Historical illustrations reveal more than what they are meant to portray. After reading Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, high schoolers view a series of illustrations, movie posters, photographs, and book covers that exemplify the book's themes and key moments.

Concepts

uncle tom's cabin, slavery, harriet beecher stowe, visual literacy, primary sources, primary source images

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Print selected images and display them around the room; organize a gallery walk for groups to observe and discuss
• Have class members design their own illustrations based on their reading of the novel
• Work with a social studies teacher to design a cross-curricular lesson

Classroom Considerations

• Many images are in color, and projecting them onto the wall may be more efficient than printing
• Provide historical context for some images that could be considered racist by today's standards

Pros

• Provides dozens of photos from various years following the novel's publication
• Includes sources for each image
• Comes with teaching instructions and tips

Cons

• None

Common Core

RI.9-10.1 RI.11-12.1 RH.9-10.1 RH.11-12.1