Lesson 1. What, When, and Where was American Slavery?

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• name and describe 3 aspects of slavery: Capture into slavery, Slave trade, and Life in slavery
• describe data displayed on a GIS map
• make accurate observations and relevant inferences from a primary source document

Teacher Materials

• GIS web site and Projector
• On overhead: primary source document, Slave Narrative 1: Capture into Slavery
• List of examples of observations and inference from Slave Narrative 1

Student Materials

• Slave Narrative readings 1-3 (1 copy of each per student)
• Handout 1: Observations and Inferences from Slave Narratives (1 per student)

Activities

1. Discuss: What do we already know about slavery in America? List students' ideas on a big paper and save for reflection in Lesson 5. (You might choose to leave incorrect ideas on the list, to be corrected during the project. Uncertain ideas could be marked with a "?")
   • When did American slavery begin and end?
   • Where did it occur?
   • Who was enslaved? Who were the enslavers?
   • What was life like for enslaved people? For their enslavers?
   • Did enslaved people have any power? If so, what was it?


2. Use the GIS map to make observations, inferences, and questions about slavery. Let students make inferences and even guesses, and to think imaginatively. They will need to find accurate information later, but should be exploring now.
   • On the overhead, introduce students to the GIS for History web site (http://www.gisforhistory.org). Show how to find the "Slavery in America" project
   • Note the timeline: What is the earliest year for which we have data? The latest year? Why might that be?
   • Slavery has been documented in the American colonies since 1619. Why do you think this map has no data before 1790? (NOTE: 1790 was the first US census)
   • Show how to change the year and the census variable, turn layers on/off, and zoom and browse around the map
   • Display the census variable "Enslaved population." Where were the largest enslaved populations in 1790? How did this change over time? What patterns do you notice? What might explain them?


3. What was the experience of enslavement like? Observations and Inferences from primary source documents: narratives written by people who lived in slavery.
   • Look at the Slave Narrative 1 on the overhead. Read a paragraph aloud. What does this document tell us about the experience of enslavement?
   • Explain the difference between observations (things we see in the document) and inferences (conclusions we might draw about the person, place, or time)
   • What observations can we make from this document? What inferences? Go over examples on the overhead. (Here is a list of examples as a guide.)


4. Shared reading: Slave narratives
   • Hand out Slave Narrative 1, and Handout 1, to all students
   • All complete the first column of Handout 1
   • When all are finished, discuss observations and inferences. What new information have we learned about slavery in America from this document?

Homework

Read Slave Narrative 2 and Slave Narrative 3, and complete Handout 1