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Teacher's Guide for FOOTSTEPS Colonial SlaveryMay 2002
Teacher Guide prepared by: Leslie Anderson Morales.
European colonists discovered that they would need many more workers if their farms and businesses were to be successful. They enslaved American Indians and began to import Africans in great numbers. - Do you think the colonists viewed these two groups of people the same way? Why or why not?
- What obstacles faced Africans who resisted and ran away?
- What obstacles faced American Indians who made the same choice?
By 1700, about one-half of the workers in colonial America were enslaved. A person who was young and healthy might risk escape to a life of liberty. A mother or father who purchased freedom might purchase the freedom of family members. The slaveholder, the legislature, or the court could manumit a slave. Organized opposition to slavery - the abolitionist movement - began during the colonial period and continued until the end of the Civil War. Some members of the clergy - black and white - became ardent abolitionists; others justified slavery with passages from the Bible. - What personal qualities, talents, or skills would make a person an effective abolitionist?
By 1770, people of African descent made up 4.5% of the total population of the Northern colonies. Although some worked on farms, most lived and worked in cities, towns, and seaports. - Pick a Northern city.
- What is its leading industry?
- What small businesses are located in the community?
- In 3 - 5 paragraphs, describe a day or event in the life of an enslaved man or woman who lives and works in the city, town, or seaport you have selected.
- What type of work do they do?
- What kinds of people do they interact with?
- What are people in the community interested in and concerned about?
In Maryland and colonies south of Maryland, people of African descent made up 40% of the population. While some enslaved people lived and worked in urban settings similar to those in Northern colonies, most worked on small farms or self-sufficient estates like Monticello and Mount Vernon. - Make a list of occupations that require skilled labor.
- Compare and contrast the lives of unskilled workers (field laborers) with skilled workers. Provide as much detail as you can about working conditions and living conditions.
- Discuss their prospects for freedom.
The Atlantic slave trade developed over many years. A profitable enterprise, it involved European businessmen, African traders, and American merchants. Colonial laws protected slaveholders and restricted the freedom of Africans and African Americans. Throughout it all, enslaved people tried to maintain their culture. They told the children stories about their homeland. They cooked, made music, and adorned themselves within the confines of enslavement. They practiced their religious and medical traditions as best they could. - What family traditions do you have in common with your grandparents or older relatives?
- Have the traditions changed at all?
- Why did they change or stay the same?
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