire?
ESSAY
What a Factory Can Teach a Housewife

Ida Tarbell
Why might factory work be more freeing than a life of service?
PERSUASIVE ESSAY
from Books as Bombs

Louis Menand
How can one book change the world?
MEDIA: PODCAST
A Balance Between Nature and Nurture

Gloria Steinem
Are humans born unequal, or is inequality learned?
PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT PREP

Review Evidence for an Informative Essay
Complete your Evidence Log for the unit by evaluating what you’ve learned and
synthesizing the information you have recorded.
Overview: Independent Learning 383

INDEPENDENT LEARNING
First-Read Guide Tool Kit

First-Read Guide and
Use this page to record your first-read ideas. Model Annotation
Selection Title:
NOTICE new information or ideas you ANNOTATE by marking vocabulary and key
learn about the unit topic as you first read passages you want to revisit.
this text.
CONNECT ideas within the selection to other RESPOND by writing a brief summary of
knowledge and the selections you have read. the selection.
 STANDARD
Reading Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

Close-Read Guide Tool Kit

Close-Read Guide and
Use this page to record your close-read ideas. Model Annotation
Selection Title:
Close Read the Text Analyze the Text

Revisit sections of the text you marked during Think about the author’s choices of patterns,
your first read. Read these sections closely structure, techniques, and ideas included in
and annotate what you notice. Ask yourself the text. Select one and record your thoughts
questions about the text. What can you about what this choice conveys.
conclude? Write down your ideas.
QuickWrite
Pick a paragraph from the text that grabbed your interest. Explain the power of this passage.
 STANDARD
Reading Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Independent Learning 385

INDEPENDENT learning
Share Your Independent Learning

 evidence log Prepare to Share
Go to your Evidence Log In what ways does the struggle for freedom change
and record what you learned with history?
from the text you read. Even when you read or learn something independently, your understanding
continues to grow when you share what you have learned with others. Reflect
on the text you explored independently, and write notes about its connection
to the unit. In your notes, consider why this text belongs in this unit.
Learn From Your Classmates

Discuss It Share your ideas about the text you explored on your own.
As you talk with your classmates, jot down ideas that you learn from them.
Reflect
Review your notes, and mark the most important insight you gained from
these writing and discussion activities. Explain how this idea adds to your
understanding of the meaning of freedom.
 Standards
Initiate and participate effectively in
a range of collaborative discussions
with diverse partners on grades
11–12 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.

PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT prep
Review Evidence for an Informative Essay

At the beginning of this unit, you took a position on the following question:
 EVIDENCE LOG
Review your Evidence Log and your QuickWrite from the beginning of the
unit. Have your ideas changed?
Yes NO
Identify at least three pieces of evidence that have Identify at least three pieces of evidence that
caused you to reevaluate your ideas. reinforced your original ideas.
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
Develop your thoughts into a topic sentence: One significant motivation that
may inspire people to struggle for change is:
Identify a historical example of the motivation you identified:
Evaluate the Strength of Your Evidence Which two texts that you
read in this unit offer the strongest support for your topic sentence?
 STANDARDS
1.
Writing
Introduce a topic; organize complex
2. ideas, concepts, and information so
that each new element builds on that
What are some other resources you might use to locate information about which precedes it to create a unified
the topic? whole; include formatting, graphics,
and multimedia when useful to
1. ________________________________ 2. ___________________________ aiding comprehension.
Performance-Based Assessment Prep 387

performance-based assessment
sources Part 1
• WHOLE-CLASS SELECTIONS
Writing to Sources: Informative Essay
• SMALL-GROUP SELECTIONS In this unit, you read a variety of texts by reformers whose goal was to
initiate change. Not all struggles were alike: The writers faced various
• INDEPENDENT-LEARNING
obstacles in their quests for reform.
SELECTION
Assignment
Write an informative essay in which you explore this question:
Begin by defining the various reasons people decide to fight for change.
Identify two or three texts from this unit that you feel most clearly show
the connections between motivation and action. Use specific examples
from each text to support your analysis and deductions.
Reread the Assignment Review the assignment to be sure you fully

understand it. The assignment may reference some of the academic words
presented at the beginning of the unit. Be sure you understand each of the
words given below in order to complete the assignment correctly.
Academic Vocabulary
informational verbatim specific
inquire deduction
 WORD NETWORK Review the Elements of an Informative Essay Before you begin
writing, read the Informative Text Rubric. Once you have completed your first
As you write and revise
draft, check it against the rubric. If one or more of the elements are missing
your text, use your Word
or not as strong as they could be, revise your text to add or strengthen those
Network to help vary your
components.
word choices.
 STANDARDS
Writing
to examine and convey complex
ideas, concepts, and information
effective selection, organization, and
• Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
• Write routinely over extended
time frames and shorter time frames
for a range of tasks, purposes, and
audiences.

Essential Question : In what ways does the struggle for freedom change with history?
Informative Text Rubric

Focus and Organization Evidence and Elaboration Language Conventions
The introduction is engaging and Ideas are supported with The essay demonstrates a
reveals the topic in a way that appeals specific and relevant examples clear command of standard
to a reader. from research and the texts. English conventions of usage
and mechanics.
Facts, details, and examples progress The style of the essay is
logically, and transition words and formal, and the tone is
4 phrases link and separate ideas. objective.
The conclusion leaves a strong Vocabulary is used

impression on the reader. strategically and appropriately
for the audience and purpose.
The introduction is engaging and Ideas are supported with The essay demonstrates
clearly reveals the topic. relevant examples from accuracy in standard English
research and the texts. conventions of usage and
Facts, details, and examples progress mechanics.
logically, and transition words appear The style of the essay is mostly
frequently. formal, and the tone tends to
3 be objective.
The conclusion follows from the rest of
the essay. Vocabulary is generally
appropriate for the audience
and purpose.
The introduction states the topic. Many ideas are supported The essay demonstrates some
with examples from research accuracy in standard English
Facts, details and examples progress and the texts. conventions of usage and
somewhat logically, and transition mechanics.
words may be used. The style of the essay is
occasionally formal, and the
2 The conclusion restates the main ideas. tone is at times objective.
Vocabulary is somewhat
appropriate for the audience
and purpose.
The introduction does not clearly state Ideas are not supported with The essay contains mistakes in
the topic, or there is no introduction. examples from research and standard English conventions
the texts, or examples are of usage and mechanics.
Facts, details, and examples do not irrelevant.
progress logically, and sentences seem
disconnected. The style of the essay is
1 informal, and the tone
The conclusion does not follow from frequently reveals biases.
the essay, or there is no conclusion.
Vocabulary is limited,
ineffective, or inappropriate.
Performance-Based Assessment 389

performance-based assessment
PART 2
Speaking and Listening: Podcast
Assignment
After completing the final draft of your informative essay, make a podcast
or audio recording that could be uploaded for listeners. Then, share your
recording, so that your classmates can listen to your work.
Follow these steps to make your podcast both informative and interesting.
• Give your podcast a title, and provide your name.

• Mark key examples in your informative essay that answer this question:
How does the motivator I analyzed encourage people to struggle for
change? These are the key points you will want to emphasize in your
delivery.
• Practice your delivery, keeping in mind that you will be heard but not
seen. You will need to vary your voice accordingly. Also, take care to
eliminate distracting background noises.
• Deliver your podcast, being sure to maintain an even distance from the
recording device. Focus on speaking clearly, and build in pauses so that
listeners can follow and digest your ideas.
Review the Rubric The criteria by which your podcast will be evaluated
appear in the rubric below. Review the criteria before recording to ensure
that you are prepared.
Content Use of Media Presentation Technique

The podcast focuses on the The voice on the recording is The speaker’s voice is consistently
question. consistent and audible. clear and appropriately loud for
the recording.
3 The flow of ideas is logical, The podcast file has a title that
clear, and easy to follow. clearly illustrates the focus. The speaker varies tone and pace
consistently and effectively.

The podcast mostly focuses on The voice on the recording may The speaker’s voice is mostly
the question. vary but is mostly audible. clear and sufficiently loud for the
recording.
2 The flow of ideas is fairly The podcast file has a logical
logical and mostly easy to title. The speaker varies tone and pace
follow. to some extent.
The podcast has no clear focus. The voice on the recording The speaker mumbles or speaks
sometimes fades in and out. too quickly or quietly.
The flow of ideas is illogical and
1
difficult to follow. The podcast file lacks a The speaker does not vary tone
meaningful title. and pace.

UNIT
3 REFLECTION
Reflect on the Unit

Now that you’ve completed the unit, take a few moments to reflect on
your learning. Use the questions below to think about where you succeeded,
what skills and strategies helped you, and where you can continue to grow
in the future.
Reflect on the Unit Goals

Look back at the goals at the beginning of the unit. Use a different
colored pen to rate yourself again. Think about readings and activities
that contributed the most to the growth of your understanding. Record
your thoughts.
Reflect on the Learning Strategies

Discuss It Write a reflection on whether you were able to improve your
learning based on your Action Plans. Think about what worked, what didn’t,
and what you might do to keep working on these strategies. Record your
ideas before a class discussion.
Reflect on the Text

Choose a selection that you found challenging, and explain what made
it difficult.
Explain something that surprised you about a text in the unit.
 STANDARDS
Which activity taught you the most about power, protest, and change? Come to discussions prepared,
What did you learn? having read and researched material
under study; explicitly draw on that
preparation by referring to evidence
from texts and other research on
the topic or issue to stimulate a
thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange
of ideas.
Unit Reflection 391

POETRY
I, Too
Langston Hughes
Meet the Poet

Langston Hughes (1902–1967) who emerged from
the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement of the
1920s, was one of the country’s most successful African
American writers and prominent interpreters of the
African American experience. Born in Missouri, Hughes
lived in many parts of the United States and eventually
moved to New York City and attended Columbia
University. While there, he began exploring Harlem, a place he would
forever be associated with and later would help define.
BACKGROUND
Over the course of his writing career, Langston Hughes experimented
with a variety of poetic forms and techniques. He often tried to recreate
the rhythms of contemporary blues and jazz—two other artistic forms
that flourished in the early part of the twentieth century.

I, too, sing America.
NOTES
I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
5 But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
10 When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
IL1 UNIT 3 Independent Learning • I, Too • The Negro Speaks of Rivers • Refugee in America • Dream Variations
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then. NOTES
15 Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I, too, am America.
UNIT 3 Independent Learning • I, Too • The Negro Speaks of Rivers • Refugee in America • Dream Variations IL2
POETRY
The Negro
Speaks of Rivers
Langston Hughes
I’ve known rivers:

NOTES
I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.

5 I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy
bosom turn all golden in the sunset.
I’ve known rivers:

Ancient, dusky rivers. Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
10 My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
POETRY
Refugee in
America
Langston Hughes
There are words like Freedom

NOTES
Sweet and wonderful to say.
On my heart-strings freedom sings
All day everyday.
5 There are words like Liberty

That almost make me cry.
If you had known what I knew
You would know why.
UNIT 3 Independent Learning • I, Too • The Negro Speaks of Rivers • Refugee in America • Dream Variations IL4
POETRY
Dream
Variations
Langston Hughes
To fling my arms wide

NOTES
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
5 Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me—
That is my dream!
10 To fling my arms wide

In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening . . . Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
15 A tall, slim tree . . .

Night coming tenderly
Black like me.
POETRY
Douglass
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Meet the Poet

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906) was the first
African American author to attain national recognition
and support himself entirely with his writing. During his
short career, he wrote many books of poetry, as well as
four novels and four volumes of short stories. The son
of former slaves, Dunbar began writing poetry at an
early age, and his work first attracted critical attention
in 1892. By the time of his death, he had become widely read.
BACKGROUND
Paul Laurence Dunbar was among the last generation to have had
ongoing contact with former African American slaves. In this poem,
Dunbar pays tribute to abolitionist and personal friend Frederick
Douglass.
Ah, Douglass, we have fall’n on evil days,

NOTES
Such days as thou, not even thou didst know,
When thee, the eyes of that harsh long ago
Saw, salient,1 at the cross of devious ways,
5 And all the country heard thee with amaze.
Not ended then, the passionate ebb and flow,
The awful tide that battled to and fro;
We ride amid a tempest of dispraise.
Now, when the waves of swift dissension2 swarm,
10 And Honor, the strong pilot, lieth3 stark,
Oh, for thy voice high-sounding o’er the storm,
1. salient (SAY lyuhnt) adj. standing out from the rest.

2. dissension (dih SEHN shuhn) n. disagreement.
3. lieth (LY ehth) v. lies.
UNIT 3 Independent Learning • Douglass • The Fifth Fact • Who Burns for the Perfection of Paper IL6
For thy strong arm to guide the shivering bark,4
NOTES The blast-defying power of thy form,
To give us comfort through the lonely dark.
4. bark n. boat.
IL7 UNIT 3 Independent Learning • Douglass • The Fifth Fact • Who Burns for the Perfection of Paper
POETRY
The Fifth Fact

Sarah Browning
Meet the Poet

Sarah Browning has been a community organizer in
Boston public housing and a grassroots political
organizer on a host of social and political issues. She is
the executive director of Split This Rock, a national
organization dedicated to helping poets take a more
visible role in public life and promoting poetry as an art
form. An activist for a decade before beginning to write
poetry, Browning now uses poetry as a form of activism.
BACKGROUND
This poem is set in the capital city of the United States. Washington,
D.C., is not part of any state; rather, the D.C. stands for “District of
Columbia,” a small region located between Maryland and Virginia.
It was established as the permanent site for the federal government
in 1790. Amid the city’s many government buildings, monuments,
memorials, and museums are large residential neighborhoods that
house a diverse population.
For Ben’s project he must research five facts

NOTES
about his African-American hero and write them
on posterboard. He chooses Harriet Tubman,
whose five facts are: Her father’s name was Ben.
5 Her mother’s name was Old Rit. She was born
in 1820 and died in 1913. She was born in Maryland
and died in New York. Ben asks for advice
about his fifth fact and I suggest: She led more than
300 people to freedom. Ben sighs the way he does
10 now and says, Everyone knows that, Mom.
So I try to remember the book we read yesterday,
NOTES search for the perfect fact, the one that will match
his four facts and satisfy his almost-seven mind.
Remember, I ask, she was a spy for the North
15 during the Civil War? It’s a hit! He writes it:
Harriet Tubman was a spy for the north during
the civil war. It was a war between the north
which is where the slaves were trying to get
and the south which is where they were.
20 Before the war, Abraham Lincoln signed a form
that said All the slaves everywhere are free!
which is one of the reasons they were fighting.
On summer mornings, Lincoln rode his horse

to work down the Seventh Street Turnpike
25 close to my new home. Down Georgia Avenue
past The Hunger Stopper and Pay Day 2 Go1 and liquor
stores and liquor stores. Past Cluck-U-Chicken
and Fish in the ’Hood and Top Twins Faze II
Authentic African Cuisine and the newish Metro2 station
30 and all those possibilities gleaming in developers’ eyes.
There goes Lincoln’s horse down Georgia Avenue

from the Soldier’s Home to the White House –
much cooler up here in the country, in the neighborhood,
at the hospital. And there’s Walt Whitman,3 the sworn poet
35 of every dauntless rebel the world over, hanging around
his street corner every morning to bow to the president
at Thomas Circle by the homeless guys. It’s 100 years now
since any president summered at the Soldier’s Home.4
But I was born only 50 years after Harriet Tubman died,
40 all these centuries we drag into the next century and the next.

Writing here, in my new neighborhood, the city old
and new around me, I see Harriet Tubman
and Lincoln and Uncle Walt and the true stories
and sometimes our own despair like Washington’s
45 summer malaria, her 40 war hospitals, Whitman moving
from bed to bed, stroking the hair of so many dying boys.
1. Pay Day 2 Go payday lenders who offer small short-term loans, used mostly by those
who do not have access to banking services (such as the very poor).
2. Metro commuter rail system in Washington, D.C.
3. Walt Whitman American poet and journalist who volunteered at an army hospital in
Washington, D.C., during the Civil War.
4. Soldier’s Home cottage in which Lincoln summered with his family during his presidency.
North up Georgia Avenue in our own soldiers’ home—
Walter Reed5—the boys and now girls too NOTES
mourn the ghosts of their own legs and arms

50 and capacity for love. Where is their
sworn poet? Harriet Tubman born
so close. All these heroes under our feet.
5. Walter Reed Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the U.S. Army’s primary medical center
and hospital until 2011.
POETRY
Who Burns for the

Perfection of Paper
Martín Espada
Meet the Poet

Martín Espada (b. 1957) has published thirteen books
as a poet, essayist, editor, and translator. Inspired by his
father, a photographer based in Brooklyn, New York,
Espada published his first volume of poetry in 1982. A
poet of deep social and political consciousness, he
draws on his Puerto Rican heritage in his work, as well
as on his experiences as a legal-aid lawyer and activist.
His poems celebrate and often lament the experiences of working-class
people, especially those of Hispanic descent. He has been acclaimed as
“the Latino poet of his generation.”
BACKGROUND
The yellow legal pad, now a staple of courtrooms, law schools, and
many other professional settings, first emerged in the late nineteenth
century as a way for paper mills to cheaply use and sell their scrap
paper. A paper pad from that time would be a stack of sheets bound

together at one end, without the yellow coloration or red glue
commonly used now.
At sixteen, I worked after high school hours

NOTES at a printing plant
that manufactured legal pads:
Yellow paper
5 stacked seven feet high
and leaning
as I slipped cardboard
between the pages,
then brushed red glue
10 up and down the stack.
No gloves: fingertips required
for the perfection of paper,
smoothing the exact rectangle. NOTES
Sluggish by 9 PM, the hands

15 would slide along suddenly sharp paper,
and gather slits thinner than the crevices
of the skin, hidden.
The glue would sting,
hands oozing
20 till both palms burned
at the punchclock.
Ten years later, in law school,

I knew that every legal pad
was glued with the sting of hidden cuts,
25 that every open lawbook
was a pair of hands
upturned and burning.
HISTORY
fromThe Warmth
of Other Suns
Isabel Wilkerson
About the Author

Isabel Wilkerson (b. 1961) was born in Washington,
D.C., to parents who had left the South. Their journey
inspired her to investigate the Great Migration, the
subject of The Warmth of Other Suns. After spending
15 years working on the book, Wilkerson published it in
2010 to immense acclaim. Already the first black
woman in the history of American journalism to have
won a Pulitzer Prize, in 1994, Wilkerson has since won more awards for her
sprawling historical and journalistic work.
BACKGROUND
The Great Migration of African Americans from the South to the North
was one of the largest and fastest population movements within a single
country in history. Because five million men had left their jobs to serve
in World War I, workers were in high demand, and some factories and
railroads even paid for African American families to travel to the North.
Everybody seems to be asleep Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
NOTES
about what is going on right under our noses.
That is, everybody but those farmers
who have wakened up on mornings recently
to find every Negro over 21 on his place gone—
to Cleveland, to Pittsburgh,
to Chicago, to Indianapolis. . . .
And while our very solvency
is being sucked out beneath us,
we go about our affairs as usual.
— editorial, The Macon Telegraph,
September 1916
IL13 UNIT 3 Independent Learning • from The Warmth of Other Suns

SELMA, ALABAMA, EARLY WINTER 1916
N
1 o one knows who was the first to leave. It was sometime in NOTES
the middle of World War I. The North faced a labor shortage

and, after centuries of indifference, cast its gaze at last on the
servant class of the South. The North needed workers, and the
workers needed an escape. No one knows exactly when or how
it commenced or who took the first actual step of what would
become the Great Migration.
2 One of the earliest references came on February 5, 1916, and was
seen as an isolated, random event. It merited only a paragraph
in the Chicago Defender,1 the agitator and unwitting chronicler of
the movement, and was likely preceded by unremarked-upon
departures months before. Railroads in Pennsylvania had begun
undercover scouting of cheap black labor as early as 1915. But
few people noticed when, in the deep of winter, with a war raging
in Europe and talk of America joining in, several hundred black
families began quietly departing Selma, Alabama, in February
1916, declaring, according to the Chicago Defender’s brief citation,
that the “treatment doesn’t warrant staying.”
3 Ida Mae Brandon was not yet three years old. George Starling,
Pershing Foster, and millions of others who would follow in the
footsteps of those first wartime families from Selma had not yet
been born. But those early departures would set the stage for their
eventual migration.
4 The families from Selma left in the midst of one of the most
divisive eras in American history—the long and violent hangover
after the Civil War, when the South, left to its own devices as the
North looked away, dismantled the freedoms granted former
Slaves after the war.
5 The plantation owners had trouble imagining the innate desires
of the people they once had owned. “I find a worse state of things
with the Negroes than I expected,” wrote General Howell Cobb, a
Georgia planter, shortly after the slaves were freed. “Let any man
offer them some little thing of no real value, but which looks a little
more like freedom, and they catch at it with avidity,2 and would
sacrifice their best friends without hesitation and without regret.”
6 “They will almost starve and go naked,” wrote a planter in Warren
County, Georgia, “before they will work for a white man, if they can
get a patch of ground to live on and get from under his control.”
7 For all its upheaval, the Civil War had left most blacks in the
South no better off economically than they had been before.
Sharecropping, slavery’s replacement, kept them in debt and still
bound to whatever plantation they worked. But one thing had
changed. The federal government had taken over the affairs of the
1. Chicago Defender most influential African American newspaper during the early and
mid-twentieth century.
2. avidity (uh VIHD uh tee) n. keen eagerness.
UNIT 3 Independent Learning • from The Warmth of Other Suns IL14

South, during a period known as Reconstruction, and the newly
NOTES freed men were able to exercise rights previously denied them.
They could vote, marry, or go to school if there were one nearby,
and the more ambitious among them could enroll in black colleges
set up by northern philanthropists,3 open businesses, and run
for office under the protection of northern troops. In short order,
some managed to become physicians, legislators, undertakers,
insurance men. They assumed that the question of black citizens’
rights had been settled for good and that all that confronted them
was merely building on these new opportunities.
8 But, by the mid-1870s, when the North withdrew its oversight
in the face of southern hostility, whites in the South began to
resurrect the caste system founded under slavery. Nursing the
wounds of defeat and seeking a scapegoat, much like Germany
in the years leading up to Nazism, they began to undo the
opportunities accorded freed slaves during Reconstruction and to
refine the language of white supremacy. They would create a caste
system based not on pedigree4 and title, as in Europe, but solely
on race, and which, by law, disallowed any movement of the
lowest caste into the mainstream.
9 The fight over this new caste system made it to the U.S.
Supreme Court. Homer A. Plessy, a colored Louisianan, protested
a new state law forbidding any railroad passenger from entering
“a compartment to which by race he does not belong.” On June
7, 1894, Plessy bought a first-class ticket on the East Louisiana
Railroad, took an empty seat in the white-only car, and was
arrested when he refused to move. In 1896, in the seminal5 case
of Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court sided with the South
and ruled, in an eight-to-one vote, that “equal but separate”
accommodations were constitutional. That ruling would stand for
the next sixty years.
10 Now, with a new century approaching, blacks in the South,

accustomed to the liberties established after the war, were hurled
back in time, as if the preceding three decades, limited though
they may have been, had never happened. One by one, each
license or freedom accorded them was stripped away. The world
got smaller, narrower, more confined with each new court ruling
and ordinance.
11 Not unlike European Jews who watched the world close in on
them slowly, perhaps barely perceptibly, at the start of Nazism,
colored people in the South would first react in denial and
disbelief to the rising hysteria, then, helpless to stop it, attempt a
belated resistance, not knowing and not able to imagine how far
3. philanthropists (fuh LAN thruh pihsts) n. wealthy people who donate time and money to
help others.
4. pedigree (PEHD uh gree) n. social status.
5. seminal (SEHM uh nuhl) adj. having a strong influence on events that come later.

the supremacists would go. The outcomes for both groups were
widely divergent, one suffering unspeakable loss and genocide, NOTES
the other enduring nearly a century of apartheid, pogroms, and

mob executions. But the hatreds and fears that fed both assaults
were not dissimilar and relied on arousing the passions of the
indifferent to mount so complete an attack.
12 The South began acting in outright defiance of the Fourteenth
Amendment of 1868, which granted the right to due process
and equal protection to anyone born in the United States, and it
ignored the Fifteenth Amendment of 1880, which guaranteed all
men the right to vote.
13 Each year, people who had been able to vote or ride the train
where they chose found that something they could do freely
yesterday, they were prohibited from doing today. They were
losing ground and sinking lower in status with each passing day,
and, well into the new century, the color codes would only grow
to encompass more activities of daily life as quickly as legislators
could devise them.
14 Thus, those silent parties leaving Selma in the winter of 1916
saw no option but to go. Theirs would become the first volley of
a leaderless revolution. There was no Moses or Joshua or Harriet
Tubman or for that matter, Malcolm X or Martin Luther King, Jr.,
to organize the Migration. The best-known leader at the start of
it, Booker T. Washington, was vehemently against abandonment
of the South and strongly discouraged it. Frederick Douglass,
who saw it coming but died before it began, was against the
very thought of it and considered an exodus from the South “a
premature, disheartening surrender.”
15 Those entreaties had little effect.
16 “The Negroes just quietly move away without taking their
recognized leaders into their confidence any more than they
do the white people about them,” a Labor Department study
reported. A colored minister might meet with his deacons on a

Wednesday, thinking all was well, and by Sunday find all the
church elders gone north. “They write the minister that they
forgot to tell him they were going away.”
17 Ordinary people listened to their hearts instead of their leaders.
At a clandestine meeting after a near lynching in Mississippi, a
colored leader stood before the people and urged them to stay
where they were.
18 A man in the audience rose up to speak.
19 “You tell us that the South is the best place for us,” the man
said. “What guaranties can you give us that our life and liberty will be
safe if we stay?”
20 The leader was speechless.

21 “When he asked me that, there was nothing I could answer, the
NOTES leader said afterward. “So I have not again urged my race to remain.”
22 Any leader who dared argue against leaving might arouse
suspicion that he was a tool of the white people running things.
Any such leader was, therefore, likely to be ignored, or worse.
One Sunday, a colored minister in Tampa, Florida, advised from
the pulpit that his flock stay in the South. He was “stabbed the
next day for doing so.”
23 In the years leading up to and immediately following the turn
of the twentieth century, a generation came into the world unlike
any other in the South. It was made up of young people with
no personal recollection of slavery—they were two generations
removed from it. The colored members of this generation were
free but not free, chafing under Jim Crow6 and resisting the
studied subservience7 of their slave parents and grandparents.
They had grown up without the contrived intimacy that once
bound the two races. And it appeared that young whites, weaned
on a formal kind of supremacy, had grown more hostile to blacks
than even their slaveholding ancestors had been.
24 “The sentiment is altogether different now,” William C. Oates,
the old-guard former governor of Alabama, said in 1901 of the
newer generation of white southerners. “When the Negro is doing
no harm, why, the people want to kill him and wipe him from the
face of the earth.”
25 The colored people of this generation began looking for a way
out. “It is too much to expect that Negroes will indefinitely endure
their severe limitations in the South when they can escape most
of them in a ride of 36 hours,” the Labor Department warned.
“Fifty years after the Civil War, they should not be expected to
be content with the same conditions which existed at the close of
the war.”
26 Younger blacks could see the contradictions in their world—

that, sixty, seventy, eighty years after Abraham Lincoln signed the
Emancipation Proclamation, they still had to step off the sidewalk
when a white person approached, were banished to jobs nobody
else wanted no matter their skill or ambition, couldn’t vote, but
could be hanged on suspicion of the pettiest infraction.
27 These were the facts of their lives:
28 There were days when whites could go to the amusement park
and a day when blacks could go, if they were permitted at all.
There were white elevators and colored elevators (meaning the
freight elevators in back); white train platforms and colored train
platforms. There were white ambulances and colored ambulances
6. Jim Crow state and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the southern United
States from the 1880s into the 1960s.
7. subservience (suhb SUR vee uhns) n. attitude of servitude to another’s authority.

to ferry the sick, and white hearses and colored hearses for those
who didn’t survive whatever was wrong with them. NOTES
29 There were white waiting rooms and colored waiting rooms

in any conceivable place where a person might have to wait for
something, from the bus depot to the doctor’s office. A total of
four restrooms had to be constructed and maintained at significant
expense in any public establishment that bothered to provide any
for colored people: one for white men, one for white women, one
for colored men, and one for colored women. In 1958, a new bus
station went up in Jacksonville, Florida, with two of everything,
including two segregated cocktail lounges, “lest the races
brush elbows over a martini,” the Wall Street Journal reported.
The president of Southeastern Greyhound told the Journal, “It
frequently costs fifty percent more to build a terminal with
segregated facilities.” But most southern businessmen didn’t dare
complain about the extra cost. “That question is dynamite,” the
president of a southern theater chain told the Journal. “Don’t even
say what state I’m in.”
30 There was a colored window at the post office in Pensacola,
Florida, and there were white and colored telephone booths in
Oklahoma. White and colored went to separate windows to get
their license plates in Indianola, Mississippi, and to separate
tellers to make their deposits at the First National Bank of Atlanta.
There were taxicabs for colored people and taxicabs for white
people in Jacksonville, Birmingham, Atlanta, and the entire state
of Mississippi. Colored people had to be off the streets and out of
the city limits by 8 P.M. in Palm Beach and Miami Beach.
31 Throughout the South, the conventional rules of the road did
not apply when a colored motorist was behind the wheel. If he
reached an intersection first, he had to let the white motorist go
ahead of him. He could not pass a white motorist on the road no
matter how slowly the white motorist was going and had to take
extreme caution to avoid an accident because he would likely be

blamed no matter who was at fault. In everyday interactions, a
black person could not contradict a white person or speak unless
spoken to first. A black person could not be the first to offer to
shake a white person’s hand. A handshake could occur only if
a white person so gestured, leaving many people having never
shaken hands with a person of the other race. The consequences
for the slightest misstep were swift and brutal. Two whites beat
a black tenant farmer in Louise, Mississippi, in 1948, wrote the
historian James C. Cobb, because the man “asked for a receipt
after paying his water bill.”
32 It was against the law for a colored person and a white person to
play checkers together in Birmingham. White and colored gamblers
had to place their bets at separate windows and sit in separate

aisles at racetracks in Arkansas. At saloons in Atlanta, the bars
NOTES were segregated: Whites drank on stools at one end of the bar and
blacks on stools at the other end, until the city outlawed even that,
resulting in white-only and colored-only saloons. There were white
parking spaces and colored parking spaces in the town square in
Calhoun City, Mississippi. In one North Carolina courthouse, there
was a white Bible and a black Bible to swear to tell the truth on.
33 These were the facts of their lives—of Ida Mae’s, George’s, and
Pershing’s existence before they left—carried out with soul-killing
efficiency until Jim Crow expired under the weight of the South’s
own sectarian violence: bombings, hosing of children, and the
killing of dissidents seeking basic human rights. Jim Crow would
not get a proper burial until the enactment of federal legislation,
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was nonetheless resisted years
after its passage as vigorously as Reconstruction had been and
would not fully take hold in many parts of the South until well
into the 1970s.
34 And so what started as a little-noticed march of the impatient
would become a flood of the discontented during World War
II, and by the tail end of the Migration, a virtual rite of passage
for young southerners—brothers joining brothers, nieces joining
aunts, as soon as they got big enough to go.
35 Many of the people who left the South never exactly sat their
children down to tell them these things, tell them what happened
and why they left and how they and all this blood kin came to
be in this northern city or western suburb or why they speak like
melted butter and their children speak like footsteps on pavement,
prim and proper or clipped and fast, like the New World itself.
Some spoke of specific and certain evils. Some lived in tight-
lipped and cheerful denial. Others simply had no desire to relive
what they had already left.
36 The facts of their lives unfurled over the generations like an

overwrapped present, a secret told in syllables. Sometimes the
migrants dropped puzzle pieces from the past while folding the
laundry or stirring the corn bread, and the children would listen
between cereal commercials and not truly understand until they
grew up and had children and troubles of their own. And the ones
who had half-listened would scold and kick themselves that they
had not paid better attention when they had the chance.
37 And in this way, the ways of the South passed from one
generation to the next in faraway cities by the Pacific Ocean and on
the shores of the Great Lakes and along the Hudson and Potomac
and Allegheny rivers. These are the stories of the forgotten,
aggrieved, wishful generations between the Harlem Renaissance
and the civil rights movement, whose private ambition for
something better made a way for those who followed. ❧

ESSAY
What a Factory
Can Teach a
Housewife
Ida Tarbell
About the Author

Ida Tarbell (1857–1944) has been credited as the
inventor of investigative journalism for her series of
articles, beginning in 1902, on the Standard Oil
monopoly. Tarbell’s exposé of Standard Oil is credited
with stirring up the public outrage that led to
government intervention and the eventual breakup of
the company. Her work in general was driven by what
she called “hatred of privilege, privilege of any sort.”
BACKGROUND
In 1916, when this piece was written, it was common for an upper-
class family to employ household servants. Servants lived with their
employers and were expected to always be available for whatever task
was required of them.
W hen one set of people see that another set of people are
taking from them that which they very much want to have, NOTES
the intelligent procedure is to find the reasons behind the shift.

The housewives of this country are seeing the great body of girls
and women on whom they have always depended for household
service turn their backs on them and accept employment in
thousands of different kinds of shops and factories. They see
the girl that they think they ought to secure as a waitress much
preferring to go into a candy factory. They find the woman that
they think would make an admirable cook possibly making
munitions,1 if she lives in Dayton, Ohio, for instance. This shift
from the house to the factory is not local and sporadic.2 It is
general and permanent.
1. munitions (myoo NIHSH uhnz) n. guns or ammunitions.

2. sporadic (spuh RAD ihk) adj. happening often, but irregularly.
UNIT 3 Independent Learning • What a Factory Can Teach a Housewife IL20

2 There are, of course, reasons. Now what are the reasons? What
NOTES the household employers in this country ought to do is to study
carefully why the manufacturers can hold labor3 when they
cannot. The factory has no way of compelling girls and women to
come to it. They go, it is obvious, because they prefer it. Why do
they prefer it?
3 Most housewives have traditional notions of the factory as
something cruel, dark, distressing. They are appalled that any
woman should prefer to go into these places, of which they have
such horror. But is their notion correct? Take the woman who
might be the cook. Why does she go to a factory? It is not at all
because she does not want to cook. It is because she does want
a regular day of a fixed number of hours. It is because she does
want her Sundays and holidays. It is because she wants a fixed
task, which she can perform without the hourly fussing and
intrusion of a person who, because she is in authority, is unwilling
to let her whom she hires go ahead and do her work in her own
way. It is because she can have a home, a place which is her own,
to which she can give her personal stamp, where she can be more
independent, more cheerful, more of a person than she can in the
home that is provided by the housewife.
4 The woman prefers the factory, too, because she finds that her
employer and those who are immediately over her show her and
her work more respect than the housewife ordinarily does. She
can weave or spin. She can run a lathe4 or feed a machine, and
the policeman on the beat will not look down on her, as he so
often does if she is in a kitchen. She keeps caste5 in the factory,
as she cannot keep it in the house. The women of this country
are never going to be able to hold household workers until they
offer the same physical and social advantages that the factory
does. There never was a clearer demonstration that money has
less influence with the mass of people than opportunities for a

free life and for social standing. The woman makes more money
in the average household. Her weekly wage may not be quite as
large as that of the factory, but what she saves brings the earnings
up considerably above that of the highest paid factory workers.
It is with her a question of self-respect, a question of freedom, a
question of opportunity to advance, to take and make a place for
herself in the community.
5 Socially and economically speaking, the housewives of the
United States are back in the eighteenth century, and not the
eighteenth century of the revolutionary France and revolutionary
3. hold labor retain workers.

4. lathe (layth) n. wood-working machine.
5. keeps caste maintains a level of respect in society.
IL21 UNIT 3 Independent Learning • What a Factory Can Teach a Housewife

America, but the feudal6 eighteenth century. They see this thing
from an aristocratic point of view, not from the democratic. Until NOTES
they purge themselves of the class spirit, until they go out and
study why the manufacturer is able to hold the labor which he
wants, and are willing to transform their spirit and their methods,
and are ready to adopt his spirit and his methods, they are not
going to be able to stabilize and dignify the great industry which
they control. They can learn what it is necessary to do from the
factory.
6 Not long ago I stumbled upon an admirable illustration of this.
The owner of a factory died, leaving his business to his wife. She
had scarcely ever in his life passed the door of the plant. Now
she was obliged to acquaint herself with its condition. She found
it in debt. To save the property she was obliged to give attention
to it. She went at the task with great energy, and in ten years has
built up a factory which is in every way a model. She discovered
at once that in order to hold the kind of labor which she needed
she would be obliged to offer better hours, higher wages, better
conditions than her predecessors. She built up a labor force where
contentment and co-operation reign. She had been but a few
years at this work when she began to ask herself, “Why can I hold
these people better than I can my cook and maids?” Her factory
experience enabled her to answer the question. She offered in the
factory a life more in accordance with natural human wants than
she did in her kitchen. She resolved to revolutionize her house
and put the labor there on the same basis as labor in the factory.
The result more than justified the experiment. She keeps her cook
and her maids. They co-operate with her as her operatives in the
factory co-operate. The result she claims is revolutionary in its
spirit and its satisfactions.
7 Something like this every woman must do if she is to hold
labor. ❧
6. feudal (FYOO duhl) adj. of or related to a social system in which the majority of the
population were ruled by a land-holding nobility.
UNIT 3 Independent Learning • What a Factory Can Teach a Housewife IL22

PERSUASIVE ESSAY
fromBooks
as Bombs
Louis Menand
About the Author

Louis Menand (b. 1952) was born in Syracuse, New
York, and raised in the Boston area. Following his
graduation from Pomona College, Menand attended
Harvard Law School. After a year there, he took a leave
of absence and began studying English in Columbia
University’s Ph.D. program. He never went back to law
school. Menand has been a staff writer for The New
Yorker since 2001 and is an English professor at Harvard. His book on
American philosophical and intellectual traditions, The Metaphysical Club,
won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for history.
BACKGROUND
The feminist movement in the United States seeks to end gender
discrimination. The stages of the feminist movement are often referred
to as “waves.” In the first wave, women sought legal rights, such as the
right to vote. The second wave focused on social and cultural equality.

Arguably the strongest and most distinct voice of the second wave was
that of Betty Friedan.
NOTES
1
I n 1963, the year she published The Feminine Mystique, Betty

Friedan was living in Grand View-on-Hudson, New York, in
an eleven-room house overlooking the river, with her husband,
Carl, and their three children. Carl was an advertising executive;
Betty was a summa-cum-laude1 graduate of Smith who had
been working for more than ten years as a successful freelance
magazine writer. The Friedans had household help three or four
days a week, which allowed Betty to travel for her research and to
commute into the city.
1. summa-cum-laude (SUM uh kuhm LOW dee) phrase signifying the highest academic
distinction or honor.
IL23 UNIT 3 Independent Learning • from Books as Bombs

2 Friedan was, in other words, the kind of woman she wrote
her book about. She was white and well educated; she had a NOTES
financially dependable husband and a big house in a crime-

free neighborhood; and she enjoyed the leisure to write, or do
anything else she liked. The only expectations were that she
manage the care of her healthy and well-adjusted children and
be responsible for the domestic needs of her husband. By any
material measure, and relative to the aspirations of most people,
she was one of the most privileged human beings on the planet.
3 It is easy now to explain what was wrong with that existence—
put simply: no matter how much she wanted, how hard she tried,
or how qualified she was, Betty’s life could never be Carl’s—but it
was not so easy to explain it when Friedan was writing her book.
Apart from the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave women the
right to vote, there were no laws against gender discrimination
as such. The word “sexism,” in its current meaning, did not exist.
The most brilliant thing about Friedan’s very brilliant book was
her decision to call what was wrong with the lives of apparently
comfortable and economically secure women “the problem that
has no name”—and then to give it a name.
4 The Feminine Mystique came out in the middle of a four-month
newspaper strike in New York City, and it had to get the public’s
attention at first without the benefits of newspaper advertisements
or reviews. (Eventually, the Times2 ran a three-paragraph, rather
skeptical assessment.) But the book was excerpted3 in McCall’s and
Ladies’ Home Journal, magazines whose combined readership was
a staggering thirty-six million, and its publisher, W. W. Norton,
was astute enough to sense that it might have a blockbuster on
its hands. It hired a publicist who arranged a book tour, then
an unusual promotional tool, and it gave the book a dust jacket
that was the color of a fire truck. The Feminine Mystique ended
up spending six weeks on the Times best-seller list. The first
paperback printing sold 1.4 million copies.

5 For many women, and not a few men, the publication of
Friedan’s book was one of those events which seem, in retrospect,
to have divided the sixties from the fifties as the day from
the night. Friedan herself went on to become one of the most
powerful figures in the women’s movement. From 1966 to 1970,
she served as the first president of the National Organization for
Women, which she named and helped to create; she conceived
the highly effective Women’s Strike for Equality; and, together
with Bella Abzug, Gloria Steinem, and others, she founded the
National Women’s Political Caucus. By the time of her death, in
2. the Times shorthand for The New York Times, a prominent newspaper in New York City.
3. excerpted (ehk SURPT ihd) v. shortened and published in another work.
UNIT 3 Independent Learning • from Books as Bombs IL24

2006, more than three million copies of The Feminine Mystique had
NOTES been sold.
6 By all accounts, Friedan was not a person inclined to share the
credit. (Some men have been known to be this way as well.) The
implication that she had diagnosed a condition no one else had
even managed to identify—that the problem she wrote about
had no name until she named it—was a pretty open invitation to
revisionism.4 Thirty years later, the revisionists arrived. In 1993,
Joanne Meyerowitz, a historian who is now at Yale, showed that
Friedan’s claim that mass-circulation magazines in the nineteen-
fifties represented women in submissive and domestic roles was
oversimplified. The record was mixed: there were also many
depictions of women as active and independent.
7 A few years later, the historian Daniel Horowitz, who taught at
Smith, published a book revealing that Friedan’s feminism had
its origins not in her frustrations as a suburban housewife, which
is how she always chose to present it, but in her long history of
associations with left-wing causes, a history that Friedan tried
hard to suppress. (Horowitz, a wholly sympathetic biographer,
heard that Friedan accused him privately of Red-baiting.5) Friedan
campaigned on behalf of the rights of working women when
she was still a student at Smith, where she supported unionizing
the maids, and she continued to do so, after she left college, as
a writer, first for the left-wing Federated Press, and then for the
United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America, at one
time believed to be the largest Communist-led union in the United
States.
8 In 1999, the political scientist Alan Wolfe pointed out that
much of the scholarship Friedan relied on in her diagnosis of
the feminine mystique—work by Margaret Mead, Alfred Kinsey,
and Bruno Bettelheim—has since turned out to be suspect. And
a biography of Friedan by Judith Hennessee, published the

same year, presented evidence suggesting that she was not a
particularly cooperative spouse or attentive mother—a judgment
uncontradicted by either her husband (whom she accused of
physically abusing her and whom she divorced, in 1969) or her
children. “She hates men,” Carl told a reporter after the divorce.
“Let’s face it, they all do—all those activists in the women’s lib
movement.”
9 Other writers, over the years, have criticized The Feminine
Mystique for ignoring working class and nonwhite women, for
promoting a psychology of self-help rather than a program of
legal reform, and for slighting the contributions of previous
4. revisionism (rih VIHZH uh nihz uhm) n. change in the historical record, based on the
claim that the record has been distorted or misrepresented.
5. Red-baiting v. denouncing someone as being communist, often without proof, a serious
accusation in the mid-twentieth century.

books on the situation of women, including Elizabeth Hawes’s
Why Women Cry (1943), Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex NOTES
(published in English in 1953), Mirra Komarovsky’s Women in the

Modern World (1953), and Alva Myrdal and Viola Klein’s Women’s
Two Roles (1956)—all of them well known to Friedan.
10 Still, even Friedan’s critics (apart from those who think that
the women’s movement was a bad idea altogether) agree that The
Feminine Mystique was a book that helped to change the world,
or at least the way a lot of people saw the world, and it almost
certainly could not have done so if Friedan had been completely
open about her political background and motivations. She may
have exaggerated her originality as well, but she succeeded where
no other feminist writer had. She touched the lives of ordinary
readers.
11 There is a lot of cultural and psychological analysis in The
Feminine Mystique. . . . . But the core of the book’s appeal was
emotional: this is what it felt like to be an American housewife in
1963. Why it felt that way, what forces had trapped women inside
what Friedan called (in an uncharacteristically extreme analogy)
“the comfortable concentration camp,” might be debated. But,
whatever the book’s merits as cultural history, an enormous
number of women recognized themselves in its pages, and many
wrote Friedan grateful letters describing the book’s effect on them:
“I feel, today, as though I had been filled with helium and turned
loose!” “Like light bulbs going off again and again.” “I understood
what I was feeling and felt validated!!”
12 Stephanie Coontz’s useful revisiting of Friedan’s book, A
Strange Stirring: The Feminine Mystique and American Women at
the Dawn of the 1960s includes some excerpts from these letters.
But Coontz also undertook her own survey—of a hundred and
eighty-eight women and men today, who recall the first time they
read The Feminine Mystique. Coontz’s female respondents seem
to have had no trouble reliving the experience, and they echo the
readers who wrote to Friedan almost fifty years ago: “The Feminine
Mystique left me breathless.” “I finally realized I wasn’t crazy.”
“It literally changed (and perhaps saved) my life.” “Something
clicked.” “It slammed me in the face.” “A bolt of lightning.” “A
revelation.” “A bombshell.”
13 The persistent characterization of The Feminine Mystique as
some kind of bolt from the blue is part of a big historical mystery.
Why did a women’s movement take so long to develop in the
United States after 1945? “Our society is a veritable crazy quilt of
contradictory practices and beliefs,” Komarovsky wrote, about
gender roles, in 1953, and, as the revisionists have demonstrated, if

you pick out the right data you can identify trends in the direction
NOTES of gender equality in the nineteen-fifties. The number of women
enrolled in college nearly doubled in that decade, for example,
and the employment rate for women rose four times as fast as it
did for men. At some point, presumably, the increasing numbers
of women in the educational and vocational pipelines would have
produced pressure to get rid of gender discrimination. Coontz
concludes that a women’s movement “would have happened with
or without Betty Friedan.”
14 That may be so, but it’s a counterfactual assertion. When
Friedan was writing her book, the issue of gender equality was
barely on the public’s radar screen. On the contrary: it was almost
taken for granted that the proper goal for intelligent women was
marriage—even by the presidents of women’s colleges. Coontz
quotes the president of Radcliffe suggesting that if a Radcliffe
graduate was really lucky she might end up marrying a Harvard
man. Friedan quoted the president of Mills College citing with
approval the remark “Women should be educated so that they can
argue with their husbands.”
15 By the late nineteen-fifties, seventy-five percent of the women
who worked were in female-only, mainly service jobs. In the
higher-status professions, women were virtually invisible.
Seventy-eight percent of college faculty were men; ninety-five
percent of physicians were men; ninety-seven percent of lawyers
were men; and more than ninety-seven percent of United States
senators, members of Congress, and ambassadors were men.
Male-only institutions, from Harvard and Yale to the National
Press Club, where invited female reporters had to sit in the
balcony and were not allowed to ask questions during speeches,
were prevalent.
16 The popular understanding was that the only reason for a
marriageable woman to take a job was to find a husband. This was

the premise of Rona Jaffe’s bestselling novel The Best of Everything
(1958), and it was essentially the counsel offered by Helen Gurley
Brown in her mega-best-seller Sex and the Single Girl (1962)—a
book that sold two million copies in three weeks. If that was why
women worked, it made perfect economic sense: because of the
disparity in pay and career opportunity between men and women,
virtually the only way a woman could improve her economic
situation was to marry.
17 The strangest part of it—this was one of Friedan’s main
points—was that, by many of these measures, women were worse
off in 1963 than they had been in 1945, or even in 1920. In 1920,
fifteen percent of Ph.D.s were awarded to women; in 1963, it was
eleven percent. (Today, it is just over fifty percent.) Forty-seven
percent of college students were women in 1920; in 1963, thirty-

eight percent were women. (Today, fifty-seven percent of college
students are female. Come on, guys! You can do it!) The median NOTES
age at first marriage was dropping: almost half of all women who
got married in 1963 were teenagers. And the birth rate for third
and fourth children was rising: between 1940 and 1960, the birth
rate for fourth children tripled.
18 Demographically, it looked like a snowball effect. When sixteen
million veterans, ninety-eight percent of whom were men, came
home, in 1945, two predictable things happened: the proportion
of men in the workforce increased, as men returned to (or were
given) jobs that had been done by women during the war; and
there was a big spike in the birth rate. But what should have been
a correction became a trend. Fifteen years later, the birth rate
was still high, and although many women came back to work in
the nineteen-fifties, segregation by gender in employment was
greater than it had been in 1900, and was more sharply delineated
than segregation by race. Classified job ads in the Times were
segregated by gender, a practice that didn’t end until 1968.
19 A quasi-official ideology grew up to justify the new normal.
“You may be hitched to one of these creatures we call ‘Western
man,’” Adlai Stevenson advised the Smith Class of 1955, “and
I think part of your job is to keep him Western, to keep him
truly purposeful, to keep him whole.” Stevenson had, he affably
confessed, “very little experience as a wife or mother”; but he
believed that the housewife’s task was a worthy one, since “we
will defeat totalitarian, authoritarian ideas only by better ideas.”
The wife is there to implant those ideas in her working husband.
It seems almost a kind of magical thinking that caused people to
believe that keeping capable, highly educated people at home—
actually de-incentivizing them from entering the workforce—was
a good way to win the Cold War. Whatever fairy dust was doing
this to people, in the end it took a book to break the spell. ❧

MEDIA: PODCAST
A Balance Between Nature

and Nurture
Gloria Steinem
About the Author

Gloria Steinem (b. 1934) became one of the leaders of
the movement called “second-wave feminism” through
NOTES her work as a journalist and activist in the 60s and 70s.
In 1972, Steinem co-founded Ms. magazine, a
publication focused on women’s rights, and served as
one of its editors for 15 years. Many of Steinem’s books
on women’s rights became bestsellers, and her Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
journalism has earned her a number of awards.
BACKGROUND
An individual can be influenced by many different factors. Psychologists
and philosophers have long studied the magnitude of two specific kinds
of traits: those that are inherited and biological, and those that are
developed through experiences. There is great debate about which traits
contribute more to the development of the individual.
IL29 UNIT 3 Independent Learning • A Balance Between Nature and Nurture

Power, Protest, and Change: A Spirit of Reform

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Power, Protest, and Change: A Spirit of Reform

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Power, Protest, and Change: A Spirit of Reform

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

UNIT

Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Discuss It Perhaps more than any other country, the

Civil Rights Marches

WHOLE-CLASS SMALL-GROUP INDEPENDENT

ANCHOR TEXT: SPEECH PUBLIC DOCUMENT POETRY COLLECTION 2

ANCHOR TEXT: SPEECH MEDIA: PODCAST Who Burns for the

PERFORMANCE TASK PERFORMANCE TASKS PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT PREP

What motivates people to struggle for change?

NOT AT ALL NOT VERY SOMEWHAT VERY EXTREMELY

• Read and analyze a variety of texts to

• Expand your knowledge and use of

WRITING AND RESEARCH GOALS 1 2 3 4 5

• Write an informative essay that has a

• Conduct research projects of various

SPEAKING AND LISTENING

276 UNIT 3 • POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE

Academic Vocabulary: Informative Text

WORD MENTOR SENTENCES PREDICT MEANING RELATED WORDS

informational 1. This informational pamphlet inform; informative;

inquire 1. If you want to find out why

verbatim 1. The actor knew the script so

deduction 1. The astronomer’s deduction

specific 1. Your report topic is too broad;

Unit Introduction 277

LAUNCH TEXT | INFORMATIVE MODEL

This selection is an example of an

W hen we look back at history, we often like to identify trends.

278 UNIT 3 • POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE

5 The hope of change promised by Article V paid off in 1865.

the United States. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude . . .

 WORD NETWORK for POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE

The Zigzag Road to Rights 279

statement. Write each one on a separate sticky note.

280 UNIT 3 • POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE

 EVIDENCE LOG FOR POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE

in one sentence in your Evidence

you make. The graphic shows

Unit Introduction 281

In what ways does the struggle

Whole-Class Learning Strategies

STRATEGY ACTION PLAN

Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

282 UNIT 3 • POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE

ANCHOR TEXT: SPEECH

from What to the Slave

How might America’s celebration of liberty affect

ANCHOR TEXT: SPEECH

Second Inaugural Address

Is warfare in the name of freedom and unity worth

MEDIA: IMAGE GALLERY

How do political cartoons show us what people

Overview: Whole-Class Learning 283

Civil War and Social Change

Copyright © SAVVAS Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

284 UNIT 3 • POWER, PROTEST, AND CHANGE

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Bales of cotton produced

to transform society. Pioneers such as Horace

1. hallelujahs of a nation’s jubilee praises to God at the time of celebrating a national

6. rebuke (rih BYOOK) v. criticize.