Close Reading: Slavery and Abolition

From The Americans, p.248-253

Due

Friday 3/20
1. Look at the quote from James Forten on p.248. He is sarcastically
responding to people telling him to go back to Africa. In your own
words and without sarcasm, describe how he responds to these people.
2. Define abolition and emancipation (they are not the same) in your
own words:
3. Look at the quote on the top of p.249. Why might this black pastor ask
that free black people be treated as well as foreigners?
4. Pick either William Lloyd Garrison or David Walker.
a. Who was he?
b. What did he do?
c. Why do you think this was important (in other words, why do you
think the authors of this book decide to feature these people)?
5. What did free black people in the South generally do for work? Why
were they unable get higher-paying, more important jobs like free
blacks in the North?
6. Why were slaves not allowed to learn to read and write?
7. How did Frederick Douglass respond when he learned the reason for
this?
8. What was Douglasss escape plan?
9. Why did he call himself a thief and a robber?
10.
What did he do with his freedom?
11.
Were the first American slaves born in America?
12.
What was work like for slaves in the rural South?
13.
What did slave owners get from hiring their slaves out to
factories?
14.
Why did Frederick Douglass say that urban slaves lived better
than rural slaves?
15.
Find at least two ways that Nat Turners religion inspire his
rebellious actions.
16.
Nat Turners rebellion resulted in the death of about 60 whites.
What did the white community do in retaliation? Why do you think they
responded that way?
17.
How did Turners revolt harden or intensify Southern white
attitudes about basic liberties for blacks?
18.
Many religious people and organizations, such as the Quakers
(not mentioned in book), opposed slavery on the basis of their religion.
However, many white Southerners used the bible to justify slavery. In
what ways did they interpret the bible as pro-slavery?
19.
Did Southern slave owners portray their slaves as happier than
Northern slaves? How? Do you buy their story?

20. What was slavery like in the rest of the Americas (meaning outside of

the US, see sidebar on p.253)?