Why is it happening? (Where might the slaves at the front of the picture be being taken?) What is happening in this picture? (What is the man at the front of the picture doing)

Why is it happening? What is happening in this picture?

What was life like for a slave?

By the end of today's lesson you should: Know what life was like for a slave Know how slaves could legally become free Understand why more slaves did not legally gain their freedom

Your Task 1. Write the title ‘The Life of a Slave’ in your books 2. One person from each group should come to the front of the class to collect question 1. 3. Take question 1 back to your group. 4. As a group find the answer to the question from the information sheet you have been given. 5. All people in the group should write the question and answer into their books. 6. One person from the group to bring their answer to the front of the class. If the answer is correct you will be given question 2. 7. Repeat for each question until all questions are answered.

Uplifting Review What you have learnt today… How you learnt it… Imagine you are stuck in a lift with the person sitting next to you. You have 2 minutes to explain to each other : What you have learnt today… How you learnt it… How will what you learnt today help you in the future?

The Life of a Slave As slaves did not receive any wages they relied upon their masters to provide them with both food and clothing. Slaves usually received a monthly allowance of food, which could include items such as corn meal, pork, and salt-herrings (fish preserved in salt). Some plantation owners also gave their slaves a small plot of land which they could use to grow vegetables. Slaves were also given a yearly clothing allowance. An ex-slave named Frederick Douglass wrote that he was given ‘two coarse linen shirts, one pair of linen trousers, like the shirts, one jacket, one pair of trousers for winter, made of coarse negro cloth, one pair of stockings, and one pair of shoes.’ House slaves were often given slightly better food, and sometimes received the family’s cast-off clothing. Slaves were usually provided with a wooden shack with a dirt floor to live in. These shacks were often shared by more than one family, and were poorly constructed. Slaves were very lucky if they had any furniture. Beds were often straw and old rags, with a single blanket for a cover. Plantation owners in America had complete freedom to buy and sell their slaves. This meant that marriages between slaves had no legal protection and that husbands could be separated from their wives, or children separated from their parents. Pregnant slaves were expected to continue working until they went into labour. When a child was born, the mother would be very lucky if she received one month to recover from giving birth. When a mother returned to work she would often carry her child upon her back. Sometimes slightly older children, or slaves who were too old to continue with heavy work would be used for child-minding. Very young children were used to undertake jobs such as water carrying, and from the age of seven or eight they would be expected to undertake a full days’ work.

As well as slaves having to obey their owner’s, there were many laws passed within America to govern what a slave could and could not do. Each colony (later State) had their own laws, but they were often similar. The state of Alabama required any slaves travelling away from their home to carry proof that they had not run away (this could take many forms including a token or a letter). It was also illegal for any slaves in Alabama to carry guns or other weapons without the permission of their master, and they were unable to testify (give evidence) in court, unless it was against another slave in a criminal trial. Some slaves did achieve freedom legally. Manumission was the legal process by which a slave was given their freedom by their master. Often slaves who were granted manumission were given their freedom for loyal or heroic service. Many of the southern states of America developed their laws so that it became more difficult for slaves to be granted their freedom. In some states the laws were changed so that an act of the state legislature was required to free a slave. If a slave managed to find paid work during the few hours that they were not working for their master, and they managed to save the money that they earned, then purchasing their freedom was an option. In 1837, for example, a slave named Susan Ann White, from Mississippi, purchased her freedom from William Everett for the sum of $600. This was an enormous sum of money, and the process also required the agreement of a slaves’ owner. Slave Quarters

1. What food and clothing were slaves provided with?

2. Describe the type of housing that slaves lived in?

3. Why did slave children not always grow up with their parents?

4. Explain the different ways that a slave could legally become free

5. Why did more slaves not gain their freedom legally?

6. What laws did slaves in Alabama have to follow?

7. Why do you think that states passed such laws against slaves 7. Why do you think that states passed such laws against slaves? Explain your answer in detail.

This print, published in 1787, shows individuals on the plantations being forcibly separated from family or friends. Repeated separation from the time of capture in Africa to being sold off to fetch a good price, or to be disposed of in old age, added to the despair and isolation felt by enslaved Africans. It also maximized profits and helped white plantation owners control and oppress their workers. This mental or emotional torment compounded the suffering of the enslaved, who had to endure harsh physical conditions in which they lived and worked. The whips in the picture were always carried as a means of oppression and control, and were regularly used on those slaves who stepped out of line. Print Information: