Missouri State Archives

Detail from etching, The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia.

An Interactive Lesson Plan with Original Documents
Grades 9-12

Histories

• Origins and Traditions of Dueling
• Code Duello
• A Brief Biography of Abiel Leonard
• The Age of Political Duels

Original Documents

• Tharp posting
• 1822 Anti-dueling Statute
• Leonard Sentence (and transcript)
• Act for the relief of Abiel Leonard
• Map of St. Louis 1853 and Bloody Island Map
• State of Missouri vs. Ira P. Nash (and transcript)

Lesson Plan

• Lesson Overview
• Glossary of Terms
• Worksheet Learning from Primary Sources 
• Guided Discussion Questions

For Educators

• Rationales
     Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
     Framework for Curriculum Development in Social Studies
  • Show-Me Standards and Social Studies Strands Targeted by Crack of the Pistol: Dueling in 19th Century Missouri
• Resources
  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Sites of Interest