Slavery

• • Cotton, Sugar Cane, and Tobacco were three major laborious cash crops

  • More than 10,000,000 people brought as slaves from Africa to the Americas

  • African kingdoms traded slaves for guns, rum, and tools

  • African slaves were dehumanized and treated as cargo when they were shipped to the Americas 

  • Racist ideology was caused by slavery

Slavery at George Washington's Mount Vernon

• https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/slavery provides a number of resources about how the plantation was home to hundreds of enslaved men, women, and children who lived here under Washington’s control.

Daily Life

• • https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/slavery/daily-life In 1799, there were 317 men, women, and children enslaved at Mount Vernon’s five farms, which covered 8,000 acres. They made up more than 90% of the estate's population.

Enslaved Labor 

• • https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/slavery/enslaved-labor The Washingtons relied on enslaved butlers, cooks, waiters, and housemaids. There were also many enslaved men and women trained in specific trades. However, the majority of enslaved laborers at Mount Vernon performed agricultural work on the estate’s four outlying farms.

Washington and Slavery

• • https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/slavery/george-washington-and-slavery As a young Virginia planter, Washington accepted slavery without apparent concern. But after the Revolutionary War, he began to feel burdened by his personal entanglement with slavery and uneasy about slavery’s effect on the nation. When he drafted his will at age 67, Washington included a provision that would free the 123 enslaved people he owned outright.

Database of Mount Vernon's Enslaved Community

• • https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/slavery/slavery-database Use this database to explore Mount Vernon’s enslaved community. Select from the drop-down menus to search by event type, person, skill, location, and more. Click on each result to see the text from the historical  document.

What does this lesson teach us about enslaved families and how they coped with separation?

Transatlantic Slave Trade 2:51

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xdd8DvhF8k Nov 13, 2020 In the early 1500s, the transatlantic slave trade commenced. Europeans invaded west and central Africa, capturing free people, enslaving them, and placing them on ships as cargo. Conditions aboard these slave ships were horrendous, and the voyage was long and brutal. As centuries passed, slave scientists developed ways to maximize the amount of people they could steal, all the while distributing people throughout the west. In all, 12.5 million people were said to have been taken from Africa between the years of 1525-1866. Even though the United States Congress passed a law forbidding the transatlantic slave trade in 1808, the practice would still go on for decades. In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., with additional commentary from Hasan Jeffries of Ohio State University, we take a deeper look at the inhumane journey African people were forced into all in the name of European greed. Black History in Two Minutes or so

Job Ben Solomon 2:57

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlkS3-c39aw Jan 14, 2022 In 1730, Job Ben Solomon — a Senegalese man and active slave trader — was captured during an excursion in the Gambian River region. Once stateside, he was imprisoned for attempting to escape from Maryland. After writing a letter to his family back home, it was intercepted by a prominent US figure, James Oglethorpe, who arranged Job’s freedom and sent him to London. From there, Job’s imprint expanded on the international scene. By 1734, he was back in Senegal, starting life over after his time in captivity and abroad. In this episode of Black History in Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. — with additional commentary from Sylviane A. Diouf of Brown University, Daina Ramey Berry of the University of Texas and Imani Perry of Princeton University — we look at an important figure whose life allowed us an opportunity to understand the many ways at which native Africans existed, practiced religion, and navigated during the Atlantic slave trade. Black History in Two Minutes or so

The Clotilda 3:21

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKn_0TUg_Mo Dec 10, 2021 In 2019, researchers were able to properly authenticate the last known slave ship to enter the United States illegally. That ship, The Clotida, was found in the Mobile River in Southern Alabama. A slave trader named Timothy Meaher arranged with a king in an African nation to purchase one hundred slaves and transport them to Alabama. With treacherous conditions and little food, those who survived would be enslaved until the formal emancipation efforts commenced. While emancipation meant freedom on paper, freed slaves quickly learned that their efforts were best served creating their own community called Africatown. In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., with additional commentary from Imani Perry of Princeton University, we take a look at an important piece of history that tells the story of the last known slave ship to enter the United States. Black History in Two Minutes or so

The Missouri Compromise 2:50

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zSnvFidl4s May 1, 2020 In 1819, when Missouri enters the union, a compromise is reached about whether Missouri should be a slave or free state. NBC News Learn

Free Black Americans Before Civil War 3:22

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKirXxkxvvs Apr 15, 2022 Even though slavery ended in the 1860s, free Black Americans made up 10% of the United States Black population. While the rest of the population was made up of slaves, those who escaped quickly learned that freedom didn’t mean access. As the United States expanded, many now western states passed rules and regulations that made it difficult for Black citizens to successfully enter society. Ultimately, Black people opted to stay in the south, close to family, and in a better economic condition. Despite countless efforts to rob Black people of their rights, freed Black leaders made sure Black people were supported in their transition from slavery to freedom. In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. — with additional commentary from Vincent Brown of Harvard University and author Kate Clifford Larson — we learn about the often under told story of the free Black American. Black History in Two Minutes or so

Second Middle Passage 3:04

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr6nqrfzFRA Nov 20, 2020 As the United States began to expand, the demand for cotton led to an increase of slave trades in the country. Eager to capitalize, slave owners sold slaves into the deep south and west in the name of expanding the economy. Chained and shackled together, black families were uprooted, disrupted and forced to start again in the name of preparing for white civilization. The domestic slave trade mimicked patterns of shattering families in Africa, all the while placing financial gain before humanity. In total, nearly one million black slaves were sold during this time, lasting up until the Civil War. In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., with additional commentary from Hasan Jeffries of Ohio State University and Vincent Brown of Harvard University, we explore the second middle passage, a forced migration meant to support the booming cotton industry and westward expansion, all the while continuing the cycle of tearing black families apart for fiscal gain. Black History in Two Minutes or so

How one piece of legislation divided a nation - Ben Labaree, Jr. 6:02

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWww0YIf-JE Feb 11, 2014 You may think that things are heated in Washington today, but the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 had members of Congress so angry they pulled out their weapons -- and formed the Republican Party. The issues? Slavery and states' rights, which led the divided nation straight into the Civil War. Ben Labaree, Jr. explains how Abraham Lincoln's party emerged amidst the madness.  Lesson by Ben Labaree, Jr., animation by Qa'ed Mai. TED-Ed View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-legislation-that-birthed-the-republican-party-ben-labaree-jr

Compromise of 1850 2:59

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNU5mzJ4FBU May 1, 2020 The Compromise of 1850 is an attempt to resolve differences between northerners and southerners about whether slavery should exist in new territories of the west. NBC News Learn

The Kansas Nebraska Act 2:35

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yboh3uL0PMI May 1, 2020 The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 opens a vast new area of the American heartland to settlement, but along with that comes the unresolved questions about slavery. NBC News Learn

Sound Smart: Dred Scott Case | History 2:30

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0OW18pIo8c Nov 4, 2016 Historian Matthew Pinsker presents a quick rundown of the story of Dred Scott, a slave who sued for his freedom, leading to one of the Supreme Court's most infamous decisions. HISTORY

The breathtaking courage of Harriet Tubman - Janell Hobson 4:48

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv7YhVKFqbQ Jul 24, 2018 Take a closer look at the life of escaped slave and American icon Harriet Tubman, who liberated over 700 enslaved people using the Underground Railroad. View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-courage-of-harriet-tubman-janell-hobson.

The electrifying speeches of Sojourner Truth - Daina Ramey Berry 4:39

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sn8CUyvG2k Apr 28, 2020 Get to know the story of Sojourner Truth, a woman born into slavery who became known as a powerful orator and outspoken activist. Isabella Baumfree was born into slavery in late 18th century New York. Fleeing bondage with her youngest daughter, she renamed herself Sojourner Truth and embarked on a legendary speaking tour. She became known as an electrifying orator and her speeches impacted thousands of people in communities across the United States. Daina Ramey Berry details the life of the outspoken activist. Lesson by Daina Ramey Berry, directed by WOW-HOW Studio. View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-electrifying-speeches-of-sojourner-truth-daina-ramey-berry TEDEd

Phillis Wheatley: The First Published African-American Poet | Black Patriots | History 5:09

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEzrary7sOY Feb 1, 2021 Discover the incredible story of Phillis Wheatley, the first published African-American Poet and a supporter of the American Revolution who corresponded with George Washington, in this scene from "Black Patriots." #PhillisWheatley​ #BlackPatriots​

Elizabeth Freeman: Trailblazer for Freedom | Black Patriots | History 4:55

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB9DSi7F5dA Feb 8, 2021 Elizabeth Freeman's story is nothing short of incredible - her ability to win freedom in Massachusetts' courts prompted future legislation for abolition, in this scene from "Black Patriots." #ElizabethFreeman​ #BlackPatriots​

Modern Marvels: How Sugar is Made (S11, E52) | Full Episode | History 45:00

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9Tp7ICG1hg Apr 3, 2021 The sugar industry came of age on the backs of those enslaved and toiling in Caribbean fields, and British desire to control production of sugar and its byproduct, rum. Find out more in Season 11, Episode 52, "Sugar." HISTORY

Pawn Stars: Underground Railroad Sketches | History 2:57

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21M1_KcSkD0 Feb 19, 2015 Rick takes a look at a rare collection of stories from the 19th century about escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad in this collection of scenes from "Underground Pawn."

Was Federalism Designed to Protect Slavery? [No. 86] 2:37

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRJtG572JJI&t May 2, 2019 Was federalism set up to promote slavery in the US Constitution? Professor Michael McConnell discusses the deep ideological divergences on slavery at the time of the Founding, and argues that the federalism adopted by the Constitution was the first step toward abolition. The Constitution created a nation with the potential of eventually abolishing slavery, which it did via the amendment process. The Fourteenth Amendment made the national government principally responsible for civil liberties, but the state governments still have a role to play. These competing power centers together work to promote liberty. Michael William McConnell is a constitutional law scholar who served as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from 2002 until 2009. Since 2009, McConnell has served as Director of the Stanford Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School. The Federalist Society