Ms. Judith Dixon
Expository writing is taught at the fifth grade level.
• Reasons are fully elaborated with specific details.
• The papers show strong organization strategy, a progression of ideas and transitions.
• The writing is fluent.
District Social Studies Standards - Grade 5
Content Standard 1.0 Diversity
Discuss the influence of migration and immigration of people into New Haven and Connecticut.
Content Standard 4.0 Economics
Explain how slavery influenced life in the colonies.
Content Standard 5.0 History
Demonstrate an understanding of major industrialization, migration, sub-urbanization and racial tension.
Historical Background American Revolution
In 1775, the colonists and Great Britain continued to have differences. The African Americans held great interest in the outcome of the dilemma. Many were enslaved and deeply desired personal freedom. The colonists wanted to break ties with Great Britain permanently. On April 19, 1775, the American Revolution began in Massachusetts.
An African American named Peter Salem fought as a minuteman. He was a free man and allowed to fight. Along with him were Pomp Blackmon, Isaiah Bayoman and Cato Wood. The battles of Lexington and Concord were won. African Americans were in the thick of the Battle of Bunker Hill. An official Continental Army was formed under the leadership of George Washington.
Peter Salem and other African Americans fought in this army. Each colony was different. Some barred them from enlisting in the army. Eventually this changed. The British began to accept African Americans into their army. The colonists weren't happy with this, and the ban was lifted from the Continental Army. The war lasted for eight years.
Many contributions were made by both African American men and women. After the war, thousands left the U.S., and went with the British. Though others contributed to the war, many African Americans had to return to their plantations. The southern plantations owners strongly controlled the state governments, therefore slavery remained intact. The large plantations had a very lucrative business.
There was a man named Thomas Peters, who fought on the side of the British. After the war, he held the British accountable to the promises of freedom made to him and others. The British officials agreed after almost ten years. However, Thomas Peters had a new idea. He knew there was freedom in Africa. In 1792, approximately fifteen ships sailed from Canada to Sierra Leone, West Africa. There were eleven hundred people on board. They built a settlement called Freetown. Today, it is the capitol of Sierra Leone. For many though, the struggle would continue for the next one hundred plus years.
As a result of the war, many anti-slavery groups were formulated. Two gentlemen, Richard Allen and Absalom Jones, formed the first organized group in Philadelphia
