1. Famous American Leaders & Slavery How America was led into the contradiction of FREEDOM and SLAVERY. Created by Mr. Steve Hauprich for acceleration and remediation of US History students

2. George Washington became a slave owner at age 11 when he inherited 10 or 11 slaves after his father’s death. …by 1799 he and Martha owned 316 slaves at Mt. Vernon

3. GW did not trust his slaves…he ordered “whippings” for both men and women servants…he was very concerned about their “inefficiency” and lack of loyalty…

4. In spite of the fact some of GW’s slaves escaped to freedom (runaways)… he still allowed them rights to hunt with firearms and other unsupervised “privileges”.

5. GW’s attempts to emancipate his own slaves…124 people…was a priority in his will…Martha “owned” the other 192 slaves…and by Virginia law could not free them!

6. Thomas Jefferson also owned many slaves…on his plantation Monticello

7. Jefferson supported the land ordinances that stopped the spread of slavery into the NW Territory… but added Louisiana Purchase lands that were opened to slavery

8. Jefferson did not free his 187 slaves in his final will…except for Sally Hemings and her 5 children…leading to much speculation

9. James Madison owned about 100 slaves on his Virginia plantation at montpelier.

10. Madison tried to lead Virginia and the US toward abolition…but his ideas of Western land sales to pay for emancipation Colonization and Relocation to Africa, etc… did not gain enough support to succeed

11. Madison did little to help his own slaves gain their freedom, he instead… focused his time on making sure they were sold to kindly owners or relatives.

12. 12 Of the first 18 Presidents were slave owners for at least part of their lives… even LINCOLN married into a family of slave owners… Lincoln of course never owned slaves

13. Who were the other non-slave owners …Washington – Grant ? Monroe Jackson van buren Harrison Tyler Polk Taylor Fillmore Pierce Buchanan Johnson Grant