Slavery in America

The Middle Passage The African slave trade existed for 100 years before the first Dutch slaver arrived in Jamestown (America) in 1619 with 20 Africans. In the colonies, England tried to use prisoners, criminals, kidnapped women & children, indentured servants and Native Americans but none provided the quality of free labor as Africans. Why? Between 1619 and 1808 (when Congress prohibited importations of slaves) one million Africans had already been imported to America. Congress’ new law resulted in slave breeding and slave smuggling. All told, an estimated 50 million (!!) were taken from Africa and delivered to countries around the world. Ask kids what they remember about the middle passage from last fall Kids copy down the info.

Read from Slave ship to freedom road: Page 6

Read from To Be a Slave pgs 22-27- kids follow along in their books Read from Save Ship to Freedom Road page 9 with 3 student voices

Welcome to America Upon arrival, slaves were prepared-- they were oiled, wounds covered with tar, clothed (sometimes), performed acts of agility and sold to the highest bidder. Usually no consideration was given to breaking up a family, separating husbands from wives, children from their parents, etc. (by the start of the war in 1861, it cost $1500 or more for a top-of-the-line field hand) Before writing review what we know about the auction block from our Slavery Readings Copy info. from slide onto notes Discuss the language we’ll be hearing today: N word: why appropriate in class today based on readings…

Play No More Auction Block-- what words can be heard? Read from Slave Ship to Freedom Road page 12– KEEP AUCTION BLOCK PLAYING ON REPEAT– HAVE TWO MATURE STUDENTS READ: ONE IS AUTCIONEER, ONE IS SLAVE VOICE Burns: all night forever 7min

In percentages! 1. In percentages 2. Focus on diff. in N vs. S 3. Did all have slaves? Did most?-- no, very small population were planters… WHY DID THE SOUTH NEED ALL THOSE SLAVES?? THEY WEREN’T AS VALUABLE AS THEY HAD BEEN DURING COLONIAL TIMES BECAUSE THE TOBACCO HAD USED UP A LOT OF THE SOIL…. IT BECAME ABOUT THE COTTON!! In percentages!

Why such a huge demand for slaves after the year 1790 Why such a huge demand for slaves after the year 1790?? Increased demand for cotton = increased demand for slaves… Samuel Slater built the first cotton-spinning machine in the US in 1790 (he stole the idea from England). This meant that cotton could now be quickly and easily turned into yarn. The demand for cotton increased, so the demand for slaves to pick that cotton also increased… In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin (gin short for engine)- this machine removed the seeds from cotton. Before the “gin,” it would have taken all day to remove the seeds from a pound of cotton. Now one could clean the seeds from 1000 lbs of cotton in a day. The demand for cotton skyrocketed, and Southern planters scrambled for land to grow cotton, and workers to plant and harvest it…

Cotton Gin

Growth of Slave Population, 1790-1860 1790= cotton spinning machine 1793= cotton gin By 1860, slavery and cotton were a marriage that would be hard to break up; cotton made slavery pay! Prior to these machines, production of cotton cost too much- you needed slaves to plant, harvest and separate cotton from seed…it didn’t pay. Now, it’s easy to remove seed, and planters can focus on producing more…more…more. Explain chart: cotton gin was 1792-- “taught the south how to make slavery pay”-- now cotton is king…is the thing- more demand for cotton, more slaves are needed Read from Slavery in America pg 130: Breeding of Slaves-- if importation is illegal after 1808, now let’s buy breeders = free slaves! Before it cost too much, needed too many slaves to remove seeds…now it’s easier to remove seeds, more cotton can be produced and is more cost effective

As demand for cotton skyrocketed, so did the demand for slaves; cotton prices increased, slave prices increased… 1. As cotton prices went up, slave prices went up-- slave traders knew they could sell their “goods” for more if cotton was booming… if planters are getting more for cotton they’ll pay more for slaves too

A Day in the Life of “King Cotton” Slaves worked from before sunup to after sundown, year round (whether harvesting or not), were expected to pick 200 pounds per day, provided enough food to keep them functioning and housing enough to keep them alive. The plantation was usually run by a ruthless overseer who managed via the whip (100 lashes for taking a break). All humanity removed: no school, no religion, gathering, no African Art, language, writing, food. Removal of all things familiar including your name. Relied on spirituals (songs). What do they remember about the typical day from their Slavery Readings? Copy info. onto notes from slide Read To be a Slave pages 70-72 Hand out cotton bolls-- think about how much 200lbs would equal!! Now try to remove the seeds– imagine this slave job prior to the gin-- I time them, on my go kids pick out as many seeds as possible…(or save for next day)

Rebellion A natural outcome but limited numbers actually rose up and resisted enslavement– why? Abolitionists (what’s an abolitionist??) such as Nat Turner, John Brown, Harriet Tubman and Elijah Lovejoy, risked everything to free the slave. Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852), written by Harriet Beecher Stowe (a white woman), sold over 300,000 copies in first year and revealed the savagery of slavery as an institution (The Josiah Hensen reading from Slavery Readings packet is what Harriet based Tom on!) Let’s watch the video clip “Are we free?” Show Burns “Are We Free” Read Slavery in America, pg. 160 (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)

The Underground Railroad A network of safe places (called stations) where escaped slaves could find help on their quest for freedom south to north (Canada was best!) Harriet Tubman, who had a $40,000 bounty on her head during the Civil War, and other abolitionists (or “conductors”), both black and white, were responsible for approx. 2,000 slaves per year reaching freedom. What do they know about the underground RR? Copy info. onto notes from slide

Routes of the Underground Railroad Explain routes Read book: Follow the Drinking Gourd Play song: Follow the Drinking Gourd

Despite this… By 1857, with 400,000 men owning 4 million slaves worth over $2 billion, slavery in America had become an ingrained institution, in practice for approximately 240 years, and inseparable from the Southern economy and lifestyle. It might be a catalyst for war…