Published in 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin changed the way Americans viewed slavery and was a driving force that steered the political direction of the country during the 1850s as well. For many Americans, the characters in the novel are familiar, although their names have taken on new and unexpected meanings, and the novel’s theme still resonates today. Listen to learn more about the cultural impact of Uncle Tom’s Cabin in America and discover Harriet Beecher Stowe’s inspirations for writing the novel as well as how the novel still reminds us of what “freedom” means today.
Story Length: 7:33
© 2011 National Public Radio, Inc. Used with the permission of NPR. All rights reserved.
07/04/2011
https://app.listenwise.com/students/lessons/434-how-uncle-toms-cabin-promoted-change
What is the novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” about? How did Harriet Beecher Stowe get the idea to write it?
How has the term “Uncle Tom” evolved over time?
Why would Harriet Beecher Stowe disagree with the way the term “Uncle Tom” is used today?
What was the biggest impact “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” had on American society in the 1850s?
Why is it important for us to reflect on the novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and Harriet Beecher Stowe around the time of the Fourth of July?
