Gospel and Jazz

In the southern US states of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and the Carolinas, there were large farms
called plantations. On these large farms cotton was grown. Because growing cotton was such difficult work,
black people were brought from Africa to work on the plantations as slaves.

When the black people were brought to America, the white slave owners would not let them sing African songs
or play drums. The white people were afraid the black people would send secret messages with their musical
instruments and run away. The slaves were forced to become Christians. In the black churches, the slaves put
African and Christian music together. They created a new kind of music called Negro Spirituals. Later, this
music was called Gospel Music.

In the state of Louisiana, the white slave owners were French. The French slave owners let the black slaves
have drums and other musical instruments. The slaves in Louisiana put the traditional Black African music
together with European songs. This new music was later called Jazz. In the city of New Orleans, this music
was called New Orleans Jazz. Later, white people began to play the new music and called it Dixieland Jazz.

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READING COMPREHENSION

ESL Lesson Plans - Mini-Bios - Gospel and Jazz

Answer the following questions using complete sentences.

1. What were the large farms called?
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Where were the large farms?
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What was grown on the plantations?
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Was growing cotton easy?
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Where were black people brought from to work on the plantations?
________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Were the black people free?
________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Did the white slave owners let the black people sing African songs?
________________________________________________________________________________________
8. What were the white people afraid of?
________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Were the black people forced to become Christians?
________________________________________________________________________________________
10. What kind of music did the black people create?
________________________________________________________________________________________
11. What was this kind of music later called?
________________________________________________________________________________________
12. In Louisiana, were the white slave owners British?
________________________________________________________________________________________
13. Did the French slave owners let the black slaves have drums?
________________________________________________________________________________________
14. The slaves in Louisiana made a new kind of music. What was it called?
________________________________________________________________________________________
15. What was New Orleans Jazz called when white people played on?
________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2007. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be
photocopied by members of ESL-Llibrary.com in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact info@esl-library.com for complete details.

VOCABULARY REVIEW
Unscramble the words below from the story. Then write one original sentence for each word.
1. pelgos
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. zajz
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. struminents
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4. tatlpanions
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ocontt
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6. fariac
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7. lixiedand
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
8. savels
________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Now find the words from above in the Word Search below.

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Copyright 2007. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be
photocopied by members of ESL-Llibrary.com in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact info@esl-library.com for complete details.

ANSWER KEY - SCRAMBLE AND WORD SEARCH

ESL Lesson Plans - Mini-Bios - Gospel and Jazz

1. Gospel
2. Jazz
3. instruments
4. plantations
5. cotton
6. Africa
7. Dixieland
8. slaves

QSLAVESMIUAGE

ATCFATLINEHIT
HOLRDAGOSPELC
ARRIORISTTNHO
NMSCCTGARAOTM
AREABIASUDPFM
BCROSSTUMHHIU
IREATEONEEDNN
KSEEJRRSNDCGI
OIPLANTATIONS
OVTRZTPASETRA
EEZEZHOCEMTNT
BGGORILLAROEE
XDIXIELANDNHR

Copyright 2007. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be
photocopied by members of ESL-Llibrary.com in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact info@esl-library.com for complete details.