As students study the Emancipation Proclamation, they should understand the sequence of events that led to the creation of the document and the historical context in which it was created. Using a timeline layout, students will explain the events of the Civil War that led to the Proclamation. There are several events that students can include, from violent encounters throughout the war, or political steps taken by Lincoln and Congress, to other primary source documents. The completed project will also serve as a way for students to grasp on the historical events that led to this pivotal moment in the American Civil War.
For an alternative to the timeline layout, have students create a timeline poster to incorporate into a presentation or gallery walk. You can add more than one template to this assignment to give students lots of options, and update the instructions accordingly.
Extended Activity
Have students create a timeline post-Emancipation Proclamation. Students should research what happened in response to the Emancipation Proclamation, both the positive and negative results. This will help students gauge the historical effects and events that result from this seminal document.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a timeline that illustrates the major events leading to the Emancipation Proclamation.