Lesson 6: Slavery in the Colonies

Big Ideas of the Lesson

The English enslaved Africans and forced them to work in the colonies.
Slavery had terrible effects on people and cultures of Africa.
Although a majority of the enslaved Africans lived in the Southern Colonies they
were part of the population of each of the 13 colonies.
Enslaved Africans had no rights and no freedom. They were treated like
property.
Having the free labor of enslaved Africans helped the English colonies grow and
prosper.

Lesson Abstract:
In this lesson students explore how the institution of slavery began to evolve and develop in the
English colonies. They begin by using a timeline to explore the evolution of slave codes and
the change from indentured servitude to racial slavery. Next, they analyze a map showing the
enslaved population within each of the colonies and analyze factors that led to the growth of
slavery. Using a picture book and a short play, they examine how slavery impacted the lives of
enslaved Africans as well as how Africans drew upon their African past to develop a distinct
African-American culture. Finally, they briefly explore how recent archaeological projects are
adding to our understanding of Africans in the colonies.

Content Expectations
5 U2.2.2: Describe the life of enslaved Africans and free Africans in the
American colonies.

5 U2.3.4: Describe the development of the emerging labor force in the

colonies (e.g., cash crop farming, slavery, indentured servants).

5 U2.2.3: Describe how Africans living in North America drew upon their
African past (e.g., sense of family, role of oral tradition) and adapted elements of
new cultures to develop a distinct African-American culture.

Common Core State Standards:

RI.5.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order
to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
Key Concepts
culture
labor force
slavery

Instructional Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
Chart paper
Overhead projector or document camera/projector

Student Resource
Bower, Burt, et al. Americas Past, Social Studies Alive Program. Palo Alto, CA:
Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2010 or a similar fifth grade social studies textbook. Pp.
105-111.

Hamilton, Virginia. The People Could Fly. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.

Lizzies Story. Slavery and the Making of America website. 1 December 2011
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/teachers/readings5.html>.

Pace, Lorenzo. Jalani and the Lock. New York: PowerKids Press, 2001.

Teacher Resource
African Burial Ground. 1 December 2011 <http://www.nps.gov/afbg/forteachers/lesson-
plans.htm>.

African Burial Ground PowerPoint. 1 December 2011

<http://www.nps.gov/afbg/forteachers/lesson-plans.htm>.

Africans in America. Public Broadcasting Service. 1 December 2011

<www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia>.

Buried Stories. 1 December 2011

<http://www.slaveryinnewyork.org/PDFs/Buried_Stories.pdf>.

Colonial Slavery. Footsteps Magazine. (African American History). NH: Cobblestone

Publishing, May, June 2002. Vol. 4, Number 3.

Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6). Teacher-made material.

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative, 2011.
 Number of slaves 1770. 1 December 2011
<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Slavery_in_the_13_colonies.jpg>.

Slavery in America. 1 December 2011 <http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/>.

Slavery in the North. 1 December 2011 <http://www.slavenorth.com/>.

Slavery and the Making of America. 1 December 2011

<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/index.html>.

Lesson Sequence
1. Briefly review triangular trade patterns and the horrors of the Middle Passage, which
were covered in the previous lesson. Remind students that in 1619, the first Africans were
brought to Jamestown. Historical records seem to show that Africans were first treated like
indentured servants in Jamestown. This changed, however, and laws were enacted that
defined and regulated slavery. As a way of helping students explore how this change came
about divide students in pairs and give each pair a copy of the Timeline, located in the
Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6).
Pimp my unit: Show the image for the trade routes. Have students note that in 1619, the
first Africans were brought to Jamestown.
2. Explain that students should examine the timeline with their partner and draw
conclusions about what happened to Africans after the Jamestown experience. Give pairs
time to work together and then have them share their conclusions in the large group. Note
that possible conclusions include that laws were passed that made enslaved Africans slaves
for life and also defined enslaved Africans as property. Laws eventually made it illegal for
slaves to marry, to own property, or to earn their freedom. Explain that historians describe
this process as a change from indentured servitude to racial slavery, meaning slavery based
on race and racism.

3. Note that an excerpt of a slave code made by the Virginia General Assembly has been
included in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6), if you would like to share the
actual wording of this type of law with students.
Pimp my Unit: share the actual wording of the code with students.
4. Explain that in this lesson, students will learn more about in the institution of slavery in
the colonies and the lives of both enslaved and free blacks. As you complete the various
activities of the lesson make sure to guide students in developing historical empathy by
continually asking them questions such as How would you have felt if this happened to
you? and How would you have reacted?

5. Ask students why enslaved Africans were needed in the Southern colonies. Discuss
student responses and then guide them to the idea that the southern economy was
dependent on large plantations that grew cash crops like tobacco, rice, and indigo. These
large farms needed many workers. As a result more and more enslaved Africans were
brought to these colonies and forced to do the work.

6. Write the following sentence on an overhead or board: Enslaved Africans were only
forced to work in the Southern Colonies, not the other two regions. Ask students to write
whether or not they agree or disagree with the statement in their journals as well as an
explanation for their answer.
Pimp my Unit: Have the students stand on opposite sides of the room for each side and
open the floor for discussion if anyone would like to share their response.

7. Display the Number of Enslaved Africans map located in the Supplemental Materials
(Unit 4, Lesson 6). Ask students to indentify the two different types of data shown on the
map. Guide students in understanding that the map shows both the number of enslaved
Africans in each colony and the percentage of the total population of each colony they made
up. Use the following questions to discuss the map. Note that as an option you could have
students answer the questions in their social studies journals:
According to the map in which colonial region or regions were enslaved
Africans forced to work?
In which colonial region were there the most enslaved Africans?
Which colony had the smallest number of enslaved Africans?
Which colony had the largest number of enslaved Africans?
Why do you think this colony had the largest number?
In which two colonies was the enslaved African population greater than 60%
of the population?
Blacks began to develop a unique African American culture in the colonies.
Do you think this culture had a greater impact on some colonies rather than
others? Why or why not?

8. Explain to students that many people have the misconception that enslaved Africans
were only forced to do work in the southern colonies. As the map shows this was not true.
Enslaved Africans were forced to work in the New England and in the middle colonies doing
a variety of jobs including farming, loading, and unloading at docks, manufacturing, etc.
Merchants in these regions also made a great deal of money working as slave traders. To
examine this in more detail you may want students to read the informational text selection
Slavery in the North and complete the Analyzing Text activity, located in the
Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6). Note that sample answers can also be found in
the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6).

9. Note that at this point in the lesson you may want students to read the section of their
textbook on slavery in the colonies. For example, if you are using the text listed in the
Student Resources this would include pages 105- 111.
 10. Explain that the timeline, map, and informational text used so far in this lesson are useful
in helping us understand many things about slavery in the colonies but do not really help us
understand much about life for enslaved Africans. Explain that this next section of the
lesson will concentrate on that aspect of slavery.

11. Share the picture book, The People Could Fly, by Virginia Hamilton. Make sure to
share the authors explanation of the African origins of this story. Discuss the book using
these questions.
What examples of harsh treatment of enslaved Africans are evident in the
story?
Virginia Hamilton explains that stories like this were common during the
times of slavery. Why do you think this was true?
How do the illustrations contribute to the story?
How does this story show that Africans who came to the colonies brought
their culture with them and held on to their culture?
Pimp my Unit: This is where I would do my story in a bag on the book The People Could Fly
12. Print out Lizzies Story, from the website listed in the Student Resources and perform
the short play as a choral reading. Note that this one-act play allows students to learn about
Lizzie, a young enslaved girl, who is attacked by her slave owner. It depicts her
responsibilities, how she was viewed in the household, and how her sister, Mum Bett,
protected her during the attack. It is based on true events.

13. Remind students that the story The People Could Fly helps us understand how oral
tradition, which was so important in Africa was transferred to the Americas through slavery.
Then, ask students what important part of African culture is evident in Lizzies Story.
Discuss student responses and guide students in understanding that this short play shows
how Africans continued to believe in the importance of family. Discuss how difficult it was to
maintain the sense of family under slavery given the fact that family member were often split
up and sold to different owners, etc.

14. Explain that all black people in the colonies were not enslaved. There were free blacks
that lived throughout the colonies. Using Word Card #15, explain that as time went on these
free blacks experienced more and more discrimination. Share the following information on
this issue:
A 1690 Connecticut law forbid free blacks and Native Americans from being
on a street after 9 PM.
In 1717, the citizens of New London, Connecticut voted their objection to
free blacks living in the town or owning land anywhere in the colony in a town
meeting.
Free blacks were barred, by law, from owning land in colonial New Jersey.
Law in Pennsylvania controlled the lives of free blacks. After 1700 blacks,
free or enslaved, were tried in special courts, without a jury.
In 1718, a law was passed in Rhode Island stated: When any enslaved
African is caught in the home of a free black person, both will be whipped.
Pimp my unit: create a chart talking about the different characteristics of enslaved and free
African Americans. Have the students put this directly in their journal as a reference if needed.

15. Using Word Card #16, review the term archaeology. Explain that for many years little
interest was shown in exploring the early history of African Americans but this has begun to
change. Several current archaeology projects are helping us better understand the lifeways
of African Americans in colonial America and the important roles they played in our early
history.

16. Display African Burial Ground, located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6)
and use the following points to discuss this important National site:
New York's African Burial Ground is the final resting place of approximately
15,000 free and enslaved Africans. Dating from the late 17th century, it has been
called one of the most important archaeological finds of our time.
Lost to history due to landfill and development, the grounds were rediscovered in 1991 as
a consequence of the planned construction of a Federal office building.
The ancestral remains of 419 individuals, which were removed in 1991 and taken to
Howard University for scientific study, were reinterred at the African Burial Ground Memorial
Site on October 4, 2003. Each year, October 4 is a day of remembrance and celebration at the
African Burial Ground.
Scientific study of the remains is helping historians gather information about
the lives of blacks in the colonies and how people held on to their African
traditions

17. For further information regarding the African Burial ground you may want to share the
Power Point presentation listed in the Teacher Resources or download information from the
Buried Stories website also listed in the resources.

18. As a connection back to Lesson 5, share the information located in the Supplemental
Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6) regarding the large monument dedicated to the African Burial
Ground designed by Lorenzo Pace, author of Jalani and Lock.

Assessment
As an assessment, have students choose one of the following questions and write a paragraph
response:
How was the treatment of Africans similar to that of Native Americans? How
was it different?
How was being enslaved different from being an indentured servant?
How did the use of enslaved Africans as workers impact the growth of the
English colonies?