Missouri State Archives
Before Dred Scott:
Freedom Suits in Antebellum Missouri
Sites of Interest for Educators
Our Documents: A National Initiative on American History, Civics, and Service
This program, as introduced by President George W. Bush, serves the purpose of preserving the memory of 100 of the most crucial original documents in the history of the United States for students by placing them, along with historical information and resources for teachers, on one website. Documents such as the Missouri Compromise, Dred Scott v. Sanford, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act are all featured.
There is a link called the "Teacher’s Toolbox," which leads to the on-line Our Documents Teacher’s Sourcebook. This document is a practical resource for educators using documents in the classroom. It includes sample lesson plans.
National History Day
This is the official website for National History Day. It is a great resource for teachers, in that it has an in-depth description of the "Our Documents National History Day Competition," which is open to students in grades 6-12.
http://stlcourtrecords.wustl.edu/about-freedom-suits-series.php
St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project: Freedom Suits
After February 19th, this site will have more than 280 original slave freedom suits (1814 to 1860) available for research and review. Access is available through Secretary of State’s homepage. The site, which is in digital format, is the largest single collection of slave freedom suits available for researchers in the United States. A short film about the pursuit of freedom in St. Louis will also be on that site.
We the People—from the National Endowment for the Humanities
This site supports the National Endowment’s American History Initiative.
The Smithsonian
This site contains a search engine that allows educators to search for educational resources within the Smithsonian’s archives, including lesson plans.
American Memory—from the Library of Congress
American Memory: Historical Collections for the National Digital Library, a division of the Library of Congress, provides a helpful "Learning Page" among its resources.
The National Council for the Social Studies
On the NCSS website there is a link to "Educational Resources for Educators." Once there, educators will find the NCSS Teaching Resource Search Engine.
http://www.landmarkcases.org/dredscott/home.html
Landmark Supreme Court Cases
This is a very helpful site for educators. Its Dred Scott v. Sanford link contains, among other things, an analysis of political cartoons regarding the Dred Scott case, an eyewitness report, newspaper editorials on the decision, and President Lincoln’s speech on Dred Scott.
Newsweek
This "Educational Resources" homepage is provided by Newsweek and includes many different lesson plans for educators on both current and historical events.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/082_slave.html
Images of African-American Slavery and Freedom, The Library of Congress
Educators can find images from the "Prints and Photographs Division" of the Library of Congress on this site.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/sthtml/
Slaves and the Courts, 1740-1860, "American Memory"
This "American Memory" site is a product of the Library of Congress.
http://www.umsl.edu/~munsr/21st.century.library/afmoindx.htm
African Missouri—The University of Missouri at St. Louis
This site contains a comprehensive examination and history of "African Missouri," including further links.
Africans in America—PBS
This site depicts "America’s Journey Through Slavery" through the use of biography, commentary, images, and documents.
http://www.slpl.lib.mo.us/libsrc/afrindex.htm
African-American Resources—St. Louis Public Library
The list of on-line resources at this site includes "Free Men and Women of Color in St. Louis City Directories, 1821-1860."
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/black_voices/black_voices.cfm
Gilder Lehrman Resource Guide
This site, "African-American Voices," includes, among other things, links to sub-categories like "Defining Slavery," "Antebellum Slavery," and "Emancipation." Also included are the thoughts of historical figures such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Nat Turner, John Brown, and others.
http://www.gilderlehrman.org/teachers/module7/mod_primary.html
Gilder Lehrman Annotated Slavery Guide
Contained on this site is a history of slavery presented in the form of an annotated guide of online resources on the topic.
http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/index.html
The National Archives Digital Classroom
This site provides assistance for educators on the incorporation of original documents into the classroom. Also available on this sight are lesson plans and an in-depth list of on-line resources.
http://library.wustl.edu/vlib/dredscott/
The Dred Scott Case—Washington University Libraries
This on-line exhibit includes a Dred Scott chronology and information about the conservation of Dred Scott papers.
http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/africanamerican/scott/scott.asp
Missouri’s Dred Scott Case, 1846-1857
This extensive report on the Dred Scott Case includes quotes from original documents, images of Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet, and a history of Dred Scott before, after, and during his trials. This paper is provided as part of the Missouri State Archives' African American History Initiative, which can be accessed at: http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/africanamerican/intro.asp
http://www.dese.mo.gov/moheritage/WhatDoWeStandFor.htm
What Do We Stand For-Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
This project, through the DESE website, is an excellent resource for teachers trying to incorporate Dred Scott or slave freedom suits into their classrooms.