analyzing primary and secondary sources of slavery

Analyzing Primary and Analyzing Primary and Secondary Sources of Secondary Sources of SlaverySlavery

Essential Question: How did slaves resisted and/or adapted to life in America?

StandardsHistory: 8.1.9 A, B, C, D; 8.3.6 A, B, C,

DGeography: 7.3.9U: 7.4.9UCivics: 5.1.9U A, C, D, F; 5.2.9U A, BEconomics: 6.1.9U A, B, C; 6.2.9U A;

6.3.9U B, D; 6.4.9U C; 6.5.9U B, E

Be considerate…Even though the events we are

discussing happened over one hundred and fifty years ago, it still remains a sensitive topic in American society.

The language that is used in the primary and secondary source documents contains language of the time period, which is not appropriate in conversation today.

Response Questions

How does this story show slaves resisting slavery?

How did the author engage/excite the audience during this story?

As you listen to Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad by Pamela Duncan Edwards,answer the following questions:

Slaves and Field WorkSlaves and Field WorkThe majority of slaves worked on

plantations in the Deep South. A regular working day lasted from before sunrise to after sunset, “from can to can’t”-from when one can see until the sun is gone and one can’t see. Slaveholders viewed slaves as property, treating them as farm animals or equipment-rarely as humans. Southern plantations mainly raised cotton, a crop that required constant labor in the fields. Slaves also worked with indigo, corn, and other crops.

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Slaves and Domestic WorkSlaves and Domestic WorkSlaves did not work only in the fields;

many were house servants, such as maids, cooks, and butlers. Other slaves were skilled laborers and craftspeople who helped make each plantation self-sufficient or who worked in industry and manufacturing. At the end of each workday, slaves also returned to their quarters to do their personal housework.

Runaway SlavesRunaway SlavesIn addition to daily passive resistance to

slavery, slaves often planned insurrections and escapes. If caught, a slave would be beaten, even killed. Patrollers, commonly called “patterollers,” were always on the lookout for runaway slaves. Some slaves and many free blacks helped runaways; but some slaves turned in runaways, probably out of fear of getting punished themselves. Some abolitionists became “conductors” on the Underground Railroad, helping runaway slaves to evade patrollers and escape to the North or beyond to Canada.

Slaves and Passive Slaves and Passive ResistanceResistanceSlaves resisted in many ways in

order to assert their humanity and independence. Singing religious songs or songs with secret messages of escape, refusing to work, and helping others escape or rebel were some ways that slaves resisted their owners. The labor of slaves was vital to the success of the plantation system, so slaves often found ways to disrupt this system.

Slaves and ReligionSlaves and Religion• Slave owners used religion to control

the slaves, forcing them to attend services at which a preacher would tell them that slavery was their lot in life. But in the stories of the Old Testament, enslaved Africans heard about the Israelites in slavery and realized the story was like their own. The slaves began to use religion and religious songs to express their feelings about slavery and their hopes for freedom.

Slaves and Slave AuctionsSlaves and Slave AuctionsOnce Africans were brought to

America as slaves, they were sold to the highest bidders at auctions. Slave merchants behaved no differently than grain merchants, selling people as if they were agricultural products. They broke apart many families on the auction block, allowing family members to sell to different owners.

Slaves and FamilySlaves and FamilyAfricans came from a strong tradition

of extended families living together. Slave owners in the United States ripped this cultural practice away from Africans, tearing families apart on the slave auction block. Once on the plantation, many slaves were forced to have children in order to produce more slaves for their owners. Despite this inhumanity, slaves struggled to create family lives for themselves.

Slave ChildrenSlave ChildrenThe children of slaves were seen as

the property of the master, not the children of the women who gave birth to them. They could be sold away at the whim of the owner, never to see their families again. From their birth, they were trained to believe that they were inferior to whites and that they would spend their lives serving their master.

Primary SourceA document or other record of past

events created by people who were present during those events or during that period.

Examples:◦ Letters◦ Diaries◦ Pictures◦ Eyewitness accounts in newspapers or books◦ Everyday artifacts like tools, toys, clothing,

etc.

Secondary SourceA document or other record created

by people who were not present at the events or perhaps not even alive during that period.

Examples:◦ A book on a historical topic written after

the event◦ A documentary◦ Sketches by people who were not present

at the event

Aspect of Slave LifePrimary Source

◦ Write down the name of each primary source.

◦ You do not need to write down the same source twice.

Secondary Source◦ Write down the

name of each secondary source.

◦ You do not need to write down the same source twice.

Field WorkPrimary Source

◦ Solomon Northup, Twelve Years a Slave, 1853

◦ Wes Brady, from Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936-1938

◦ Mary Kincheon Edwards, from Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936-1938

◦ Sarah Ashley, from Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936-1938

Secondary Source◦ Alex Haley, Roots,

1976

Domestic WorkPrimary Source

◦ Charles Ball, Slavery in the United States: A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Charles Ball, A Black Man, 1854

◦ Bob Ellis, quoted in William Loren Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940

◦ Mattie Mooreman, quoted in James Mellon (ed.), Bullwhip Days: The Slave Remember, An Oral History, 1988

◦ Mary Reynolds, , quoted in James Mellon (ed.), Bullwhip Days: The Slave Remember, An Oral History, 1988

◦ Anonymous, quoted in William Loren Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940

Secondary Source◦ Julius Lester, To Be a

Slave, 1968◦ Alex Haley, Roots,

1976

Runaway SlavesPrimary Source

◦ William Wells Brown, quoted in The Liberator, January 12, 1849

◦ West Turner, quoted in William Loren Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940 Julius Lester, To Be a Slave, 1968

◦ Anonymous, quoted in B.A. Botkin (ed.), Lay My Burden Down: A Folk History of Slavery, 1945

◦ Jenny Proctor, quoted in B.A. Botkin (ed.), Lay My Burden Down: A Folk History of Slavery, 1945

◦ Mary Reynolds, quoted in B.A. Botkin (ed.), Lay My Burden Down: A Folk History of Slavery, 1945

◦ anonymous, quoted in William Loren Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940

Secondary Source

None

Passive ResistancePrimary Source

◦ Fredrick Olmsted, Journey in the Seaboard Slave States, 1856

◦ Moses Grandy, quoted in William Loren Katz , Eyewitness: The Negro in American History, 1974

◦ Susan Broaddus, quoted in William Loren Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940

◦ Slave song, quoted in Julius Lester, To Be a Slave, 1968

◦ Jennie Patterson, quoted in William Loren Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940

◦ Beverly Jones, quoted in William Loren Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940

◦ Julia Frasier, quoted in William Loren Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940

◦ Slave song, from B.A. Botkin (ed.), Lay My Burden Down: A Folk History of Slavery, 1945

Secondary Source◦ William Loren Katz,

Eyewitness: The Negro in American History, 1974

◦ Julius Lester, To Be a Slave, 1968

ReligionPrimary Source

◦ The Law Code of Virginia, Chapter XLIX, paragraph 4, 1705

◦ William Wells Brown, Narrative of William W. Brown, A Fugitive Slave Written by Himself, 1846

◦ Sermon given by a white preacher to Virginia slaves, quoted in Frederick Olmsted, Journey in the Seaboard Slave States, 1856

◦ Slave song, “Go Down Moses”◦ Slave song, “You Got a Right”◦ Beverly Jones, quoted in William Loren

Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940◦ West Turner, quoted in William Loren

Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940 ◦ Anonymous, quoted in Julius Lester,

To Be a Slave, 1968


1976

Slave Auctions Primary Source

◦ Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavaus Vassa, The African, 1789

◦ William Wells Brown, Narrative of William W. Brown, A Fugitive Slave Written by Himself, 1846

◦ Charles Ball, Slavery in the United States: A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Charles Ball, A Black Man, 1854

◦ Description of a slave auction, New York Tribune, March 9, 1859

◦ Louis Hughes, Thirty Years a Slave: From Bondage to Freedom, 1897

◦ Josiah Henson, Truth Stranger Than Fiction: Father Henson’s Story of His Own Life, 1858

◦ Jenny Proctor, quoted B.A. Botkin (ed.), Lay My Burden Down: A Folk History of Slavery, 1945

◦ Delicia Patterson, from Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936-38

Secondary Source◦ None

Family Primary Source

◦ Solomon Northup, Twelve Years a Slave, 1853

◦ Hilliard Yellerday, quoted in James Mellon (ed.), Bullwhip Days: The Slave Remember, An Oral History, 1988

◦ Tempie Durham, quoted in James Mellon (ed.), Bullwhip Days: The Slave Remember, An Oral History, 1988

◦ Lou Smith, quoted B.A. Botkin (ed.), Lay My Burden Down: A Folk History of Slavery, 1945

◦ Betty Jones, quoted in William Loren Katz (ed.), The Negro in Virginia, 1940

◦ Wash Wilson, from Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936-38


1976

Children Primary Source

◦ Frederick Douglas, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, 1845

◦ William Wells Brown, The Black Man, His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements, 186

◦ Katie Sutton, quoted in James Mellon (ed.), Bullwhip Days: The Slave Remember, An Oral History, 1988

◦ anonymous, quoted B.A. Botkin (ed.), Lay My Burden Down: A Folk History of Slavery, 1945

◦ Jennie Webb, quoted in James Mellon (ed.), Bullwhip Days: The Slave Remember, An Oral History, 1988

◦ Willie Williams, quoted in James Mellon (ed.), Bullwhip Days: The Slave Remember, An Oral History, 1988 3

◦ John Smith, quoted in James Mellon (ed.), Bullwhip Days: The Slave Remember, An Oral History, 1988

◦ Ida Hutchinson, from Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936-38

Secondary Source◦ None

Notes on Aspects of Slave LifeAspect of Slave Life

How slaves resisted and/or adapted to this aspect of life

In your group…Take turns reading your primary

and secondary source documents.As members read, think about how

slaves resisted and/or adapted to this aspect of life.

Summarize how slaves resisted and/or adapted to this aspect of life in two-three sentences and write your answer on the graphic organizer.

ClosureExamine the visual that connects

to your group’s aspect of life. Pick one detail of the visual and explain how that detail connects to your group’s aspect of life.

Be prepared to share your answer with the class.

Act-It OutsYour group will prepare an act-it-

out that brings your aspect of slavery and the connecting visual to life.

Focus your act-it-out on this question: How did slaves resisted and/or adapted to life in America?

Act-It-Out Roles

You will take on one of these roles:DirectorScreenwriterStage Manager Researcher- part split between all

members in groups of three

DirectorFacilitates the group work process

to make sure the act-it-outs runs smoothly from start to finish. Leads the group’s discussion of what to show in the act-it-out and creates the storyboard. Helps coordinates all parts of the performance and leads the rehearsal. Acts in the act-it-out.

Strengths needed: Leadership skills, organization

ScreenwriterLeads the process of writing a

script for the act-it-out, including group members’ suggestions. Writes and presents an introductory statement for the act-it-out. Provides all group members, and Mr. Kelly, with a typed copy of the script. Acts in the act-it-out.

Strengths needed: Writing ability, typing ability

Stage ManagerCoordinates props, costumes, and

sound effects for the act-it-out. Determines how to make scene changes quickly. Solicits ideas and input for special effects from all group members. Thinks of ways to involve the audience when appropriate. Acts in the act-it-out.

Strengths needed: Creativity

ResearcherExamines the primary and

secondary sources for information to use in the act-it-out. Also finds additional information in the textbook and from other sources. Makes sure the group accurately uses the information on the topic. Acts in the act-it-out.

Strengths needed: Strong reader, strong researcher

Act-It-OutThree- to five-minutesBrings the visual to lifeClearly shows the aspect of lifeConnects to the focus question- How

did slaves resisted and/or adapted to life in America?

Contains 3 scenes◦ Before visual◦ During visual◦ After visual◦ Can be seconds, minutes, months, or years

before and after

Step 1: Create ideas for three scenesWhat happened before the event

shown?What is happening during the

event shown?What is happening after the

event shown?

Step 2: Create a storyboard for your act-it-out (This is the director’s focus.)

Your storyboard should contain:Each group member’s position,

costumes, props, actions, and dialogue in the scene

Once the storyboard is complete, bring this to me for approval.

Step 3: Write a two-to three-page script for your act-it-out (This is the screenwriter’s focus.)Your script should contain:

Accurate historical information from the primary and secondary sources, as well as outside sources like your textbook

Engaging dialogue that grabs the audience’s attention

Input from all group membersCreate and introductory

statement for the act-it-out

Step 4: Create or gather simple costumes, props, visuals and/or sound effects for your act-it-out (This is the stage manager’s focus.)

The materials should:Reflect the details from the

visual, as well as other historical details from the time period

Make the scenes seem as realistic as possible

Be respectful of the sensitive nature of the topic

Step 5: Rehearse your act-it-out (This is the stage manager’s focus.)

Focus on:Smooth flow of all three scenesPronunciations of difficult wordsVoice levelsActions/hand gesturesCostume/prop changes

PresentationsBefore presenting-

◦You will have up to 2 minutes to prepare

◦Turn in: The final, types copy of your script Your rubric

While watching presentations:◦Fill in your graphic organizer-Notes

on Aspects of Slave Life◦Be respectful of those presenting

analyzing primary and secondary sources of slavery

Documents

children of slaves

runaway slaves

labor of slaves

majority of slaves

domestic work slaves

passive resistance slaves

slave children

religion slave owners