American Crossroads: Teaching History on the Great Plains

Concept /Topic To Teach:

·      The history and significance of Williamsburg

·      Slave purchases and trading

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):

·      Could Washington’s motivation to free his slaves upon his death be a result of the slave trading practices he witnessed in Williamsburg?

Required Materials:

·      Colonial Williamsburg reading – The History of Williamsburg which can be found at the following website: http://www.history.org/Foundation/cwhistory.cfm

·      Map of Colonial America – http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/british_colonies_1763-76.jpg

·      Tour of Colonial Williamsburg found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2NEr6Y5Ugk

·      Scanned hand-out of pages 178 thru 188 from the text: An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America

·      The Impact of Williamsburg on George Washington Student Worksheet

·      Staged Slave Auction Spark Debate on Slavery and Racism article from Jet magazine – October, 1994. 

Anticipatory Set (Lead-In):

1.    Ask students the following question: “How many of you know what the capitol of Virginia was during colonial times?”  It is doubtful many will know.  Tell them Colonial Williamsburg was the center of colonial America at the beginning where significant Virginians met routinely to discuss important colonial matters—including George Washington.   Plan for the anticipatory set to take 5 minutes.

Step-By-Step Procedures:

2.   Display map of colonial America and point out Colonial Williamsburg to students then pass out the Colonial Williamsburg Reading and read with students the history surrounding Colonial Williamsburg.

3.   View Tour of Williamsburg Video.  Video is a short clip narrated by actors from the PBS show Felicity: An American Girl Adventure which is based on the lives of young girls growing up in colonial Virginia.  Discuss where and when appropriate.  

4.    Now begin discussion with students on Washington’s relationship with Williamsburg.  State that he often visited Williamsburg and that he was a high ranking official in the government of Colonial Williamsburg.  Afterwards, show the students the book An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America.  Tell students that author Henry Wiencek has an interesting theory on how a trip to Williamsburg may have changed Washington’s attitude towards the institution of slavery. 

5.   Pass out scanned hand-outs of pages 178 thru 188 from the text: An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America and read with students.  You may need to stop and explain certain points and vocabulary from time-to-time.  Discuss where and when appropriate. 

6.   Pass out The Impact of Williamsburg on George Washington Student Worksheet.  Give students time to work on questions. 

Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set):

7.   Discuss answers to worksheet—noting the last questions/answers in particle:

a.    Could Washington’s motivation to free his slaves upon his death be a result of the slave trading practices he witnessed in Williamsburg?

b.   Should the re-enactment have taken place?  Why or why not? 

Assessment Based On Objectives:

Assessment will be based on student’s work on the The Impact of Williamsburg on George Washington Student Worksheet.  As well, an instructor should assess how well the student participates in class discussion.

Adaptations (For Students With Learning Disabilities):

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

Extensions (For Gifted Students):

Have students do further research on Colonial Williamsburg.

Have students do further research on other possible motivations that may have influenced Washington into freeing his slaves upon his death and his changing attitude towards slavery.  This research may include but is not limited to: West Ford, blacks fighting in the Revolutionary War, Ona Judge, Marquis De Lafayette, Edward Rushton, Julian Niemcewicz, and John Laurens. 

 

 Web Resource: The history of Colonial Williamsburg

Worksheet 1

Name: _________________________

The Impact of Williamsburg on George Washington Worksheet

 

Directions: Answer the following questions in your own words and in complete sentences after reading pages 178 to 188 from Henry Wiencek’s book, An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America.

1. What were some of the possible prizes that could be won in the lottery that is immediately mentioned in the reading?

2. According to the author, who was one of the “managers” of the lottery?  Why did this individual have to serve as a manager? 

3. Describe how the drawings took place. 

4. What sort of pattern did the author discover on how the slave families were broken up?

5. What was the Exchange?

6. Look at the announcement on the bottom of page 183.  Why does the author say that behind this advertisement lay a story of monstrous horror?

7. Why was the reenactment of the estate auction only done once at Colonial Williamsburg?

8. According to the author, what was the first sign that Washington was having a change of heart regarding slavery?

9. Who was John Ashby? 

10. How did the sale of Lucy go (during the reenactment)?  

11. What evidence does the author provide at the end of the reading that helps prove the theory that Washington was dramatically influenced by the slave auctions he witnessed at Williamsburg?

 

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS:

 

12. Read the article Staged Slave Auction Sparks Debate on Slavery and Racism from the 1994 article written by Clarence Waldron and published in Jet magazine.  After reading the various opinions on the staged slave auction answer the following question:

      Should this re-enactment have taken place?  Why or why not? 

 

13. In your opinion, would the fact that Washington was able to witness first-hand slave auctions and the separation of families be enough to change Washington’s attitude towards slavery?  Explain.