We began with a writing loop:
1) List the last 5 things you purchased/bought
2) List a few things that you'd like to buy
3) What does it mean to own something?
4) What does it mean when something is labeled as your property? Is that different or does it imply something other than ownership?
5) What are first thoughts that come to mind when you hear the word slavery? After first thoughts-extend to connect or link back to responses about ownership and property?
6) What did the Constitution (the law) say about property and slavery?
We then began our look at slavery as an institution, using a variety of sources to try to describe it. After looking at each of the following sources, we responded in our notebooks using any of the following methods: personal response, point of view response, poem, image, letter to someone in the clip...
Sources
Images of Slavery
Slave Ship Scene from Amistad (warning: graphic-we only watched about the first 4:30 minutes)
Slave Auction Scene from Roots
The Civil War: All Night Forever
Slave narratives (22:50-25:58 and 44:35-46:20)-didn't finish this today, will finish tomorrow.
HOMEWORK DUE TOMORROW:
First read the background information on the Annexation of Texas and then the background information on the Mexican War. Then read Howard Zinn's history of the Mexican War, "We Take Nothing By Conquest, Thank God" carefully. When finished, respond in your notebook by identifying the arguments both in favor and against the war with Mexico. In your response, include your opinion on whether or not you think the war was justified and also consider how and why slavery might be a factor.
Also, make sure that you have Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau for class tomorrow (it was one of the small, $2 books that you should have purchased already).
