Primary Trial Roles

Defense:

• Defense Attorneys (2-3)

• Abraham Lincoln (Defendant)

• Secretary of State, William H. Seward

• Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton

• Frederick Douglas

• General William T. Sherman

• General Ulysses S. Grant

• Charles Sumner

Prosecution:

• Prosecuting Attorneys (2-3)

• John Merryman

• Lambdin Milligan

• Clement Vallandigham

• Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney

• New York City Draft Rioter

• George B. McClellan

• Copperhead Congressman Fernando Wood

Secondary Trial Roles

• Jury

Trial Written Assignment:

• ALL response papers must be typed, double spaced, and be 1-2 pages in length. They should be printed and turned in after your testimony is complete in the trial. The goal of writing this paper is to prepare a detailed testimony with specific examples that you will be able to discuss while on the stand.

• For Review: President Abraham Lincoln is charged with violating the powers put forward by the United States Constitution through a tyrannical usurpation (overtaking) of power at the unnecessary expense of American Civil Liberties.

Research Notes:

• You must complete the Lincoln Mock Trial Research Notes before the Trial begins and turn it in at the beginning of the class period.

Primary Trial Roles Written Assignment:

Defense

Defense Attorneys:

• Your paper needs to summarize the charges brought against your client, and then needs to describe why this charge is inaccurate and why Lincoln’s actions were justified.

Defendant (Lincoln):

• Your paper needs to summarize the charges brought against you, and you need to argue against each of these based upon specific details and examples. Your paper must also discuss how your actions saved the broken nation.

Defendant Character Witnesses:

• Your paper needs to summarize the charges brought against Lincoln, and you need to argue against each of these based upon specific details and examples. Your paper must also discuss how Lincoln’s actions saved the broken nation.

Prosecution

Prosecuting Attorneys:

• Your paper needs to summarize the charges brought against Lincoln, and then needs to describe why this charge is accurate based upon the Constitution and historical fact.

Prosecution Character Witnesses:

• Your paper needs to summarize the charges brought against Lincoln, and you need to argue why each of these are correct based upon specific details and examples. Your paper must also discuss how Lincoln’s actions were an unwarranted usurpation of Constitutional powers.

Secondary Trial Roles (Jury) Written Assignment:

Jury Members

• Your paper needs to summarize the charges brought against Lincoln, and then needs to describe why these charges and arguments are accurate or inaccurate based upon the Constitution and historical fact. You will then describe how you voted, and why you voted that way.