The Dorr Rebellion
U.S. HISTORY
In 1841, Rhode Island was still operating under its colonial charter, which gave more power to rural areas than growing urban areas like Providence. A group of reformers in Rhode Island, led by Thomas Dorr, tried to rewrite the state's constitution to broaden representation to include more urban, immigrant laborers. While the struggle eventually led to armed rebellion, it also led to sweeping constitutional reforms.
In this VOXPOP, students take on the roles of Aristocrats, Black Americans, Farmers, Reformers and Laborers, all struggling to define how power should be distributed in Rhode Island. After being introduced to the situation, students work with other members of their group to define their values.
Students then debate and vote on three key issues:
Suffrage - Who should have the right to vote in Rhode Island?
Legislature - How should we distribute power across the state?
Constitution - Who gets to write a state's constitution?
At the end of the VOXPOP, an epilogue video lays out what actually happened.
This VOXPOP was developed in partnership with the Rhode Island State House.
GET STARTED
Role-plays take roughly 45-70 minutes for a class to play through. To run the role-play over multiple days, use the link VOXPOP will send you to re-open your session.
Create a different session for each class that you intend to use this role-play with.
Not sure how sessions work? Feel free to create a session and step through it to get a feel for the role-play. You can create as many sessions as you need.
PREPARE TO LEAD THE ROLE-PLAY
The VOXPOP software will deliver this content to students during the role-play. Use this outline to familiarize yourself with the content of the scenario, the roles students will be assigned and the choices they will be asked to make.
DETAILS
Students: 6 to 50
Running Time: 70-90 minutes (the role-play can be broken into multiple sessions)
BACKGROUND
This video provides historical context.
ROLES
Students are assigned to the following groups:
Aristocrats
Aristocrats believe that only people who pay taxes should have a say in government. In Rhode Island, taxes are paid by landowners, and no one else. We should control how our money is spent!
Farmers
Many Farmers' families have owned land in Rhode Island for generations. They're skeptical about expanding the vote to Laborers, who go wherever jobs are, and aren't committed to the state in the long term.
Black Americans
Black people supported the Reformers until they rejected the idea of Black suffrage. Now they're allied with Farmers and Aristocrats to support the existing government.
Reformers
Many Reformers are already in positions of power. But they want more Rhode Islanders to have a say in government. We should not ignore the voices of everyday people!
Laborers
Laborers live in cramped cities working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. Many are immigrants who came to find work. If they have to follow the state's laws, they should get a say in how those laws are made!
THE ISSUES
These videos will provide students with more detailed background on specific issues.
Suffrage
Who deserves the right to vote?
Proposals students consider:
Suffrage for landowners
Keep the current voting system: only men who own land in the state of RI can vote.
Suffrage for all White men
All adult White men who have lived in RI for over 1 year can vote.
Legislature
How should we distribute power across the state?
Proposals students consider:
Representation by town
Each town and city ward gets one representative in the state legislature. This mirrors the U.S. Senate.
Representation by population
Seats in the legislature are based on population. This mirrors the U.S. House of Representatives.
Constitution
Who gets to write the constitution?
Proposals students consider:
Constitution by legislature
The current state legislature writes a new constitution and puts it to a statewide vote.
Constitution by majority
All citizens of RI, including non-voters, write and vote on a constitution. They don't need government approval.
EPILOGUE
A short video that lets students know what really happened.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Here are a few suggested discussion questions to pose at the end of the role-play. Please feel free to use your own.
If the government did not represent your interests, how would you try to change it?
There are many people in the U.S. who cannot vote. Who are they? Do you think they should have the right to vote?
ADDITIONAL TEACHER RESOURCES
The Dorr Rebellion
These additional materials, activates and assessments strengthen support for student processing, engagement and comprehension. They are available as Google Docs for you to save to your Drive and share with your students. We encourage teachers to adjust these digital materials to fit the needs of your classroom.
Want to start the role-play quickly, but give your students some context before you begin? These materials allow students to preview the issues and groups before the role-play, and to summarize and reflect after the role-play. They can be done in class or assigned as homework.
Preview material ᐧ 30 mins or less ᐧ Print & go
Google Docs
Before the Role-Play
Want to create complex understanding and support for students before the role-play? These materials build understanding of issues & groups your students will be discussing before the role play through a whole-class primary source inquiry lesson.
Context & inquiry ᐧ 1-1.5 hours ᐧ Set up required
Google Docs
Before the Role-Play: Primary Source Analysis Lesson
Want a follow up reflection to check for comprehension? This activity can be done in class or assigned as homework.
Reflection ᐧ 30 mins or less ᐧ Print & go
Google Docs
After the Role-Play
CREDITS
Production
Jenny Lim
Mattia Romeo
Greg Trefry
Matthew Wilding
Teacher Toolkit
Frances Starn
Partner
Rhode Island State House, Lane Sparkman
Testing & Evaluation
Camillia Matuk
Talia Hurwich
Sources
Marvin E. Gettleman, The Dorr Rebellion: A Study in American Radicalism, 1833-1849, Random House, 1973.
Erik J. Chaput, The People's Martyr: Thomas Wilson Dorr and his 1842 Rhode Island Rebellion, University Press of Kansas, 2013.
Media
Rhode Island State House
Library of Congress
Providence College & Phillips Memorial Library
Brown University Portrait Collection
Wikimedia Commons
Special Thanks
Lane Sparkman
Thalia Wood