English 11 Literature #7

Mr. Rinka

Slave Narratives

Slavery in Americahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_United_States

Slavery in the United States

Middle Passagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Passage

Middle Passage

The Middle Passage

http://quietube2.com/v.php/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo79PHVI-ck

Olaudah Equianohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaudah_Equiano

Olaudah Equianohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaudah_Equiano

Olaudah Equiano (1745 – 1797) also known as Gustavus Vassa, was a prominent African involved in the British movement towards the abolition of the slave trade. His autobiography depicted the horrors of slavery and helped influence

Olaudah Equianohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaudah_Equiano

British lawmakers to abolish the slave trade through the Slave Trade Act of 1807. Despite his enslavement as a young man, he purchased his freedom and worked as an author, merchant and explorer in South America, the Caribbean, the Arctic,

Olaudah Equianohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaudah_Equiano

the American colonies, and the United Kingdom.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_slave_trade

Olaudah Equiano

http://quietube2.com/v.php/http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=HZk41mzDGNc&feature=rel

ated

Slave Narrativeshttp://www.gutenberg.org/files/15399/15399-h/15399-

h.htm#CHAP_II

The Interesting Narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slave_narratives

Olaudah EquianoPrentice Hall Literature: The American Experience, Teacher’s

Edition, Vol. 1. Boston: Person Prentice Hall, 2007.

Who and what are the causes for illness and death aboard the slave ships?Because of greed, the traders over-loaded the ships with slaves causing unsanitary conditions leading to illnesses.

Olaudah EquianoPrentice Hall Literature: The American Experience, Teacher’s

Edition, Vol. 1. Boston: Person Prentice Hall, 2007.

How do you think the crew views the slaves on these ships?

The slaves are treated as cargo and not humans. Their value like any other cargo is only in the profits they will bring.

Olaudah EquianoPrentice Hall Literature: The American Experience, Teacher’s

Edition, Vol. 1. Boston: Person Prentice Hall, 2007.

Many slaves jumped from the ship into the ocean to certain death. Why?

The slaves would rather be dead than live the life that they have been forced into.

Olaudah EquianoPrentice Hall Literature: The American Experience, Teacher’s

Edition, Vol. 1. Boston: Person Prentice Hall, 2007.

Why do you think slavery and the slave trade were accepted?

The economic benefit of free labor that could be completely controlled was very appealing to farmers and business people. By using people

Olaudah EquianoPrentice Hall Literature: The American Experience, Teacher’s

Edition, Vol. 1. Boston: Person Prentice Hall, 2007.

of a different race from a totally different culture, it was easy for slave owners to dehumanize slaves and treat them more like animals than like people. There was a true lack of human empathy. In fact, slaves were considered property.

Olaudah Equiano

America is the land of immigrants who came and still come to this country for a better life. What makes the African American unique in this regard?

Of all the citizens of the United States

Olaudah Equiano

only the African American chose not to come here. The heritage of this portion of the American population has a history of slavery and oppression that has been very difficult to overcome. Only since the the Civil Rights Movement of the

Olaudah Equiano

1960’s has this group of Americans benefitted fully from the opportunities this country has to offer.

Discussion

In a Socratic Seminar explore this topic:American slaves were not permitted to learn to read or write. Discuss how an educated person would have reacted to being a slave.

Additional Assignment #1

Read Chapter One from Frederick Douglass’s autobiography.

NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS AN

AMERICAN SLAVE

Additional Assignment #2

Read about the underground railroad that offered the chance at freedom for many slaves.

Underground Railroad

English 11 Literature #7

Mr. Rinka

Slave Narratives