? starter activity

1
? starter activity
Slaves waiting for the auction to begin. Imagine
you are one of the people waiting at auction.
List the thoughts that are going through your
mind.
2
What were conditions like on the plantations?
? Aims

• To study sources in order gain a detailed picture
  of living working conditions for slaves

3
How were slaves prepared for auction?

• Washed with water
• Rubbed with oil
• Gunpowder, hot tar or rust rubbed into wounds
• Teeth inspected
• Brutal remedies, e.g. for diarrhoea
• Two methods of sale auction scramble

What does this C19th poster tell us about the way
slaves were treated by plantation owners?
4
What sort of lives did they lead?

• Branded on face, chest or back
• 3-4 year-olds work in trash gangs (weeding)
• 9-12 year-olds work in fields with adults
• Elderly worked as domestic servants
• No legal rights forbidden to read, write, marry
  own property
• Flogging other punishments

How would you feel if you were branded with one
of these irons?
5
Punishments

• Rebellions rebels nailed to ground, fire
  applied starting at the feet and moving upwards
• Running away neck ring or iron muzzle
• Continued running away removal of hand or foot
• Flogging one lash for each year of slaves life

How old do you think this slave was? Average life
expectancy was 26. Why do you think it was so low?
6
Working day

• 530 go straight to field. Work until 8.00am.
  Latecomers whipped
• 800 Stop work for breakfast boiled yam okra
  seasoned with salt pepper
• 830 - Continue work
• 1200 pm Rest lunch salted meat or pickled
  fish
• 200pm Start work again
• 600pm Return to huts
• Night time During harvest, work in mill or
  boilings houses through night

7
? Your task

• Read through the sources and look for evidence
  of the following
• Types of jobs
• Health of slaves
• Methods of control

8
? Writing task

• Write a third entry in your diary describing life
  on the plantations. Use evidence from the sources
  and the video clip and any other knowledge you
  have to provide as much detail as you can.

9
?Extension task

• Look back at your notes on the transatlantic
  voyage to the West Indies from West Africa. Were
  the conditions slaves lived and worked under in
  places like Jamaica better or worse than those
  they faced on board the merchants ships?