Unit 5: Slavery

US History I

When and where were the first African slaves brought to the colonies?

Jamestowne 1619

What was the Middle Passage?

- Journey taken from Africa to the Americas.

• Many enslaved people died

• Terrible conditions

What were the conditions like on the Middle Passage?

- TERRIBLE

• desease

• cramped

• lack of fresh air and sanitary conditions

• inhumane crew

In what two regions were most slaves in the British colonies located?

\- Chesapeake (maryland, virginia)

\- Low Country (south caroline, georgia)

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What did slaves in the Northern colonies do for labor vs. slaves in the Southern colonies?

NORTH

\- housework

\- skilled labourers

SOUTH

- plantions

\- farming of cash crops

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Why did the grievance about slavery get deleted from the Declaration of Independence?

\- Uniting all the states to the revolution was more important than abolishing slavery.

How did the American Revolution impact slavery?

\- begins the process of abolishing slavery in the US

\- both British and Continental army offered freedom to slaves who fought on their sides

After the revolution, Northern states passed laws to abolish slavery

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How did Northern states abolish slavery?

- gradual emancipation

• deadlines of when slaved need to be freed by

• age/work limits to reach freedom

• make children of slaves free

What did the Northwest Ordinance do?

\- banned slavery in the Northwest territory

* ensured that 5 new states would be freestates

Describe the three ways slavery is addressed in the Constitution

\- 3/5 compromise

\- Slave Trade Clause: prohibited Congress from banning slave trade until 1808

* capped taxes on ppl at 10$

\- Fugitive Slave Clause: slaves were property & had to be returned

What did Fugitive Slave Laws do?

\- runaway slaves had to be returned to their owners, Northern states had to help capture run away slaves

What caused slavery to spread across the South after 1793?

cotton gin

Why was slavery an important political issue in the 1800s?

there was an even # of slave states and free states

\- if missouri were added as a slave state, the balance would be uneven

What was the Missouri Compromise?

\- Maine added as a free state

\- Missouri added as a slave state

\- the 36 30’ line established

* all states under that line would be slave states

What were the conditions of free African Americans in the North?

bad. they might have been free, but they didn’t have equal rights and were still treated poorly.

What were the experiences of enslaved African Americans in the South?

See gallary walk note sheet

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REMEMBER TO STUDY THIS

Why was religion important to slaves?

Religion have slaves hope for the afterlives & a way to cope with their condition

What is a Slave Spiritual?

- songs created by slaves to express their religion

• use of religious themes

• used elements of African music

How did slaves try to resist slavery?

1. Culture: language, religion, names, beliefs

2. Behavior: work patterns, quality of work, pretending to be sick

3. Education: tried to learn to read + write

4. Purchase freedom: hire themselves out

5. Religion: help them cope + inspired them to revolt

6. Run away

7. Revolt

How were the Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey and Nat Turner slave revolts similar and different?

see venn diagram

What is the Underground Railroad?

\- network of routes, hiding places, and ppl who helped fugitive slaves reach Northern states, Canada, or Mexico

What is the abolition movement?

a movement to abolish slavery