“A Free Woman on God’s Earth”THE TRUE STORY OF ELIZABETH “MUMBET” FREEMAN,

THE SLAVE WHO WON HER FREEDOMJana Laiz and Ann-Elizabeth Barnes

Illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers

Pre-Reading Orientation

Discuss the following statements before reading “A Free Woman on God’s Earth.” A great way to get students involved is to ask them to respond with “thumbs up” or “thumbs down.” These questions are designed to stimulate student thinking about some of the themes in “A Free Woman on God’s Earth.”

1. Did you know that slavery was common in the Northern States before the Civil War? Yes/No

2. Did you know that slave children had to work as hard as adults? Yes/No

3. Do you have chores at home? Yes/No

Pre-Reading Discussion

Look at the cover of the book, “A Free Woman on God’s Earth.”

1. Who do you think that woman is? Where do you think she is going? What do you think is in her basket?

2. Looking at the title and the cover, what do you think this book will be about?

Let’s Get Reading!

Prologue

1. Why was the little girl being sent from her family? Where was she going?

2. To whom did she belong?

3. What is a slave? Were there slaves in your country of origin at any time in history?

4. Use at least two of the vocabulary words in a sentence.

VocabularyWealthyClutchDialectWeepEnfoldDistraughtTremblingSteadfast

Name: _________________________________

Chapter 1

1. What do you imagine were some of the consequences of not doing what you were told, if you were a slave?

2. How did the settlers feel about their new home?

3. Who was Colonel Ashley?

4. Describe 7-year-old Bet’s tasks as a slave in the Ashley household.

5. What did Bet long for?

Name:________________________________

6. What was Selah’s relationship to Bet?

7. How did this relationship make Bet’s life somewhat bearable?

Vocabulary

ConsequencesUnbearableColonistsAbundantChallengesKindlingDallyParlorYearnRambleEnslaveMedicinalReluctantlyHazardous

Name_________________________________ Chapter 1 (continued)

Chapter 2

1. How many slaves lived on the Ashley Farm?

2. What did Bet enjoy doing with the other slaves? Why?

3. How did Bet remember her mother?

4. What was Selah’s explanation to Bet’s question about why she wasn’t allowed to play with the Ashley children?

5. Can you see the foreshadowing line in this chapter? What is that line in the text?

VocabularyReplace NursemaidPrecious AilmentsTidy AleMended SnortedGuidance ErrandPleasant CrossGlared

Name ____________________________________

Chapter 3

1. What did Bet do in the household as she grew?

2. Why couldn’t Bet live with her “husband”?

3. What kind of mother do you think Bet was?

4. How did the name “Mumbet” develop?

5. Why was Mrs. Ashley called “harridan” and “shrew”? Did she deserve it?

Name ______________________________________

6. What was Mrs. Ashley’s objection to the shabbily dressed girl?

7. What can you tell about Mumbet by how she reacted to Mrs. Ashley’s rants about the girl?

8. Mumbet said, “When I put my foot down, I keep it down.” What do you think this means? Is this a good trait? Why or why not?

9. Why did the Colonel praise Mumbet?

Vocabulary: In the following vocabulary you might want to introduce parts of speech or use of tense.

Rely AdmitDelightHarridanShrewShabbilyMotionedDeterminedContortedRageGrievance

Name ____________________________ Chapter 3 (continued)

Chapter 4

1. What was happening in 1773 in the colonies?

2. Why were the people angry and who were they angry at?

3. What did Mumbet have to do with any of this?

4. What document was written and how did the words in the document affect Mumbet? What did she ask herself?

5. What happened three years later in 1776?

Name ________________________________

6. What happened to Mumbet’s husband and how did it change her life?

VocabularyRebellionCommitteeDraftDocumentOverhearQuillResolvedStirringSorrowLenientSomber

Name _____________________________ Chapter 4 (continued)

Chapter 5

1. Do you agree with the authors that this chapter is one of the most important in the book? Describe what happened.

2. How did you feel when you read about what happened to Mumbet? What emotions came up for you?

3. Write a get-well card to Mumbet.

4. Write a letter to Mrs. Ashley.

VocabularyEncouragingBlock the blowOutrageTolerateVitalAccountableNotions

Name ____________________________________

Chapter 6

1. Whatwerethewomendoingwhilethemenwerefightinginthewar?

2. Why do you think a person would be as violent and angry as Mrs. Ashley?

3. Imagine Bet’s reaction to Mrs. Ashley’s violent act. She restrained herself. Would you be able to? What might you have done?

4. Why did Mumbet’s solution come in 1780? What caused her to make her decision?

5. Why did she and Little Bet go to see Mr. Sedgwick on Market Day? What was important about that?

Name ____________________________________

6. Was Theodore Sedgwick surprised when Bet made her request? What was his response?

7. Why did Bet need a man to sue along with her? How did she convince Brom?

Vocabulary

IllogicPonderedConclusionCaterBondagePleaSootheWoundsBrutal

Name ______________________________ Chapter 6 (continued)

Chapter 7

1. What is a “writ of replevin”?

2. When the sheriffs came to the house how did the Ashley’s feel?

3. Do you agree with Col. Ashley? Or do you agree with Mumbet?

4. Do you think Mumbet and Little Bet were sad to leave their “home”?

VocabularyIllegallyUnlawfullyPropertyCommotionBetrayed UngratefulWretchBondageBond

Name ___________________________________

Chapter 8

1. Who worked on the case with Theodore Sedgwick? And why did Theodore Sedgwick choose him?

2. Why did these lawyers choose to take on the case?

3. Where was the case tried?

4. What was Colonel Ashley’s argument?

5. What was the rationale behind Theodore Sedgwick’s opposing argument?

Name ________________________________

6. How long did the trial last?

7. What was the outcome? Were the people in the court house happy? How can you tell?

8. What was Colonel Ashley ordered to do? What did he ask Mumbet?

9. On a separate sheet write a paragraph about a time you felt like a prisoner and got freed of your situation. Think about it and write!

VocabularyTrialLawsuitCounselClamorEstablishRevokeEruptedDazedlyServitudeWage

Name ________________________________ Chapter 8 (continued)

Chapter 9

1. What name did Mumbet take for herself? Do you think it makes sense?

2. What do you think it was like for her to be free?

3. Where did the Sedgwicks move with Mumbet and Little Bet? Was Mumbet happy about this move?

4. When was the war over?

5. What happened to the soldiers after they had returned home? How did they feel about what was being required of them?

Name ______________________________________

6. Who was Daniel Shays and what is he famous for? Do you agree with him? Would you have joined his band?

7. How did Mumbet protect the Sedgwick House?

For extra credit pronounce this name and tell who she was: “Elizabeth Pewauwyausquaua-Wanwianyrequenot” Good Luck!

VocabularyReputationMidwiferyPoulticesAmbitiousPrestigeCulinaryGrievancesRevengeSympathetic

Name ________________________________ Chapter 9 (continued)

Chapter 10

1. Who was born three days after Christmas?

2. After Mumbet raised all the Sedgwick children where did she go and why?

3. What were the words Mumbet told her grand-children and great-grandchildren about her time as a slave?

4. Why do you think the authors chose this as a title and do you think it was a good choice?

VocabularyAnxiousStokingRobustCourtingCateredIndulgedIndependent

Name ____________________________________

Epilogue

1. Does this book help you realize that you have the power to change things? Even the course of history?

2. What is the most important thing you learned from this book?

Name _______________________________

ABOLITION LAWASHLEY MASSACHUSETTSBONDAGE MUMBETBROM POKERCONSTITUTION REBELLIONCORNCAKE RESOLVESDECLARATION SEDGWICKFREEDOM SHEFFIELDHOGABOOM SLAVERYHOUSATONIC STOCKBRIDGEJURY SUE

FIND AND CIRCLE THE WORDS

Name ____________________________________

Unscramble the words to complete the puzzle below

1. RIWT FO VILEEPRN (Document delivered to Col. Ashley)2. TESHTSASSUMCA TUNNTCITISOO (Legal read on the Town Green)3. LEDHIFEFS NOETALCIDRA (“All men are created free and equal”)4. LARYSVE (A terrible practice)5. DER LINO NIN (Place in Stockbridge)6. NILDAE SYSHA (Rebel leader)7. SASHY LEELIBNOR (What they fought)8. NAIPPGT VEERE (Lawyer who helped Sedgwick)9. TANITOSBLSIOI (People against slavery)10.NAUROYTIEROVL RWA (The battle for independence)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Name ___________________________________

ACROSS2. The lawyer that helped Mumbet8. The closest person Mumbet had to a mother10. What Hannah Ashley used to strike Mumbet11. The slave that sued with Mumbet12. Theodore Sedgwick’s daughter14. What Mumbet wanted15. Then name Mumbet took when gaining her freedom17. Mumbet’s daughter18. Colonel Ashley’s wifeDOWN1. The original name of the main character3. What a slave had to do without getting paid4. King of England during that time5. Where Mumbet moved and where she is buried6. The name of the main character7. Where the courthouse was9. The town where Mumbet lived13. Man who started a rebellion after the war16. Mumbet’s owner19. A terrible practice

“A Free Woman On God’s Earth” Cross Word

Name ____________________________________

TUMBME ______________________________________

ASLEH ______________________________________ LASEV ______________________________________

REDFEOM ______________________________________

HEFSFEIDL ______________________________________

TBE ______________________________________

NNAHHA ______________________________________

RBMO ______________________________________

RTNIODCLAEA ______________________________________

RWA ______________________________________

VULORETNIO ______________________________________

ESNASEIRGCV ______________________________________

CKDESGWI ______________________________________

A Confusion of Words

Name ____________________________________

Mumbet Acrostic PoemWhat does she mean to you?

M

U

M

B

E

T

Name ____________________________________

F

R

E

E

D

O

M

Freedom Acrostic PoemWhat did it mean to Mumbetor what does it mean to you?

Name ____________________________________

Answer Sheets

“A Free Woman On God’s Earth” Cross Word

ACROSS

2. The lawyer that helped Mumbet (Sedgwick)8. The closest person Mumbet had to a mother (Selah)10. What Hannah Ashley used to strike Mumbet (hot poker)11. The slave that sued with Mumbet (Brom)12. Theodore Sedgwick’s daughter (Catharine)14. What Mumbet wanted (Freedom)15. Then name Mumbet took when gaining her freedom (Elizabeth Freeman)17. Mumbet’s daughter (Little Bet)18. Colonel Ashley’s wife (Hannah Ashley)

DOWN

1. The original name of the main character (Bet)3. What a slave had to do without getting paid (work)4. King of England during that time (King George)5. Where Mumbet moved and where she is buried (Stockbridge)6. The name of the main character (Mumbet)7. Where the courthouse was (Great Barrington)9. The town where Mumbet lived (Sheffield)13. Man who started a rebellion after the war (Shays)16. Mumbet’s owner (Col. Ashley)19. A terrible practice (slavery)

RIWT FO VILEEPRN (WRIT OF REPLEVIN)

TESHTSASSUMCA TUNNTCITISOO (MASSACHUSETTS CONSTITUTION)

LEDHIFEFS NOETALCIDRA (SHEFFIELD DECLARATION)

LARYSVE (SLAVERY)

DER LINO NIN (RED LION INN)

NILDAE SYSHA (DANIEL SHAYS)

SASHY LEELIBNOR (SHAYS REBELLION)

NAIPPGT VEERE (TAPPING REEVE)

TANITOSBLSIOI (ABOLITIONIST)

NAUROYTIEROVL RWA (REVOLUTIONARY WAR)

ELIZABETH MUMBET FREEMAN

Unscramble to complete the puzzle

A Confusion of Words

TUMBME (MUMBET)

ASLEH (SELAH)

LASEV (SLAVE)

REDFEOM (FREEDOM)

HEFSFEIDL (SHEFFIELD)

TBE (BET)

NNAHHA (HANNAH)

RBMO (BROM)

RTNIODCLAEA (DECLARATION)

RWA (WAR)

VULORETNIO (REVOLUTION)

ESNASEIRGCV (GRIEVANCES)

CKDESGWI (SEDGWICK)

Puzzles courtesy of PuzzleMaker.comPermission to copy this guide given by Crow Flies Press