“Although we teach them that slavery happened, we fail to provide the detail or historical context they need to make sense of its origin, evolution, demise and legacy” (10).
Within this unit, students will address some of the shortcomings listed above. They will start by being introduced to the history of slavery of people of African descent in the United States, starting with its origin in 1619. Students will then explore the evolution of slavery sparked by Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676 and the system’s connections to the growth of racism and white supremacy. This will include learning about many justifications for slavery by studying the history of racist ideas from 1415 to the mid-1700s. Lastly, students will investigate the connection between slavery and systemic racism in the United States today and they ways that people are taking a stand against it. The goals of this unit are to:
- Understand the origins and evolution of slavery in America, including the many justifications.
- Examine the connection between slavery in America and the growth of racism and white supremacy.
- Examine the connections between slavery and systemic racism in the United States today.
- Investigate approaches to dismantle systemic racism in the United States today.
Unit Essential Questions:
- To what extent does learning about the origins, evolution and legacies of slavery and racism help you to understand your world today?
- How can you be an agent of change to combat legacies of slavery and racism?
Unit Guiding Questions:
- What did the beginning of slavery look like in America regarding the possibilities for enslaved people?
- How and why did the laws regarding slavery in America evolve over time?
- How and why did Bacon’s Rebellion change the laws regarding slavery in America and add to the creation of white supremacy?
- How were racist ideas used to justify the enslavement of Africans in America?
- What are legacies of slavery and racism in America?
- What does resistance to legacies of slavery and racism in America look like today?