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Lesson Plan
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Slaves and Indentured Servants

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In theory, at least, indentured servitude and slavery were two different practices in the American colonies. Class groups conduct a close reading of two primary source documents, one written by a slave and one by an indentured servant,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing SLaves and Servants in Colonial New York

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Young historians compare and contrast differences in the laws that regulated the activities of slaves and servants. They review and analyze a series of primary source documents to explain the social constructs related to slaves and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Runaway Indentured Servants

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students compare and contrast indentured servants and slaves. In this US history slavery instructional activity, students discuss the owners' perceptions of indentured servants and slaves, then view ads for runaway slaves to support...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Comparison of Indentured Servants and Slaves

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders examine and compare the lives of slaves and indentured servants using primary sources and the historical fiction books, "Molly Bannaky and Barefoot." They analyze and compare advertisements for runaway slaves. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Early Colonial Labor Force: Indentured Servants and Slaves

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students study the labor force used during Colonial America. In this Colonial America lesson, students discuss labor types used in the colonies. Students read about indentured servants and the use of African slaves. Students use the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparison of Owners' Perceptions of Runaway Indentured Servants and Slaves

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders compare and contrast servants and slaves in a journal entry. They examine ads which describe indentured servants accompanied by escaped slaves. They draw conclusions as to owners' perceptions and present their conclusions.
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Department of Archives and History

Alabama Slave Codes in 1833: What They Can Teach Us About Slaves Themselves

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
After viewing a short PowerPoint about Nat Turner's rebellion, class groups examine Alabama's 1833 slave codes. Individuals then develop a mini-legal brief arguing against one particular slave law.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Daily Life in Virginia

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore colonization in North America.  In this United States history activity, students view a PowerPoint presentation about indentured servants and slave labor, then construct a related Venn diagram. Students answer questions...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Africans Became Slaves for the Colonists

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students complete a t-chart identifying the advantages and disadvantages of having indentured servants. In groups, they research the use of serfs and slaves in various cultures and share their responses. To end the lesson, they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What makes a Southern Colony a Southern Colony

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders answer questions put to them by the teacher that are intended to help them understand the different lives of slaves and indentured servants in colonial times. They make a list of Aristocrats and Farmers from their text...
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PPT
Curated OER

Life in the Colonies

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What was life like for the early colonists? Read along with an informational presentation, rich in text. Colonial slavery, slave culuture, colonial religion, and the Great Awakening are all described in full. Tip: The resource could be...
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Lesson Plan
Library of Virginia

Antebellum Freedom

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
From indentured servitude to involuntary race-based servitude, slavery has taken many forms in American history. Class members examine three manumission petitions that reveal how the rights of African Americans and African American...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Did Delawareans Use Slaves?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars read about an indentured servant, and complete a chart comparing slaves and indentured servants.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eighteenth-Century Slave Codes

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars explore slavery by reviewing the written laws intended to keep African Americans subservient. In this U.S. slavery lesson, students analyze a time-line of the history of African Americans. Young scholars discuss the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Terrible Transformation: Freedom Denied

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students learn about the legal foundations for slavery and explore autobiographical writings of slaves. Students trace the development of laws that enforced the slave status of Africans and their descendants.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Labor Needs in Colonial America

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the labor needs in colonial America. Using primary and secondary resources, they explore the major events and life in the United States during colonial times. They complete a chart listing the pros and cons of a slave...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Slavery in the United States

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students investigate the personal accounts of slaves in the United States. They participate in various activities according to grade level to examine the role of slavery in the South.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Virginia History Mini Quiz: Tobacco and Slavery

For Students 8th - 9th
In this history of Virginia worksheet, students complete a quiz over the tobacco and slave industry that existed in the Virginia colony. Their objective is to illustrate the facts they know about cash crops, tobacco plantations, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fight for Freedom

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners research examples of slavery in the world today, and explore some ways they can help current slaves gain their freedom. After students develop a plan for helping to fight slavery, they take action.
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Worksheet
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K12 Reader

Import/Export

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
The reading passage here uses the example of the American colonies to introduce imports and exports. After reading the text, class members respond to five questions, which require pupils to find facts in the text and form opinions about...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Would Hannah Think?

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students read excepts from various government documents on the issue of slavery in America. Using the internet, they research a topic related to slavery of interest to them and present to the class their findings. They examine the life...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Carlyle House and Gadsby Tavern

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders tour the Carlyle House and Gadsby Tavern while working on worksheets covering both places. They are to write an essay and thank you notes to finish the lesson.
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PPT
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Curated OER

Baseball Challenge: 5th Grade Social Studies

For Teachers 5th
Quickly review facts relating to U.S. History in a Baseball Challenge presentation. The information relates to branches of government, the Vietnam War, WWII, and other key events.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kensington Mansion: Plantation, Sharecroppers, Tenants

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders investigate the significance of the Kensington Mansion. In this South Carolina history lesson plan, 11th graders take field trips to the mansion and research primary and secondary sources about plantations,...