Secession and Loyalty

Grade Level:

7th Grade

Duration:

45 minutes

Class Size:

20 students

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Explain the reasons South Carolina and Texas chose to secede from the Union after Lincoln’s victory.
• Analyze Governor Sam Houston’s position and actions regarding Texas’s loyalty during the secession crisis.
• Describe the political consequences faced by Governor Houston for refusing the Confederate Oath of Allegiance.
• Develop critical thinking skills to evaluate different perspectives on loyalty and secession during this period of American history.

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Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) - Social Studies (aligned with C3 Framework Integration)

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1
  Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.3
  Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2
  Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information clearly.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1
  Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues.

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Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed excerpts or textbook sections describing:
  • South Carolina’s secession
  • Governor Sam Houston’s loyalty stance
  • Texas’s vote and admission to the Confederacy
  • Houston’s removal from office
• Chart paper and markers or digital presentation software
• Student notebooks or journals

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Lesson Procedure

1. Introduction and Context (5 minutes)

• Activate prior knowledge: Ask students, “What do you already know about the start of the Civil War and why some states wanted to secede?”
• Briefly introduce the key events, focusing on South Carolina’s secession as the first state and Texas’s complicated position.

2. Reading & Evidence Gathering (10 minutes)

• Distribute short, informative excerpts to pairs of students. Each pair reads about one key aspect:
  • South Carolina’s secession
  • Sam Houston’s stance
  • Texas’s vote to secede
  • Houston’s removal from office
• Students annotate the text with highlighters or notes, focusing on the “who, what, when, why, and consequences.”
• Circulate to guide students and encourage citing textual evidence (CCSS RI.7.1).

3. Group Discussion & Analysis (15 minutes)

• Form 4 groups, each with pairs from different reading topics. Each group:
  • Shares summaries and key points from their excerpts.
  • Discusses these guiding questions:
    • Why did South Carolina secede first?
    • What reasons did Governor Houston give for staying loyal or neutral?
    • Why did Texans still vote to secede despite Houston’s appeal?
    • What were the consequences when Houston refused the Confederate Oath?
• Ask groups to identify different perspectives on loyalty and secession. This will encourage analysis of interactions (CCSS RI.7.3).
• Each group records 2-3 main ideas on chart paper or a shared digital document.

4. Whole-Class Sharing & Reflection (10 minutes)

• Groups present their findings. Teacher facilitates by connecting group points and highlighting the complexity of loyalty during this time.
• Highlight cause and effect relationships and political impacts for Texas.
• Lead a quick reflective journaling prompt:
  “If you were Governor Houston, what would you have done? Why? Explain your reasoning using historical facts you learned today.” (Practice informative writing CCSS W.7.2)

5. Wrap-Up and Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

• Have students write a brief exit ticket answering:
  • What was one reason South Carolina seceded?
  • Why was Governor Houston removed from office?
• Collect exit tickets to assess understanding and inform the next lesson.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Provide reading excerpts at varied reading levels or offer audio versions.
• Allow students to use graphic organizers to break down information.
• Provide sentence starters for discussions and writing tasks.
• Encourage use of peer support during group work.

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Assessment

• Formative assessments through observation during paired reading and group discussion.
• Exit tickets to check comprehension of key facts.
• Review journal reflections for depth of reasoning and ability to support opinions with evidence.

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Innovative Extension for Advanced Students or Homework

Create a mock newspaper editorial from the perspective of either Governor Houston or a Texas voter in 1861 explaining their stance on secession. This activity builds writing skills and deepens understanding of historical voices relevant to the topic.

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This structured, interactive lesson helps 7th graders analyze complicated historical events with multiple perspectives, aligned closely to Common Core literacy standards while emphasizing critical thinking and communication skills.