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Many Sides of the Law
Grade Levels: 3, 4 and 8
Resources/Materials Needed:
- primary documents
- pencil
- paper
Michigan Counties Covered: Calhoun, Wayne
Length of Time Needed: 1 to 1.5 hours
How It Works:
Provide students with background on the Crosswhite case by having them read the April 7, 1849, North Star article or the Crosswhite summary [PDF] or by verbally telling the story.
In the Classroom
For lower grades, read Sarah Crosswhite's deposition and one other deposition aloud. Have students help create a list of events that happened that day. Build a time line by writing the events in order on the blackboard or hanging them on a rope with clothespins. Then, give students the "Imagining You Were There" [PDF] writing assignment.
Older students should read the depositions individually. Read and discuss projected images of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 and the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, the Michigan personal Freedom Acts and a definition of "habeas corpus" together. Generate a time line of when the laws were passed on the board. Discuss what the laws meant.
- Ask what "slave-owning" people escaping slavery, and anyone helping someone escaping slavery could and could not do under each law. The 1793 law allowed those claiming African Americans as property to capture women, men and children who were escaping from slavery in any state or territory. The claimants needed only to prove orally to a federal or state judge that the person was an "escaped slave." The people escaping slavery were not guaranteed a trial by jury, and the judge's decision was final. Anyone sheltering someone who escaped slavery could be fined $500, a stiff penalty at the time.
- Help students identify where state and federal law contradicted each other.
- Ask students how the Crosswhite case might have been different if the Michigan Personal Freedom Acts had been passed before 1847. Ask the same question about the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law.
Finally, have students complete the three writing assignments on the handouts. Or use the assignment questions for class discussion.
3rd and 4th Grade Curriculum Standards
Strand 1: Historical Perspective
1.1 Time and Chronology
1.2 Comprehending the Past
Strand 5: Inquiry
5.2 Conducting Investigations
8th Grade Curriculum Standards
Strand 1: Historical Perspective
1.1 Time & Chronology
1.3 Analyzing & Interpreting the Past
1.4 Judging Decisions from the Past
Strand 3: Civic Perspective
3.2 Ideals of American Democracy
3.3 Democracy in Action
3.4 American Government and Politics
Strand 5: Inquiry
5.2 Conducting Investigations
Strand 6: Public Discourse and Decision Making
6.1 Identifying ad Analyzing Issues
6.2 Group Discussion
Strand 7: Citizen Involvement
7.1 Responsible Personal Conduct
Contact the Michigan Historical Center.
Updated 11/29/2010
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