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SLAVERY DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY AND CONSTITUTIONAL ERA


John Bradshaw


SLAVE LIFE: Perspectives on Slavery_Bradshaw


This lesson examines slave life during the Revolutionary and Constitutional Eras by first looking at George Washington’s views on slavery and then at his will.  A satirical look at Washington’s views is offered by Mark Twain.  A proposal to arm slaves during the American Revolution and writings by Phillis Wheatley are included.


Materials: video, U.S. Constitution, Boston Massacre engraving (picture), documents, Internet


1-2 90 minute blocks


2


How did the Founding Fathers justify the institution of slavery while espousing the idea that "all men are created equal"?   

Broad questions for document discussion:

1.  What were the realities of slave life during the Revolutionary and Constitutional Eras?

  1. How did the Founding Fathers justify the institution of slavery while espousing the idea that all men are created equal?
  2. What do you think went through slaves’ minds who heard about these ideas of  freedom and liberty from ?  Do you think that some believed this might mean freedom for themselves?  Explain.
  3. Do you think it would have been a good idea for the colonists to arm slaves to fight against the British in light of the fact that the British tried to do the same?
  4. How did the Founding Fathers deal with slavery at the Constitutional Convention?
  5. What specific provisions in the Constitution are made due to slavery, without the actual word itself being mentioned in the Constitution?  What do these compromises portend?
  6. What does the term paternalism mean and what does it imply about the master/slave relationship?


Divide the class into five groups and ask each group to locate and explain one of the following clauses in the Constitution: 

The Three-fifths Compromise

Slave trade Compromise

Amendments 13

Amendment 14

Amendment 15. 

Discuss


Have students list the accomplishments of George Washington as a Founding Father.  Discuss.  Then have students discuss the following quote by Washington: 

 "The unfortunate condition of the persons, whose labour in part I employed, has been the only unavoidable subject of regret." 

Ask students what they think Washington was referring to as "the only unavoidable subject of regret".


Compare the above quotation with the section of Washington's will that deals with the freeing of his slaves.  (Washington's will can be accessed at www.teachingamericanhistory.com)

 Teacher notes:  Washington regrets the institution of slavery and posits one day it may end; however, he does so with a paternalistic tone. Guided reading questions:  At this time, 1788, does Washington feel that slaves could live on their own without their owners?  Why or why not?  In his last will and testament,  Washington calls for the freeing of his slaves upon the death of his wife.  During his latter years, he turned against the institution of slavery but does not speak out against it for political purposes.  Washington had 30 slaves before his marriage.  Upon his marriage to Martha Curtis he inherited 286 more.  Whether or not Washington figured that this last request would put his wife in fear for her life (slaves freed upon her death), it was probably something that his conscience led him to do. 

 Show picture of Washington with his slave William Lee (Image may be accessed on p.38 The Negro American: A Documentary History or the document can be viewed on the pbs website.) 

Guided reading questions:  What provisions does Washington make for his slaves?  Do they seem reasonable for the time(1799)?  Why does Washington  give special treatment to the slave William Lee?  Why doesn’t Washington make a public stand against slavery during his lifetime?  As someone so revered, do you think he could have made a good example by manumitting his slaves?  Do you think that other leaders in the South would have followed his example?  Why or why not? . 

Distribute excerpts from the document, General Washington’s Negro Body-Servant (A Biographical Sketch),1868, which can be accessed in the Library of America volume, Mark Twain or www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/webstuff/twain.html

.   Head note:  A satirical look at how newspapers can take a figure from history and make him larger than life.  Note with each later account of the man’s death, his memory of past events grows infinitesimally larger. Guided reading questions:  What were the events that George could recall?  How did the newspapers view him?  Is anything mentioned about the life he led? If so, what? 

Divide the class into three groups and distribute documents A. B. C.  Group 1 will read document A: a letter “John to Henry Laurens:  a proposal to free and arm slaves (1778).” Group 2 will read Document B: “Hamilton to Jay, 1779, to give them freedom with their muskets,” and Group 3 will read Document C: “Washington to H. Laurens, 1779, arming slaves a moot point.”  Allow students to read and answer the questions relating to their documents.  One person from each group should present the gist of the documents to the class.  A second person should read the questions, and a third person should answer the questions for the class.  After each group presents, ask for input and observations from the other two groups.

NOTE to teacher:  During the early weeks of the Revolutionary War, some slaves were used as soldiers, but this policy was soon abandoned by the several states.  Many state leaders frowned upon the use of slaves as soldiers.  What would the implications be?  Would they want freedom themselves after fighting for the colonial cause?   Much of the freedom rhetoric espoused by the whites against was catching on with slaves during the Revolutionary period in the North.  Many saw their opportunity for liberty.  Coupled with this was the English Crown’s desire to arm slaves and turn them against their masters.  Lord Dunmore of Virginia’s idea to free slaves caused a lot of colonists to go from Loyalist to American.  The threat of slaves turning on their masters, especially in the South, was omnipresent during the late 1770s as the War for Independence moved into the South.  Coinciding with this threat, was the Continental Army’s miserable winter at Valley Forge. (Despite these facts, the U.S. army was integrated during the Revolutionary war, the last time until WWII.) 

Document A: This document, "John Laurens to Henry Laurens: A Proposal to Free and Arm Slaves" (1779), may be accessed in the Library of America volume,The American Revolution or from www.teachingamericanhistory.org.  

 Head note:  In the first letter dated January, 14th, John asks his father to bequeath him his slaves so that he may use them to fight in the Continental army.  His tone at times seems to be one of liberator, yet at the same time he comments they would make good soldiers, because they are used to subjugation.  The second letter again finds John pleading for his father to accept the idea of turning slaves into soldiers.  John feels like he will be doing a noble duty in turning men from bondage into soldiers.  He hints in the letter that his father and George Washington do not think of this as a good idea, because they feel slaves are incapable of this duty. Guided reading questions for this document:  What arguments does John Laurens use to convince his father that the use of slaves is important to the Continental army’s success?  According to John, what slave characteristics would make them good soldiers?  Is John’s idea one brought out of desperation due to the colonial’s plight at Valley Forge?  Why or why not? 

Document B:  This document, "Alexander Hamilton to John Jay: To Give Them Freedom with Their Muskets" (1779) may be accessed in the Library of America volume, The American Revolution  or http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch15s24.html.

Head note:  Hamilton writes Jay in support of Col. Laurens idea to raise black regiments in South Carolina.  Hamilton feels they are needed to help fight the British in the southern theater.  Like Laurens, he believes that it would be a noble cause to have blacks join the army.  This may help lead to their future emancipation. Guided reading questions:  In what other ways does Hamilton agree with Laurens on the subject of the current status of slaves?  What plan does Hamilton have to raise both white and black troops from the southern states?  What’s Hamilton’s general tone  in the letter?  How does Hamilton think others would feel about arming slaves? 

Document C:  This document, "George Washington to Henry Laurens: Arming Slaves a Moot Point" may be accessed in the Library of America volume, The American Revolution or www.teachingamericanhistory.org.

Head note:  Washington feels the arming of slaves neither necessary or a good idea unless the British resort to it first. Guided reading question:  What arguments  does Washington give to support his opinion? 

In order to transition to a discussion of the Constitution and slavery, show the PBS website, Slavery in the Making of America (http://www,.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/).  In the Time and Place section, click on the years 1787 and 1788, to show background information. 

 


Refer back to "Essential Question" segment of this lesson plan.  Have students answer Broad Questions for Document Discussion as well as the Essential Question. 

Give students 3 x 5 index cards on which they are to design a postage stamp about slavery.  Display “stamps” around the room. 


If time permits, this lesson may be extended to cover the controversial 3/5 clause, the slave trade, and the writings of Phillis Wheatley, poet and slave, by using the following documents which are contained in Library of America volumes. 

Students will read from The Debate on the Constitution, Part one  LOA--"Mark Antony," 1788, A Defense of the 3/5s clause, from the Independent Chronicle in Boston Head note:  Mark Antony questions the use of property (slaves) to count toward representation and attacks Brutus for his interpretation of the 3/5s clause.  He tries to make the point that representation should be made on the number of people and not property valuation.  Mark Antony realizes that slavery cannot be done away with right away stating that slaves as citizens could be dangerous and burdensome to the public. Guided reading questions:  Who is Mark Antony?  Who is Brutus?  How does Mark Antony propose that representation in the House of Representatives should be figured?  In Mark Antony from the north or south? Brutus?

Students will read from The Debate on the Constitution, Part one LOA-James Wilson on the Slave-Trade Clause and Robert Whitehill Replies...(1787) Head note:  James Wilson argues that the slave trade clause which would allow Congress to stop the importation of slaves in 1808 is the first step in the gradual process of emancipation.  He wrongly predicts that the U.S. Congress would only admit Free states to the union when their time comes for admission.  He argues that only imported slaves may be taxed up to 1808 and incoming European immigrants,  in his reply, Whitehill tries to argue the wording of the Constitution and argues that any incoming immigrant, free or slaves, may be taxed $10.00. Guided reading questions:  What can you infer about Wilson's feelings on the institution of slavery?  What are his arguments in support of the Slave Trade Clause? 

Using the same procedure as before, divide the class into three groups and distribute Documents 6 ("Mark Antony, 1788, A Defense of the 3/5s clause), 7 ("James Wilson on the Slave Trade Clause and Robert Whitehill Replies, 1787") and 8 ("A Conversation on Slavery, 1770).  Allow students to read and report to the class. Head note:  Franklin approaches the topic of slavery in a conversational style between an American, Englishman, and Scotsman.  The American argues that the slaves are treated with great humanity and less harsh laws of obedience in areas where there are fewer slaves.  The Englishman thinks it ironic that Americans tout liberty yet still have slavery.  The American argues that only 1 in 100 colonists have slaves at all, and these are located near the waterways and coast.  The American calls the slaves tricky and conniving.  He counters the Scot's argument on slavery saying that the coal miners in are in just as bad a lot as the slaves in .  Page 652 offers a good definition of what Franklin believes is a slave. Guided reading questions:  Based upon your prior knowledge of slavery, is this more of a work of fact or fiction?  What arguments does Franklin use to defend the institution of slavery?  What are some things he mentions about slave life?  What is his definition of a slave? 

To wrap up the lesson and documents, students will take a brief look at some of the poetry and writings of Phillis Wheatley, a slave woman of the Revolutionary era.  Her book was titled Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773).  Her picture was placed on the front of her book by request of the Countess of Huntington, England to whom the book was dedicated.  This was a usual practice of the time to gain more notoriety for a publication(Through Women's Eyes, p.106). 

Divide the class into four groups and distribute a poem or letter written by Phillis Wheatly to each group.  The four documents selected for use are Document 9, a letter to Arbour Tanner; Document 10, a letter to Rev. Samson Occom; Document 11, a poem entitled "On Being Brought from Africa to America," and Document 12, a poem, "To the Right Honorable William, Earl of Dartmouth, His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for North America, & C."  Allow students time to read the documents and then to present the materials to the class as they choose.  After presentations, ask the questions: What do these selections of Wheatley's poems and letters reveal about the importance and role of religion in her life?  What are the grounds for her criticism of slavery?  How might opponents of slavery have used her poetry to criticize the institution?

Sources: Debate on the Constitution, part one.  New York:  Library of America, 1993.  Dubois, Ellen Carol and Dumenil, Lynn eds.  Through Women’s Eyes: An American History with Documents.  Boston:  Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005.  Franklin.  New York:  Library of America, 1987. Mark Twain.  New York: Library of America. 1992.      PBS website—Slavery and the Making of America.  http://www.pbs.org/ PBS Video:  Africans in , “Revolution”.  WGBH, Boston, 1998. http://www.teachingamericanhistory.com/ website The American Revolution.  New York:  Library of America, 2001. Washington.  New York:  Library of America, 1997.  Suggestions for further reading: The first four selections are pulled directly from The South in the History of the Nation: Volume one—Through Reconstruction,  Link, William A. and Wheeler, Marjorie Spruill eds.  Boston:  Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999.  They are as follows: Alden, John Richard.  The South in the Revolution, 1763-1789.  Baton Rouge: LSU Press, 1975. Crow, Jeffrey, and Larry E. Tise, eds.  The Southern Experience in the American Revolution.  Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1978. Franklin: writings—LOA An address to the Public from the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, and the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in bondage, November 9th, 1789, pp. 1154-1156 Franklin: writings—LOA Plan for improving the Condition of the Free Blacks, 1789, p 1156 Franklin: writings—LOA Sidi Mehemet Ibrahim on the Slave Trade, March 23, 1790, pp. 1157-1161 Foner, Philip S.  Blacks in the American Revolution. Westport, Conn.:  Greenwood Press, 1976. Frey, Sylvia.  Water from the Rock: Black Resistance in a Revolutionary Age.  Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991. OTHER SUGGESTED READINGS INCLUDE: Fishel, Leslie H., Jr. and Quarles Benjamin eds.  The Negro American: A Documentary History.  Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman, and Company, 1967.  Contains many additional  primary documents and readings on slavery during the Revolution and Constitutional era that may interest students who want to delve further into the topic. 


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