W hen we look back at history, we often like to identify trends.
Viewing the big picture, we may see a steady push toward progress. However, every fight for rights involves a series of advances and setbacks. The struggle for equal recognition of African Americans demonstrates a zigzag road to rights.
The push-and-pull of this struggle was evident at the birth of the nation. In his original draft of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson included a strong condemnation of slavery, protesting this “cruel war against human nature.” Jefferson wanted the Declaration of Independence to grant freedom to all men.
However, at the Continental Congress in 1776, both northern and southern slaveholders objected to any mention of African American rights. Powerful indeed was their pressure. Any mention of slavery was deleted from the Declaration.
Although the removal of Jefferson’s antislavery paragraph was a severe setback, reformers did not give up hope. With the ratification of the Constitution, they gained an important tool for change. Article V describes the conditions required for amending the Constitution. Laws can be changed, and rights can be gained.
The struggle took another crucial step forward in 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
It asserted that “all persons held as slaves” within states that had seceded from the Union “are, and henceforward shall be, free.” Still, freedom for slaves depended upon a Union victory. Slavery remained legal in border states loyal to the Union, as well as in Confederate areas under Northern control.
1 2 3 4 This selection is an example of an informative text, a type of writing in which an author examines concepts through the careful selection, organization, and analysis of information. This is the type of writing you will develop in the Performance-Based Assessment at the end of the unit.
As you read, think about how the information is shared. Mark the text to help you answer this question: How does the writer help readers understand the main point of the essay?
LAUNCH TEXT | INFORMATIVE MODEL NOTES 278
