The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Activities:

• Work in pairs to locate answers to the questions listed below.


• Gather information through reading printed material and electronic media.


• Compose a report (at least 250 words) that answers the questions.


• Revise and edit the report.
  Cite sources of information.


• Review and critically evaluate reports written by peers.
  Participate in a full-class debate about the essential question.

1. Introduce the essential question: What Events Led to Lincoln's Assassination? Allow the class to explore this turning point in American history. Introduce the assignment: Students will work in pairs using available library resources and website documents to find answers to the questions below. The teacher will explain to the students that they will be expected to "think like journalists," meaning that they will read information that will enable them to answer the questions: What? When? Where? Why? and How?
   
   Questions:
   
   1. Who assassinated Lincoln?
   2. What events preceded the assassination?
   3. Where was Abraham Lincoln killed?
   4. When did this happen?
   5. How did John Wilkes Booth get access to the president?
   6. What reasons did John Wilkes Booth give for wanting to assassinate the president?
   
   
2. Students will share their research findings in small groups. Each student will be responsible for preparing his/her own report. Reports should include footnotes and a bibliography.
   
3. Each student will exchange his/her research report with another student. Students will evaluate the reports using the questions cited above as a guide. The teacher will give each paper a numerical grade based on the quality of the information and the writing.

After grading the papers, the teacher will lead a discussion on their content and on how they are written. Then the class will be separated into two groups: students who believe the assassination could have been avoided, and students who do not think it could have been prevented. The teacher will follow through by organizing a class debate on the essential question.

Each student should develop five additional questions stemming from the research and the debate. To help students frame the questions, the teacher should ask: What else do you want to know? Where might you find the answers to these new questions?

Application:

The teacher will distribute the Frederick Douglass letter to Mary Todd Lincoln following Lincoln’s assassination (GLC 02474). Based on this letter the teacher will ask the class to describe Frederick Douglass’s reaction to Lincoln’s assassination. The class will then discuss how Lincoln’s assassination affected the nation.