Olaudah Equiano

•Olaudah was a slave who traveled the Middle Passage, a triangular route of trade between continents.•It took two months to sail to America.

•Between 10-20 million slaves were transported to America.•The numbers are so inaccurate because millions died of overcrowding, spoiled food, disease, harsh treatment, and despair.

Olaudah Equiano•Olaudah was the son of the village ruler.•Once he was in Virginia, he was sold to a naval officer and traveled the Mediterranean.•He was then sold to a merchant who actually paid him.•He bought his freedom but never returned to Africa.•He learned to speak, read, and write while enslaved.•His writing is one of the only documents describing the journey to America.

Reading Worksheet

#1. How would you characterize Equiano at the beginning of the excerpt?

• Re-state the question + your response.I would describe Equiano as…

(1 point) (1)• Offer two supporting details from the text.

because he tells us…and later explains… (1) (1)

(four points possible per question)

#2 In what way, other than violence, do the white people attempt to gain power over the enslaved people?

In addition to violence, the captors use (1 re-state) ___ (1 detail) and ___ (1 detail) to assert their power over the captives. (1 complete sentence)

Tone is an author’s attitude about his topic.

Equiano feels….

about….

Examine the excerpt found before the red line ( page 97).

#3 Do you agree with Equiano calling the buyers “nominal Christians”?

I agree /disagree with Equiano labeling the buyers “nominal Christians” because…(explanation with two specific, text-based reasons).

#4 What is the tone of the portion after the red line?

Equiano’s use of words like “___,” “___,” and “____” suggest he feels _______ about _______.