Rationale/ Purpose (so what?)

Transcription

1 1 Title: Exploring the Life of a Slave (utilizing a tradebook) Lesson Authors: Bernadette Blackburn and Sherry Elliott Key Word: abolitionist Grade Level: Grade 11: United States History Time Allotted: 1 block: 1.5 hours Rationale/ Purpose (so what?) Students need to know the importance of the abolitionists who worked to advance the freedoms of black Americans prior to and during the Reconstruction era. Frederick Douglass was a powerful orator who was extremely influential due to his ability to write and speak powerfully. In order to understand his rationale for fighting to free the slaves it is important to see the evolution of his political and social aims, which can be traced by reading excerpts from his personal narrative. Key Concept(s) include definition: Evolution from slavery to freedom: The transition was tumultuous and students need to understand that the experiences that slaves had greatly impacted their values and beliefs. NCSS Standard(s) SOL Information (As written in the Virginia SOL Curriculum Framework for the grade level) NCSS Theme (s) with indicators: NCSS Theme 10: Civic Ideals and Practices Teachers of social studies at all school levels should provide developmentally appropriate experiences as they guide learners in the study of civic ideals and practices. They should: Assist learners to understand the origins and interpret the continuing influence of key ideals of the democratic republican form of government, such as individual human dignity, liberty, justice, equality, and the rule of law Guide learner efforts to identify, analyze, interpret, and evaluate sources and examples of citizen s rights and responsibilities Provide opportunities for learners to practice forms of civic discussion and participation consistent with the ideals of citizens in a democratic republic

2 2 SOL: STANDARD VUS.7a The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Civil War and Reconstruction Era and its importance as a major turning point in American history by a) identifying the major events and the roles of key leaders of the Civil War Era, with emphasis on Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and Frederick Douglass. Essential Knowledge (minimum for SOL Resource Guide) Frederick Douglass: Former slave who became prominent black abolitionist and who urged Lincoln to recruit former slaves to fight in the Union army Essential Skills (minimum for SOL Resource Guide) Identify, analyze, and interpret primary and secondary source documents, records, and data. (VUS.1a) Formulate historical questions and defend findings based on inquiry and interpretation. (VUS.1c) Develop perspectives of time and place. (VUS.1d) Guiding Question(s): How was the white minority able to maintain power? How did Frederick Douglass s experiences as a slave influence his later actions as an abolitionist? Assessment Tool(s): Informal Assessment: As students participate in the guided discussion their level of participation will be gauged to evaluate how well they are grasping the concepts illustrated within Frederick Douglass s narrative. Although certain questions will be asked to ignite discussion, students will have the opportunity and be encouraged to ask questions of their own to their peers and offer further analysis beyond the initial questions offered. Formal Assessment: The students will complete a poem at the end of class that will illustrate their understanding of the life of Frederick Douglass including his struggles, what lessons he learned, and his contributions to the abolitionist movement. The poem will be worth 10 points.

3 3 Background: How does this lesson fit into a unit of study? Looking backwards, looking forwards Before beginning this focused study of Frederick Douglass s experiences as an American slave students will have learned about the tensions that began to divide the north and the south due to their different economic structures. Key leaders during the Civil War era will have been explored and their impact discussed before Douglass s contributions are investigated. After the students study his life as a slave and his abolitionist aims then they will have a better frame of reference from which to evaluate the policies and tensions during Reconstruction. Lesson Objective(s): Students will be able to: 1. Students will be able to read and identify key concepts and ideas presented within Frederick Douglass s narrative. 2. Students will be able to analyze the excerpts examined in order to construct an understanding of what life was like for a slave, how Douglass s thinking evolved throughout his life, and what wider implications can be drawn about slavery based on the text. 3. Students will be able to summarize the main ideas offered in Douglass s narrative and synthesize the information as they participate in discussion. 4. Students will be able to recognize how Douglass s slave experiences informed his abolitionist actions. 5. Students will be able to express the emotion, frustration, and aims of Frederick Douglass in a free verse poem. Historical Source(s): (include copies in materials section) Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Additional Materials/Resources: (include copies in materials section) Procedure/Process: JUST DO IT! The Hook : (A high-interest activity that introduces new content with connections to students prior knowledge. Between 1-5 minutes (Could also introduce the days guiding question)

4 4 Imagine you are a slave; list 3 things that would prompt you to fight for the freedoms of black Americans. [3 minutes] (Material A) Obj # See above. Processing Activity and Procedure -include directions, question frames, assignment detail to be given to students (these should all be made into explicit materials (e.g. see material A), and time estimates Check for Evidence of Understanding -Either Formal or Informal- (Checks Essential Knowledge and Skills) Just do it. Transition: Objective 1,2,3 Transition: Objective 4 Transition: Objective 5 Imagine you are a slave; list 3 things that would prompt you to fight for the freedoms of black Americans. [3 minutes] (Material A) Ask several students to share their responses. Their responses will allow the teacher to evaluate how familiar they are with the atrocities slaves experienced. [2 minutes] Now that we know why some of you, if you were a slave, would fight to free slaves we are going to explore why Frederick Douglass, a former slave, became a leading abolitionist. First, we are going to investigate what his life was like as a slave so that we will better understand his abolitionist aims. Students will be assigned a total of six excerpts to read from their copy of Frederick Douglass s narrative. The students will read the excerpts one at a time and we will pause in between to engage in discussion which will be guided by the guiding questions listed above. [25 minutes total of reading] [30 minutes total of discussion] (Material B,C) Students participation in class discussion will be gauged so that comprehension of the main points and concepts can be evaluated. If discussion illustrates that students are missing the main points than additional questions will be offered to further probe their thinking. Now that we have an understanding of the trials Douglass faced throughout his life as a slave, lets turn to the actions he was able to take as an abolitionist as he sought to advance the rights of black Americans. Brief lecture on the abolitionist accomplishments of Douglass so that students can see what Douglass did after obtaining his freedom. [15 minutes] (Material D) After the lecture students will be asked if they have any questions or need any information clarified. Now that we have an understanding not only of Frederick Douglass s life as a slave, but also of his aims and accomplishments as an abolitionist we are going to assume the role of Frederick Douglass as we write a poem from his perspective. Students will write a poem from the perspective of Frederick Douglass as they attempt to convey his emotions, his frustrations, and his accomplishments. [15 minutes] (Material E,F,G) The poem will not be graded, but I will walk around while students write the poem to monitor their efforts and their level of

5 5 understanding of the frustrations and barriers that slaves and newly freedmen faced. Closure/Writing Prompt: Students will write a poem from the perspective of Frederick Douglass as they attempt to convey his emotions, his frustrations, and his accomplishments. [15 minutes] (Material E,F,G) Materials (one resource per page- so it becomes a teacher or student handout, or overhead directions or ppt presentation): Material A: Just Do It Assignment on overhead Material B: Copies of Frederick Douglass s narrative Material C: Guiding questions for discussion on Douglass s narrative Material D: Copy of teacher lecture notes for the teacher to reference Material E: Overhead directions for writing assignment Material F: Model of free verse poem Material G: Grading rubric for poem Teacher Notes (Reflections/clarifications/explanations): It is important to have the framework of questions to guide the discussion of the excerpts from Frederick Douglass s narrative. The topic is one that is sensitive for many individuals and many students will feel uncomfortable beginning to talk about the atrocities of slavery. The questions should be used to guide the discussion and probe student thinking so that they are forced to confront issues that they may prefer to ignore. The questions should serve as a springboard to get discussion going, but in no way should serve to limit the discussion. Students should be given the opportunity to ask further questions and pose questions to their peers. Students need to be reminded to use appropriate language and express an appropriate attitude during discussion. While a student is speaking, everyone should be respectful and silent. Ideas can be attacked, individuals should not.

6 6 Including the model of a free verse poem is important so that students will be familiar with the expectations and see the level of emotion and detail that the teacher wants included. Depending on the needs and abilities of the students the poem assignment could be changed to a bio form poem so that students have a more structured form to follow. Another change that could be made is that instead of analyzing the excerpts as a whole class, students could work in groups to dissect and discuss the sections. If the school cannot purchase copies of Frederick Douglass s narrative for every student the complete narrative can be found online and the sections you want students to read could be printed off and made into a student reading packet or the segments could be copy and pasted into a PowerPoint presentation.

7 7 Material A: Overhead #1 Just Do It! Imagine you are a slave. List 3 things that would prompt you to fight for the freedoms of black Americans.

8 8 Material B: Excerpt 1: Page 47 I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland. I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant. I do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell of his birthday. They seldom come nearer to it than planting-time, harvesttime, cherry-time, spring-time, or fall-time. A want of information concerning my own was a source of unhappiness to me even during childhood. The white children could tell their ages. I could not tell why I ought to be deprived of the same privilege. I was not allowed to make any inquiries of my master concerning it. He deemed all such inquiries on the part of a slave improper and impertinent, and evidence of a restless spirit. The nearest estimate I can give makes me now between twenty-seven and twenty- eight years of age. I come to this, from hearing my master say, some time during 1835, I was about seventeen years old. My father was a white man. He was admitted to be such by all I ever heard speak of my parentage. The opinion was also whispered that my master was my father; but of the correctness of this opinion, I know nothing; the means of knowing was withheld from me. My mother and I were separated when I was but an infant--before I knew her as my mother. It is a common custom, in the part of Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a very early age. Frequently, before the child has reached its twelfth month, its mother is taken from it, and hired out on some farm a considerable distance off, and the child is placed under the care of an old woman, too old for field labor. For what this separation is done, I do not know, unless it be to hinder the development of the child's affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child. This is the inevitable result. Excerpt 2: Page (Mr. Gore was overseer) His [Mr. Gore] savage barbarity was equalled only by the consummate coolness with which he committed the grossest and most savage deeds upon the slaves under his charge. Mr. Gore once undertook to whip one of Colonel Lloyd's slaves, by the name of Demby. He had given Demby but few stripes, when, to get rid of the scourging, he ran and plunged himself into a creek, and stood there at the depth of his shoulders, refusing to come out. Mr. Gore told him that he would give him three calls, and that, if he did not come out at the third call, he would shoot him. The first call was given. Demby made no response, but stood his ground. The second and third calls were given with the same result. Mr. Gore then, without consultation or deliberation with any one, not even giving Demby an additional call, raised his musket to his face, taking deadly aim at his standing victim, and in an instant poor Demby was no more. His mangled body sank out of sight, and blood and brains marked the water where he had stood.

9 9 A thrill of horror flashed through every soul upon the plantation, excepting Mr. Gore. He alone seemed cool and collected. He was asked by Colonel Lloyd and my old master, why he resorted to this extraordinary expedient. His reply was, (as well as I can remember,) that Demby had become unmanageable. He was setting a dangerous example to the other slaves,--one which, if suffered to pass without some such demonstration on his part, would finally lead to the total subversion of all rule and order upon the plantation. He argued that if one slave refused to be corrected, and escaped with his life, the other slaves would soon copy the example; the result of which would be, the freedom of the slaves, and the enslavement of the whites. Mr. Gore's defence was satisfactory. He was continued in his station as overseer upon the home plantation. His fame as an overseer went abroad. His horrid crime was not even submitted to judicial investigation. It was committed in the presence of slaves, and they of course could neither institute a suit, nor testify against him; and thus the guilty perpetrator of one of the bloodiest and most foul murders goes unwhipped of justice, and uncensured by the community in which he lives. Mr. Gore lived in St. Michael's, Talbot county, Maryland, when I left there; and if he is still alive, he very probably lives there now; and if so, he is now, as he was then, as highly esteemed and as much respected as though his guilty soul had not been stained with his brother's blood. I speak advisedly when I say this,--that killing a slave, or any colored person, in Talbot county, Maryland, is not treated as a crime, either by the courts or the community. Excerpt 3: Page My new mistress proved to be all she appeared when I first met her at the door,--a woman of the kindest heart and finest feelings. She had never had a slave under her control previously to myself. I was utterly astonished at her goodness. I scarcely knew how to behave towards her. She was entirely unlike any other white woman I had ever seen. I could not approach her as I was accustomed to approach other white ladies. My early instruction was all out of place. The crouching servility, usually so acceptable a quality in a slave, did not answer when manifested toward her. Her favor was not gained by it; she seemed to be disturbed by it. She did not deem it impudent or unmannerly for a slave to look her in the face. The meanest slave was put fully at ease in her presence, and none left without feeling better for having seen her. Her face was made of heavenly smiles, and her voice of tranquil music. But, alas! this kind heart had but a short time to remain such. The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of slavery, soon became red with rage; that voice, made all of sweet accord, changed to one of harsh and horrid discord; and that angelic face gave place to that of a demon. Very soon after I went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Auld, she very kindly commenced to teach me the A, B, C. After I had learned this, she assisted me in learning to spell words of three or four letters. Just at this point of my progress, Mr. Auld found out what was going on, and at once forbade Mrs. Auld to instruct me further, telling her, among other

10 10 things, that it was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read. To use his own words, further, he said, "If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master--to do as he is told to do. Learning would ~spoil~ the best nigger in the world. Now," said he, "if you teach that nigger (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm. It would make him discontented and unhappy." These words sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called into existence an entirely new train of thought. It was a new and special revelation, explaining dark and mysterious things, with which my youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in vain. I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficulty--to wit, the white man's power to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted, and I got it at a time when I the least expected it. Whilst I was saddened by the thought of losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was gladdened by the invaluable instruction which, by the merest accident, I had gained from my master. Though conscious of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read. Excerpt 4: Page 84 The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery. I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men. As I read and contemplated the subject, behold! that very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish. As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a beast. I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Any thing, no matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me. There was no getting rid of it. It was pressed upon me by every object within sight or hearing, animate or inanimate. The silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. Freedom now appeared, to disappear no more forever. It was heard in every sound, and seen in every thing. It was ever present to torment me with a sense of my wretched condition. I saw nothing without seeing it, I heard nothing without hearing it, and felt nothing without feeling it. It looked from every star, it smiled in every calm, breathed in every wind, and moved in every storm. Excerpt 5: Page From what I know of the effect of these holidays upon the slave, I believe them to be among the most effective means in the hands of the slaveholder in keeping down the spirit of insurrection. Were the slaveholders at once to abandon this practice, I have not

11 11 the slightest doubt it would lead to an immediate insurrection among the slaves. These holidays serve as conductors, or safety-valves, to carry off the rebellious spirit of enslaved humanity. But for these, the slave would be forced up to the wildest desperation; and woe betide the slaveholder, the day he ventures to remove or hinder the operation of those conductors! I warn him that, in such an event, a spirit will go forth in their midst, more to be dreaded than the most appalling earthquake. The holidays are part and parcel of the gross fraud, wrong, and inhumanity of slavery. They are professedly a custom established by the benevolence of the slaveholders; but I undertake to say, it is the result of selfishness, and one of the grossest frauds committed upon the down-trodden slave. They do not give the slaves this time because they would not like to have their work during its continuance, but because they know it would be unsafe to deprive them of it. This will be seen by the fact, that the slaveholders like to have their slaves spend those days just in such a manner as to make them as glad of their ending as of their beginning. Their object seems to be, to disgust their slaves with freedom, by plunging them into the lowest depths of dissipation. For instance, the slaveholders not only like to see the slave drink of his own accord, but will adopt various plans to make him drunk. One plan is, to make bets on their slaves, as to who can drink the most whisky without getting drunk; and in this way they succeed in getting whole multitudes to drink to excess. Thus, when the slave asks for virtuous freedom, the cunning slaveholder, knowing his ignorance, cheats him with a dose of vicious dissipation, artfully labelled with the name of liberty. The most of us used to drink it down, and the result was just what might be supposed; many of us were led to think that there was little to choose between liberty and slavery. We felt, and very properly too, that we had almost as well be slaves to man as to rum. So, when the holidays ended, we staggered up from the filth of our wallowing, took a long breath, and marched to the field,--feeling, upon the whole, rather glad to go, from what our master had deceived us into a belief was freedom, back to the arms of slavery. Excerpt 6: Page 140 About two months after this, I applied to Master Hugh for the privilege of hiring my time. He was not acquainted with the fact that I had applied to Master Thomas, and had been refused. He too, at first, seemed disposed to refuse; but, after some reflection, he granted me the privilege, and proposed the following terms: I was to be allowed all my time, make all contracts with those for whom I worked, and find my own employment; and, in return for this liberty, I was to pay him three dollars at the end of each week; find myself in calking tools, and in board and clothing. My board was two dollars and a half per week. This, with the wear and tear of clothing and calking tools, made my regular expenses about six dollars per week. This amount I was compelled to make up, or relinquish the privilege of hiring my time. Rain or shine, work or no work, at the end of each week the money must be forthcoming, or I must give up my privilege. This arrangement, it will be perceived, was decidedly in my master's favor. It relieved him of all

12 12 need of looking after me. His money was sure. He received all the benefits of slaveholding without its evils; while I endured all the evils of a slave, and suffered all the care and anxiety of a freeman. I found it a hard bargain. But, hard as it was, I thought it better than the old mode of getting along. It was a step towards freedom to be allowed to bear the responsibilities of a freeman, and I was determined to hold on upon it. I bent myself to the work of making money. I was ready to work at night as well as day, and by the most untiring perseverance and industry, I made enough to meet my expenses, and lay up a little money every week.

13 13 Material C: Guiding Questions for Discussion on Douglass s Narrative 1. What impact did not knowing their personal information have on slaves? 2. Why would masters strive to split families apart? 3. Why were the overseers especially barbaric? 4. If killing a black person is not considered a crime, what does that imply? 5. Why and how was slavery devastating to white people as well? 6. Why was it so important to prevent slaves from learning to read and write? 7. Why would education make a slave discontented and unhappy? (page 78) 8. How come education was often deemed by Douglass as a curse rather than a blessing? 9. How did holidays serve to keep down the spirit of insurrection? 10. What does the sentence Their object seems to be, to disgust them with their freedom, by plunging them into the lowest depths of dissipation mean? 11. What was the life of a newly freed slave like? Were the shackles removed or simply modified? 12. How was freedom worse than being enslaved? How was it better?

14 14 Material D: Abolitionist Efforts of Frederick Douglass After achieving his freedom Douglass joined the abolitionist movement Joined American Anti-Slavery Society o Most members were white, difficult time having his voice heard, battled to reduce racial prejudice in the north o Opposed settlement of blacks in Africa, believed US was the home of black Americans o Hired by William Lloyd Garrison to be a speaker due to his talent o Highlighted not only the atrocities faced in south, but also illustrated that racial equality was not a reality in the north 1850 began involvement with underground railroad o His home in Rochester was near Canadian border so it was an important station 1860 election Douglass supported Lincoln o Disappointed in President s response to secession because he promised to uphold the fugitive slave laws and not interfere with slavery in the states where it was already established o Lincoln s first priority was to restore the Union, not to end slavery o Douglass s two goals: Emancipation for all slaves in the Confederacy and the Union border states Right of blacks to enlist in the armies of the North o Called for Lincoln to grant freedom to slaves, finally achieved with Emancipation Proclamation December 31, 1862 o In 1863, Congress authorized black enlistment in the Union army. The Massachusetts 54th Regiment was the first black unit to be formed, and the governor of the state asked Douglass to help in the recruitment. Douglass agreed and wrote an editorial that was published in the local newspapers. "Men of Color, to Arms," he urged blacks to "end in a day the bondage of centuries" and to earn their equality and show their patriotism by fighting in the Union cause. Thirteenth Amendment: (December 1865) slavery was officially abolished in all areas of the United States. State legislatures passed black codes: ex-slaves who had no steady employment could be arrested and ordered to pay stiff fines. Prisoners who could not pay the sum were hired out as virtual slaves. In some areas, black children could be forced to serve as apprentices in local industries. Blacks were also prevented from buying land and were denied fair wages for their work. At a meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society in May 1865 William Lloyd Garrison called upon the organization to disband, now that its goal was achieved. o Douglass came out against Garrison's proposal, stating that "Slavery is not abolished until the black man has the ballot." o Helped get the 14th Amendment passed, which was designed to ensure that rights guaranteed o earlier to blacks under the Civil Rights Bill were protected by the Constitution Pushed for ratification of 15 th Amendment: angered women who saw him as leaving them behind Continued to be leading spokesman for black Americans as he continued to write about unequal treatment

15 15 Material E: Overhead #2 Write a free verse poem from the perspective of Frederick Douglass. Within your poem attempt to convey his emotions, his frustrations, and his accomplishments. Be sure to include elements from his life as a slave and his life as an abolitionist.

16 16 Material F: Model of Free Verse Poem Harriet Tubman I escaped the horrors of slavery running from Maryland to Philadelphia followed the North Star by night to guide my journey aided by the generosity of a white woman enveloped by fear, always looking over my shoulder returned to south multiple times to aid others unbelievable risk: either reach freedom or die carried a gun for protection gave drugs to babies to stop the crying must be silent or be discovered by the white man slave hunters want to find me: my head is worth $40,000 made the risky journey 19 times exuberance upon each completion the whites want to keep us in a position of servitude freeing others is worth the inescapable fear of the journey

17 17 Material G: Grading Rubric for Poem 10 points: Poem conveys rich emotion and frustration, aspects of both Frederick Douglass s life as a slave and as an abolitionist has been included 7 points: Poem shows little emotion, does not include aspects of both Douglass s life as a slave and as an abolitionist 5 points: Poem has been written, yet it is merely descriptive and illustrates no emotion, fails to include aspects of both Douglass s life as a slave and as an abolitionis