Topic: Slavery in Arkansas Workshop

Grade Level: 8

Duration: 1-2 days

Frameworks: 1.13 2.1.9 2.1.11 3.1.15

Objective: Students will be able to understand the viewpoints of runaway slaves and the slaveowners.

Materials: Negro Slavery in Arkansas by Orville W. Taylor

Study questions

Drawing paper

Directions: Read the accounts of runaway slaves as described in published reward announcements (pp.225-228) and discuss the following questions. Elect a discussion leader and a secretary to record the remarks. A mulatto was a person of mixed black and white blood.

Runaway
1. What skills did Peter possess?
2. What might "rude politeness" be?
3. How much would Mr.Ward give if Peter is taken outside of Arkansas?
4. Although Peter was about 40 years old, why do you suppose he was called "boy Peter"?
5. List the phrase which seems to indicate Mr. Ward is a humane master?

$200 Reward

1. What fate does Mr. Bayliss seem to want for the thief who stole Edmond?
2. Why might Edmond pass himself off as a white man?
3. List the sentence which seems to show Mr. Bayliss' whimsical side?

$150 Reward

1. Which judgement of Mr. Woodruff about his slave Moses is not flattering?
2. What does Mr. Woodruff assume about Moses' location?
3. What will Woodruff pay if Moses is taken in Little Rock?

Fifty Dollars Reward
1. Why are Peter and Barnaby probably inadequately described?

20 Dollars Reward
1. Where does Mr. Vance assume Jinny is hiding?

$150 Reward WAS STOLEN
1. Why was Joe's English so broken?

General Questions:
1. Which two escaped slaves were said to drink alcohol?
2. Which two escaped slaves were possibly stolen?
3. Which slaves were described by their laughter?
4. Name the slaves whose teeth were used to describe them?
5. Based on these few accounts, were males or females more likely to run?
6. Who wore earrings?
7. Why might a description of teeth be a better way to identify an escaped slave than weight?
8. Which owner was more angry toward his escaped slave?
9. Which owner's account was least useful in tracking down the runaways?
10. Who was the only mulatto escapee?

Activity One: using stick figures, organize the runaway slaves according to height(where possible) shortest to tallest.

Activity Two: using the stick figures again, organize the escaped slaves according to their chances of actually remaining at large(least to greatest chance). Give reasons for your listings.

Activity Three: Name ten modern ways an escapee could be tracked and caught.

By Marcus Woodward