October 16, 2018

Today we started a more in-depth exploration of the nature and role of slavery in the United States prior to the Civil War.  We started with some historical data which we analyzed and from which we drew some inferences.  We also discussed how proponents of slavery used some of the information reflected in that data in their defenses of the institution.  We next moved on to a document intensive exercise, using some antebellum slave narratives to help us put the data into historical perspective. 

We will finish up our discussions on what these two sets of information tell us about the nature of American slavery tomorrow before diving into an examination of the political connections to slavery.  Make sure you have finished your Chapter 14 notes and that you have completed the HAPP analysis over the Frederick Douglass reading posted under Period 5 as they will both be topics of discussion tomorrow!

​H