The Vigilant Committee of Philadelphia operated between 1837 and 1852; it was the secret auxiliary of the Vigilant Association. The Vigilant Association was a group formed by the ardent abolitionist, Robert Purvis, in August 1837 to publicly promote antislavery ideology and "to create a fund to aid colored persons in distress." The Vigilant Committee's purpose was to appoint offices, raise revenue, and have resources readily available to assist runaway slaves while they stayed in or passed through Philadelphia. The organization dissolved in 1852.
8.2.9.A , 8.2.12.D, 8.3.12.D, 8.3.9.B, 1.4.6-8C |
Antebellum Philadelphia was home to the largest free black community in Philadelphia. These lessons explore the ways in which the Pennsylvania Abolition Society (PAS) worked with and for that community, providing education and employment assistance in the years following abolition in Pennsylvania and before the Civil War. The PAS also took an important role in documenting this community through censuses and home visits throughout the antebellum period.
Middle School, High School
8.1.9.A, 8.1.9.B, 8.1.U.B, 8.1.U.C., 8.2.9.B., C.C.8.5.9-10.A |
Primary sources can enrich curriculum and engage students if used properly. However, introducing students to using primary sources can be a daunting task. Use the lesson in this unit to introduce students to primary and secondary sources, to introduce the idea of multiple historical perspectives and to build skills for historical analysis.
Middle School, High School
8.1.7.B, 8.1.8.B, 8.1.9.B, 8.1.12.B |
In 1701, William Penn created a Charter of Privileges for the residents of his colony. Penn envisioned a colony that permitted religious freedom, the consent and participation of the governed, as well as other laws pertaining to property rights.
8.2.7.B, 8.2.8.B, 8.2.6.A, 8.2.6.B, 8.2.7.A, 8.3.8.A |
On June 1, 1812, the United States of America declared war on the British. Several international factors led President James Madison to declare war after years of failed negotiations and laws aimed at preventing another conflict with the British.
8.1.3.C, 8.1.4.C, 8.1.5.C, 8.3.3.B, 8.3.4.B, 8.3.5.B |
In the early 1900s, the Philadelphia labor movement struggled to overcome the obstacles of the city’s close alliance between politicians and businessmen. Few workers experienced an increase in benefits and wages, let alone the formation and recognition of a union. Many ethnic groups suffered from biased hiring policies and corrupt owners.
8.1.9.B, 8.1.12.B, 8.2.9.D, 8.2.12.D, 8.3.9.A, 8.3.12.A |
Xenophobia has played a large role in American History from the first English settlers of Pennsylvania to the modern day fears that accompany the arrival of new immigrant groups. People's fears are based on differences in religious, cultural, and social beliefs, as well as economic and national security concerns. The documents within the unit illustrate different xenophobic organizations and laws.
8.1.9.A, 8.2.9.B, 8.2.9.C, 8.2.9.D, 8.3.9.B, 8.1.U.A |
This unit incorporates three documents tracing the advancement of men and women from the status of fugitive slaves to black soldiers fighting for the Union Army in the American Civil War.
8.1.U.A, 8.2.U.A, 8.3.U.A, 8.2.U.B, 8.3.U.B |
This unit examines the struggle women endured economically, politically, and socially in the United States during the nineteenth and twentieth century. Through the analysis of the Hucksters' Petition, National Woman Suffrage Association's Constitution, and the Equal Rights Amendment brochure, students will understand the struggle women encountered in their fight to obtain economic and political rights.
8.1.9.A, 8.2.9.A, 8.1.12.A, 8.2.12.A, 8.3.9.C, 8.3.12.C |
The significance of religious freedom in the founding of Pennsylvania can best be understood through an examination of the Jewish Petition to the Dutch West India Company, William Penn’s Charter of Privileges, Address to the Inhabitants of Philadelphia, and correspondence documenting the Philadelphia Bible Riots.
8.1.9.A, 8.2.9.A, 8.1.12.A, 8.2.12.A, 8.2.9.C, 8.2.12.C |