5th Grade Integrated Early American History SS050406

Unit 4: Life in Colonial America Lesson 6

Lesson 6: Slavery in the Colonies

Big Ideas of the Lesson

The English enslaved Africans and forced them to work in the colonies.
Slavery had terrible effects on people and cultures of Africa.
Although a majority of the enslaved Africans lived in the Southern Colonies
they were part of the population of each of the 13 colonies.
Enslaved Africans had no rights and no freedom. They were treated like
property.
Having the free labor of enslaved Africans helped the English colonies grow
and prosper.

Lesson Abstract:
In this lesson students explore how the institution of slavery began to evolve and develop in the
English colonies. They begin by using a timeline to explore the evolution of slave codes and the
change from indentured servitude to racial slavery. Next, they analyze a map showing the
enslaved population within each of the colonies and analyze factors that led to the growth of
slavery. Using a picture book and a short play, they examine how slavery impacted the lives of
enslaved Africans as well as how Africans drew upon their African past to develop a distinct
African-American culture. Finally, they briefly explore how recent archaeological projects are
adding to our understanding of Africans in the colonies.

Content Expectations
5 U2.2.2: Describe the life of enslaved Africans and free Africans in the American colonies.

5 U2.3.4: Describe the development of the emerging labor force in the colonies (e.g., cash crop
farming, slavery, indentured servants).

5 U2.2.3: Describe how Africans living in North America drew upon their African past (e.g.,
sense of family, role of oral tradition) and adapted elements of new cultures to
develop a distinct African-American culture.

Common Core State Standards:

RI.5.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak
about the subject knowledgeably.

Key Concepts
culture
labor force
slavery

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5th Grade Integrated Early American History SS050406
Unit 4: Life in Colonial America Lesson 6

Instructional Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
Chart paper
Overhead projector or document camera/projector

Student Resource
Bower, Burt, et al. Americas Past, Social Studies Alive Program. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers
Curriculum Institute, 2010 or a similar fifth grade social studies textbook. Pp. 105-111.

Hamilton, Virginia. The People Could Fly. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.

Lizzies Story. Slavery and the Making of America website. 1 December 2011
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/teachers/readings5.html>.

Pace, Lorenzo. Jalani and the Lock. New York: PowerKids Press, 2001.

Teacher Resource
African Burial Ground. 1 December 2011 <http://www.nps.gov/afbg/forteachers/lesson-plans.htm>.

African Burial Ground PowerPoint. 1 December 2011 <http://www.nps.gov/afbg/forteachers/lesson-

plans.htm>.

Africans in America. Public Broadcasting Service. 1 December 2011 <www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia>.

Buried Stories. 1 December 2011 <http://www.slaveryinnewyork.org/PDFs/Buried_Stories.pdf>.

Colonial Slavery. Footsteps Magazine. (African American History). NH: Cobblestone Publishing,
May, June 2002. Vol. 4, Number 3.

Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6). Teacher-made material. Michigan
Citizenship Collaborative, 2011.

Number of slaves 1770. 1 December 2011

<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Slavery_in_the_13_colonies.jpg>.

Slavery in America. 1 December 2011 <http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/>.

Slavery in the North. 1 December 2011 <http://www.slavenorth.com/>.

Slavery and the Making of America. 1 December 2011

<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/index.html>.

Lesson Sequence
1. Briefly review triangular trade patterns and the horrors of the Middle Passage, which were
covered in the previous lesson. Remind students that in 1619, the first Africans were brought to
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5th Grade Integrated Early American History SS050406
Unit 4: Life in Colonial America Lesson 6

Jamestown. Historical records seem to show that Africans were first treated like indentured
servants in Jamestown. This changed, however, and laws were enacted that defined and
regulated slavery. As a way of helping students explore how this change came about divide
students in pairs and give each pair a copy of the Timeline, located in the Supplemental
Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6).

2. Explain that students should examine the timeline with their partner and draw conclusions
about what happened to Africans after the Jamestown experience. Give pairs time to work
together and then have them share their conclusions in the large group. Note that possible
conclusions include that laws were passed that made enslaved Africans slaves for life and also
defined enslaved Africans as property. Laws eventually made it illegal for slaves to marry, to
own property, or to earn their freedom. Explain that historians describe this process as a
change from indentured servitude to racial slavery, meaning slavery based on race and racism.

3. Note that an excerpt of a slave code made by the Virginia General Assembly has been included
in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6), if you would like to share the actual wording
of this type of law with students.

4. Explain that in this lesson, students will learn more about in the institution of slavery in the
colonies and the lives of both enslaved and free blacks. As you complete the various activities
of the lesson make sure to guide students in developing historical empathy by continually
asking them questions such as How would you have felt if this happened to you? and How
would you have reacted?

5. Ask students why enslaved Africans were needed in the Southern colonies. Discuss student
responses and then guide them to the idea that the southern economy was dependent on large
plantations that grew cash crops like tobacco, rice, and indigo. These large farms needed
many workers. As a result more and more enslaved Africans were brought to these colonies
and forced to do the work.

6. Write the following sentence on an overhead or board: Enslaved Africans were only forced to
work in the Southern Colonies, not the other two regions. Ask students to write whether or not
they agree or disagree with the statement in their journals as well as an explanation for their
answer.

7. Display the Number of Enslaved Africans map located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4,
Lesson 6). Ask students to indentify the two different types of data shown on the map. Guide
students in understanding that the map shows both the number of enslaved Africans in each
colony and the percentage of the total population of each colony they made up. Use the
following questions to discuss the map. Note that as an option you could have students answer
the questions in their social studies journals:
According to the map in which colonial region or regions were enslaved Africans
forced to work?
In which colonial region were there the most enslaved Africans?
Which colony had the smallest number of enslaved Africans?
Which colony had the largest number of enslaved Africans?

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5th Grade Integrated Early American History SS050406
Unit 4: Life in Colonial America Lesson 6

Why do you think this colony had the largest number?

In which two colonies was the enslaved African population greater than 60% of the
population?
Blacks began to develop a unique African American culture in the colonies. Do you
think this culture had a greater impact on some colonies rather than others? Why or
why not?

8. Explain to students that many people have the misconception that enslaved Africans were only
forced to do work in the southern colonies. As the map shows this was not true. Enslaved
Africans were forced to work in the New England and in the middle colonies doing a variety of
jobs including farming, loading, and unloading at docks, manufacturing, etc. Merchants in
these regions also made a great deal of money working as slave traders. To examine this in
more detail you may want students to read the informational text selection Slavery in the
North and complete the Analyzing Text activity, located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4,
Lesson 6). Note that sample answers can also be found in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4,
Lesson 6).

9. Note that at this point in the lesson you may want students to read the section of their textbook
on slavery in the colonies. For example, if you are using the text listed in the Student
Resources this would include pages 105- 111.

10. Explain that the timeline, map, and informational text used so far in this lesson are useful in
helping us understand many things about slavery in the colonies but do not really help us
understand much about life for enslaved Africans. Explain that this next section of the lesson
will concentrate on that aspect of slavery.

11. Share the picture book, The People Could Fly, by Virginia Hamilton. Make sure to share the
authors explanation of the African origins of this story. Discuss the book using these
questions.
What examples of harsh treatment of enslaved Africans are evident in the story?
Virginia Hamilton explains that stories like this were common during the times of
slavery. Why do you think this was true?
How do the illustrations contribute to the story?
How does this story show that Africans who came to the colonies brought their
culture with them and held on to their culture?

12. Print out Lizzies Story, from the website listed in the Student Resources and perform the
short play as a choral reading. Note that this one-act play allows students to learn about Lizzie,
a young enslaved girl, who is attacked by her slave owner. It depicts her responsibilities, how
she was viewed in the household, and how her sister, Mum Bett, protected her during the
attack. It is based on true events.

13. Remind students that the story The People Could Fly helps us understand how oral tradition,
which was so important in Africa was transferred to the Americas through slavery. Then, ask
students what important part of African culture is evident in Lizzies Story. Discuss student
responses and guide students in understanding that this short play shows how Africans

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continued to believe in the importance of family. Discuss how difficult it was to maintain the
sense of family under slavery given the fact that family member were often split up and sold to
different owners, etc.

14. Explain that all black people in the colonies were not enslaved. There were free blacks that
lived throughout the colonies. Using Word Card #15, explain that as time went on these free
blacks experienced more and more discrimination. Share the following information on this
issue:
A 1690 Connecticut law forbid free blacks and Native Americans from being on a
street after 9 PM.
In 1717, the citizens of New London, Connecticut voted their objection to free blacks
living in the town or owning land anywhere in the colony in a town meeting.
Free blacks were barred, by law, from owning land in colonial New Jersey.
Law in Pennsylvania controlled the lives of free blacks. After 1700 blacks, free or
enslaved, were tried in special courts, without a jury.
In 1718, a law was passed in Rhode Island stated: When any enslaved African is
caught in the home of a free black person, both will be whipped.

15. Using Word Card #16, review the term archaeology. Explain that for many years little interest
was shown in exploring the early history of African Americans but this has begun to change.
Several current archaeology projects are helping us better understand the lifeways of African
Americans in colonial America and the important roles they played in our early history.

16. Display African Burial Ground, located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 6) and
use the following points to discuss this important National site:
New York's African Burial Ground is the final resting place of approximately 15,000
free and enslaved Africans. Dating from the late 17th century, it has been called one
of the most important archaeological finds of our time.
Lost to history due to landfill and development, the grounds were rediscovered in
1991 as a consequence of the planned construction of a Federal office building.
The ancestral remains of 419 individuals, which were removed in 1991 and taken to
Howard University for scientific study, were reinterred at the African Burial Ground
Memorial Site on October 4, 2003. Each year, October 4 is a day of remembrance
and celebration at the African Burial Ground.

Scientific study of the remains is helping historians gather information about the lives
of blacks in the colonies and how people held on to their African traditions

17. For further information regarding the African Burial ground you may want to share the Power
Point presentation listed in the Teacher Resources or download information from the Buried
Stories website also listed in the resources.

18. As a connection back to Lesson 5, share the information located in the Supplemental Materials
(Unit 4, Lesson 6) regarding the large monument dedicated to the African Burial Ground
designed by Lorenzo Pace, author of Jalani and Lock.

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5th Grade Integrated Early American History SS050406
Unit 4: Life in Colonial America Lesson 6

Assessment
As an assessment, have students choose one of the following questions and write a paragraph
response:
How was the treatment of Africans similar to that of Native Americans? How was it
different?
How was being enslaved different from being an indentured servant?
How did the use of enslaved Africans as workers impact the growth of the English
colonies?

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