Black History Electronic Flip Book Property of: Charlie Cappucci, Claire Marie Kuhn, Rena Kobelak, Katrina Paxton

Throughout history, African- Americans have played a immense role in the becoming of our nation, even at the beginning and in the earliest times of the colonies. During the 1700s, three events changed not only the history of our nation, but the history of the blacks. These four events are: Benjamin Banneker and his life story. Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation of 1776 and the Revolutionary War. The Stono Rebellion. And last, but not least, Phillis Wheatley and her life story.

Asdfasdfasdf d fdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfd fdffdfdfdgdgdgdgdgdg dgdgdgdgdgdgdgdgfdf dfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdf dfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdfdf Claire’s Entry: Benjamin Banneker Benjamin was the first African American to gain international recognition as a scientist. Molly Walsh, his grandmother, was hired to milk a rich man’s cows. A cow kicked over a bucket of milk, but Molly was accused of stealing it. Unable to prove her innocence, she was found guilty and fined. She couldn’t pay the fine, so she went to America as an indentured servant. Molly earned her freedom soon after she came to America.

Claire’s Entry: Benjamin Banneker Molly was 22 years old and very industrious. She earned enough money to buy a 150 acre farm in Maryland and two slaves. Molly freed both men who became her friends. One left the area, and the other stayed. His name was Bannaky. Working side by side, they fell in love, and got married. They formed their last name from his first, Banneker. They didn’t care that marriages were forbidden between blacks and whites.

Claire’s Entry: Benjamin Banneker Their daughter Mary accepted a proposal from Robert, a black slave when she was 16. He also borrowed Banneker’s last name. They had Benjamin soon after. He was born in a small cabin on November 9, Here is were the story really begins He grew up on a farm in a family with three loving sisters. Ben showed an early interest in math and learning. As a boy he learned from his grandmother, Molly, with the bible as his lesson book.

Claire’s Entry: Benjamin Banneker When he was a teenager, Banneker went to an integrated Quaker school for boys. Because most of its students had to help out on their families' farms, it met only in the winter. He went through the eighth grade, but Banneker did most of his learning independently.

Claire’s Entry: Benjamin Banneker One of Banneker’s most impressive early accomplishments, and on of the best indicators of his general intelligence, was in 1752 when he created a watch. He disassembled a pocket watch a man loaned him, Benjamin created his own by carving wooden gears and calculating the necessary relationships between them to keep the correct time. It had a bell that rang every hour. Some say it ran perfectly until after his death. The watch is believed to be the first striking clock made completely in the U.S.

Claire’s Entry: Benjamin Banneker But Banneker’s life was not always perfect. His father died at the young age of 28 and Benjamin was left to take care of the farm. Banneker created a system of irrigation from the farms freshwater springs using dams and ditches. Soon enough, the farm could raise good crops even during droughts.

Claire’s Entry: Benjamin Banneker On top of both of those accomplishments, he had one more that even established mathematicians and astronomers of the day had not foreseen. After building a what he called a “work cabin” with a skylight built in, Benjamin could study the stars which fascinated him. This resulted in him being able to predict the solar eclipse of 1789.

Claire’s Entry: Benjamin Banneker Another one of his accomplishments was when the Ellicotts, his neighbors, decided to change their crops from tobacco to wheat, Banneker helped them build efficient mills. He became a good friend of the Ellicotts, especially with their young son George, who lent Banneker books on astronomy and some instruments to calculate astronomical positions.

“Whoever promises freedom to the slaves shall have them at his disposal.”

Rena’s Entry: Lord Dunmore Real name James Murray, born in 1732 in England, found he was related to a Dunmore and inherited that name that would some day be known world wide. He was a man of the British and went of seas to personally abolish the Virginia assembly. In 1770, he was appointed Governor of New York. This was during the time when rebellion was spreading throughout the colonies.

Rena’s Entry: Lord Dunmore Soon after, he moved to Virginia. The moment he got there the locals and some Shawnee Indians were threatening his Government. Instantly, he found that a revolt could be possible with all of the threats. When he tried to friend the Patriots, they refused, so he began enlisting anyone who was willing to fight for his cause. With some blacks on his side, he got an easy win at Kemp’s Landing and began to see the real value of blacks.

Rena’s Entry: Lord Dunmore By 1774, he had so many problems that he had to have peace with the Indians. While they discussed a treaty, Dunmore had some of his men burn down the Shawnee villages right after they made a negotiation. He then issued his famous Proclamation of 1775 that promised black slaves freedom if they agreed to fight for the British during the Revolutionary War. The Proclamation caused such an uproar that George Washington repealed the rule that blacks couldn’t participate in war.

Rena’s Entry: Lord Dunmore There was such an affect on the African American slaves that over 100,00 slaves ran away from their owners during the time of the war. Dunmore was blinded by greed and called for an attack at Great Bridge. He lost all of his men and his plan failed while all his men lost their hopes and dreams for real freedom. Unfortunately, Lord Dunmore’s goals did go as he had planned, but his actions still made an effect on the Revolutionary War.

Charlie’s Entry: The Stono Rebellion The Stono Rebellion, was a important rebellion to many slaves. The slaves killed many slave owners, and forced their slaves to join them. The rebellion was led by an Angolan name Jemmy. Some slaves and him gathered on a Sunday when the rebellion was started. The rebellion happened on Sunday, September 9 th, The rebellion was in the British colony of South Carolina.

Charlie’s Entry: The Stono Rebellion The rebellion started with the gathering of about twenty slaves. They then killed two warehouse guards, stole guns and gun powder, and headed south, killing people in their way and burning buildings. It was close to dawn when they reached Wallace's tavern. The innkeeper was kind to his slaves, so they spared his life. The whites who lived in the next six or so houses were all killed. At the next house the slaves who belonged to Tomas Rose successfully hid their master.

Charlie’s Entry: The Stono Rebellion The few whites whom they now encountered were chased and killed, though one individual, Lieutenant Governor Bull, eluded the rebels and rode to spread the alarm. Around four in the afternoon, between 20 and 100 whites set out in armed pursuit of rebels. By dusk about 30 slaves were dead and about 30 escaped. Most were captured over the next month and year. “The white colonists had been working on a Negro Act that would limit the privileges of slaves.” This act was quickly finalized and approved.

Katrina’s Entry: Ph illis Wheatley Phillis Wheatley was the first African-American to publish a book of poetry. Not only was she the first African American to publish, but the second women ever. She began writing at the age of 13 She began writing publishing poems in the 1760’s. Her first piece of writing was displayed in a Rhode Island newspaper called the Newport Mercury

Katrina’s Entry: Ph illis Wheatley Before she started writing she grew up as a slave. She was kidnapped from Senegal, Africa to Boston when she was 8 years old. The family she was with taught her English, Latin, ancient mythology, and literature. The Wheatley family’s situation was unusual she wasn’t treated as harsh as the common slave, but she wasn’t treated like family.

Katrina’s Entry: Ph illis Wheatley Phillis Wheatley went to England with the Wheatleys’ son Nathanial Wheatley was traveling on business. She had to return when Mrs. Wheatley got sick Nobody is sure when Phillis was freed. It was said to be sometime around her trip to England. In England her poetry caused a sensation.

Katrina’s Entry: Ph illis Wheatley Phillis Wheatley addressed many poems to George Washington, but she never got a reply. Her first book of poetry was called Poems on Various Subjects The majority of her poems were about her childhood and war. She married John Peters. Phillis Wheatley died on December 5, 1784 She was 31 years old when she died.

Conclusion

You have witnessed these many events that were the first to shape African American history. Throughout Rebellions, Wars, and great black men and women that were not shown complete respect paved the way for more generations of Black History, and even white history to come. Without the actions that were made in the early 1700s-1799, the world could still be split between blacks, and whites. Blacks might still be wearing chains. Who really knows? No one because the rest is history.

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