American Crossroads: Teaching History on the Great Plains

Developed by Jason Boe, New York Mills, Minnesota

Concept /Topic To Teach:

· Washington’s motivation to free his slaves upon his death

Standards/objectives addressed:

Minnesota Academic Standards

The student will understand how European exploration and colonization resulted in cultural and ecological interactions among previously unconnected peoples.

The student will understand the economic development of the English colonies in North America and the exploitation of enslaved Africans.

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes, course, and consequences of the American Revolution.

National Council for Social Studies

 II. Time, Continuity, and Change

a. Students will systematically employ processes of critical historical inquiry to reconstruct and reinterpret the past, such as using a variety of sources and checking their credibility, validating and weighing evidence for claims, and searching for causality.

V. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions

a. Students will apply concepts such as role, status, and social class in describing the connections and interactions of individuals, groups, and institutions in society.

b. Students will analyze group and institutional influences on people, events, and elements of culture in both historical and contemporary settings.

General Goal(s):

ü The student will better understand Washington’s background with slavery and the reasons why he decided to free his slaves. 

 

Required Materials:

· Scanned hand-out of pages 3 thru 6 from the text: An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America

·  Power point presentation George Washington and His Slaves. See below for ppt slides.

· Will worksheet and copies of slave owners’ wills which can be found at: http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/teaching/vclassroom/slavewillswkst.html

· Copy of George Washington’s last will and testament or which can be found at: http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/milestones/free_slaves_read.html

· Scanned article, “How George Washington treated his slaves?” from the May 2001 New African magazine and the accompanying worksheet

Anticipatory Set (Lead-In):

1.  Ask students the following question: “Have you ever had a troubling dream—not really a nightmare—but a dream that deeply affected you the next day because what occurred during the dream was disturbing or what you took its meaning as upset you?  Explain.”

2. Lead an open discussion of the topic.  Allow students to share if they wish.  Draw them in as you seemlessly transition into the fact that George Washington had a dream shortly before his death that troubled him and shortly after he rewrote his will and made a very AMAZING REQUEST!

3.  Plan for the anticipatory set to take 10 minutes.

Step-By-Step Procedures:

1.  Read pages 3 thru 6 from the text: An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America. The section is from the introductory chapter of the book which is titled The General’s Dream.  The reading vividly recounts the troubled dream Washington shortly had before his death. In the wake of the dream, he re-writes his will in which he makes it clear that he wants all of his slaves freed upon his death.

2. Show the power point presentation George Washington and His Slaves.  Info for presentation was found at the following web site:  http://www.mountvernon.org/learn/meet_george/index.cfm/ss/101/

3. After reading pose the following questions on the board for students:

a. Why would a man who owned slaves most of his adult life, who never took a public stand against slavery, and who worked his slaves just as hard as any other Virginian farmer specifically demand that all of his slaves be freed upon his death?!  Why did George Washington do this? Why would any slave owner do this?

4.  Give students time to think about the above question.  They may speculate on possible answers, but make it clear to them that this is a question they should look at throughout the activity.  Why did slave owners—most namely George Washington—free his slaves?  Let’s look at some other slave owner’s first?    

5.   Pass out the student worksheet that can be found at: http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/teaching/vclassroom/slavewillswkst.html .  This student worksheet is an internet investigation regarding the wills of various slave owners and how they handled their slaves upon their death. Links can be found on the worksheet.  Decide on the best way of setting this activity for your class is (computer lab? groups? print-outs?, etc.).  You may choose to have students read one will instead of all four, assigning each will to part of the class.  It may speed up the class time and provide better dialogue.

6.   When students are done?  Go over worksheet with the class.  You may ask other follow-up questions, such as:

a.    Did anything in the wills change the way you thought about slavery?

b.   Besides the issue of slavery, did you learn anything else about the United States.

7.   Now hand out a copy of George Washington’s last will and testament or show student’s the following site: http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/milestones/free_slaves_read.html.  Students need not read the entire will only the section relating to his slaves.  Have them add George Washington to their worksheet (wills worksheet).  Answer the same questions regarding George Washington’s will as they did with the previous four wills.  Discuss when completed.

a.    Ask follow-up questions where it is appropriate.

b.   Make note that George Washington not only freed his slaves, he also established a fund to provide financial support to the former slaves in their old age!

Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set):

8. Now pass out the article, “How George Washington treated his slaves?” from the May 2001 New African magazine and the accompanying worksheet with questions relating to the article.  Article will discuss Washington’s feelings about slavery in detail and give some reasons on why he freed his slaves after his death. It is a wonderful way to end the lesson.  Add follow-up questions where need be.

Assessment Based On Objectives:

ü Assessment will be based on student’s work on the “Will” worksheet and the “How George Washington treated his slaves?” worksheet.  As well, an instructor should assess how well the student participates in class discussion.

Adaptations (For Students With Learning Disabilities):

ü All questions on worksheets can be modified and/or simplified.  Readings can be condensed. 

Extensions (For Gifted Students):

ü Write a one-act play that takes place in the slave quarters of one of Washington’s slaves shortly after everyone has found out about the death of Washington. Have the slaves discuss what they think might happen to them.  It is up to the student on whether or not their characters are aware of Washington’s wishes that were laid out in his will.

ü Research one of Washington’s slaves and create a mini-documentary of the slave using Windows MovieMaker.  A bibliography with annotations is a must.