Review the timeline provided to gain some introductory information about: the origins of slavery, legislation related to slavery (both legalizing & outlawing), abolitionist efforts, the Underground Railroad (UGRR), the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th amendment. What do you feel are some of the most significant events? Why? A Timeline of Slavery and the UGRR

In 1850 the Fugitive Slave Act was passed by Congress. Read the text of the law and develop a 1-2 sentence summary for each section of the law. What was the impact of the Fugitive Slave Act in the North? What was the impact of the Fugitive Slave Act in the South? The Fugitive Slave Act- 1850

As a result of the Fugitive Slave Act, activities by the UGRR were more dangerous and difficult. Read about the activities of the UGRR here. Despite common perception, the UGRR did not simply end in the northern states, particularly after passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850. For many on the UGRR, Canada was the point to which they fled for their freedom. How did an escaped slave escape the South via the UGRR? People of the UGRR A Summary of the UGRR A Simulation of Escaping the South A Timeline of the UGRR Summary of UGRR in PA

Dred Scott In 1857 the Supreme Court issed the Dred Scott decision. Visit the following sites to learn about the case. Why was the Dred Scott case significant? Dred Scott- Background Dred Scott- The Court's Decision Dred Scott- Impact of the Decision

The Civil War was fought from 1861- 1865 between the North, or the Union, and the South, or the Confederacy. Slavery is often cited as one of the causes of the Civil War. To what extent did slavery cause the Civil War? To what extent did the Emancipation Proclamation impact slavery? The Causes of the Civil War PA and the Civil War The Emancipation Proclamation

This site provides the text of the 13th & 14th amendments to the Constitution. Please read them and summarize the meaning of each in your words. What was the impact of each amendment? The 13th & 14th Amendment The 14th Amendment

The Ku Klux Klan was originally organized in the winter of 1865-66 in Pulaski, Tennessee as a social club by six Confederate veterans. In the beginning, the Klan was a secret fraternity club rather than a terrorist organization. What was the impact of the KKK in the post- Civil War period? Origins of the KKK

In this section you will read about the Supreme Court case Plessey v. Ferguson. This case was instrumental in reinforcing traditional notions of race in the US. One must understand the essential elements of this case in order to later understand the need for the Brown v. Board case. What were the implications of the Plessy case? How would the Plessy case relate to efforts in the Brown v. Board case to desegregate schools? Plessy v. Ferguson PBS- Plessy v. Ferguson

In 1954 the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in the Brown v. Board case. Read about the case on the links provided here. What implications did the Brown case have in the US? Brown v. Board of Education