Major Problems in the Era of the American Revolution, 1760-1791

Chapter 2 Reflection

Venture Smith
When did Venture learn to read and write? He was taken as a slave at the age of 5 and did not earn his
freedom until the age of 36. I am not sure if a master would have spent the money to educate him in
that manner. If that is the case then after he earned his freedom he then learned to write and was able to
remember this much detail? That is amazing.
The amount of times that Venture was sold and that at one time it appeared he had a say in it surprised
me. That he was able to do side work and keep a percentage of his earnings.
I looked up a couple websites on Venture Smith. His wiki page states that in 1798 he dictated his life
experiences, so maybe he never did learn to read and write. If that is true then we was reciting his life
story at the age of 69. That is even more amazing.

John Adams
To be quite honest my oldest son is in his first year at college and this just looks like some normal
college stuff going on. My take away here is that not much has changed in 250 years.

Anna Green Winslow

I did not find much of interest here other than the passage about Bet Smith being set upon the gallows
and then she goes on to talk about dancing and drinking tea. All this at age of 12.

Philip Vickers Fithian

He makes a couple of references about Virginia being different then their preconceived thoughts or
notions. I am wondering how much that has to do with where he was sent. He stated that Mr. Carter's
estate was “perhaps the clearest...of any man in Virginia” and that certainty could have a lot to do with
his outlook on the state as a whole. He seems to have integrated himself into society there very quickly.
Just over the course of a month he is talking about habing breakfast, supper, and dinner and different
locations and giving a Sermon for the Presbitery. I believe he will have a hard time wanting to move
back home after his

There is one passage in this that I did have trouble understanding. From what I can tell Mr. Carter
treated his slaves very well. It is even stated that the children treat the servants better than people treat
their superiors. The part I am having difficulty with is on page 45 where it is talking about the weekly
allowance of a peek of corn and a pound of meat a head. “And Mr. Carter is allow'd by all, & from
what I have already seen of others, I make no Doubt at all but he is, by far the most humane to his
Slaves of any in these parts! Good God! Are these Christians?”
And Mr. Carter is allow'd by and all – what does that part mean?
If I am reading this correctly then I believe that this weekly allowance is a good thing and Mr. Fithian
is amazed by it and when he makes the comment “Are these Christians?” he is referring to the other
slave owners.