1. Abolitionists Speak Out SWBAT: identify individuals of the abolitionist movement and their contribution. Homework: Projects are due TOMORROW. One group member needs to submit it on Classroom. Read excerpt from “12 Years a Slave” and answer the questions at the top on a separate sheet of paper. Due Monday. Do Now: Read "The 'Mudsill' Theory" by James Henry Hammond and answer the questions that follow. This will be collected.

2. A Short History of Slavery in the South – When North America was first colonized, there was a severe shortage of labor to work the land. – Indentured servants eased but did not solve the problem. – Early in the seventeenth century, a Dutch ship loaded with Africans introduced a solution- slaves were most economical on large farms where labor-intensive cash crops, such as tobacco, could be grown. – By 1785, slavery had proven unprofitable in the North and was dying out. Even in the South the institution was becoming less useful to farmers as tobacco prices began to drop. – However, in 1793 Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin and the size and number of cotton plantations exploded and slavery became profitable again. – By 1860 the South’s “peculiar institution” was inextricably tied to the region’s economy.

3. In Defense of Slavery – In addition to the economic advantages slavery provided Southern whites, they defended the institution in a number of other ways, too. – Some proslavery advocates used religion to defend slavery: – They cited Bible passages that counseled servants to obey their masters and further argued they were doing their Christian duty to spread the faith on to their slaves. – Others argued slavery benefitted blacks and made them happy. – Southerners also highlighted the fact that factories in the North treated their workers like slaves, paying them very little to survive, and that slaves would be taken care of for as long as they lived unlike factories who would fire employees if they became hurt or too old to work.

4. Abolitionists Speak Out – As early as 1789, abolitionist organizations were created to advocate the end of slavery. – By the 1820s, over 100 anti-slavery organizations existed across the United States many of which printed newspapers to spread the word about their goals. – While thousands of people belonged to these organization, they didn’t necessarily agree on how to stop slavery and had very different ideas about the best way to end slavery once and for all.

5. Activity Time