Examine the objects below to infer what types of work African slaves were forced to do.
What are the objects made out of?
Who might use the object?
Who might make the object?
What is the object used for?
What job would this object create for a slave?
When finished inquiring about the object slideshow,
visit the following link to compare a white person's and slave person's uses for the objects Slavery in New York Gallery 3
Work
Slaves in New York did not work on plantations, but they did have work. They took care of strenuous household chores like getting the firewood, the water, getting food, cleaning the house, washing clothes, and removing the wastes. Some slaves became skilled craftsmen and artisans. Slaves built many of the buildings of New Amsterdam and early New York. They built Fort Amsterdam and the protection wall that later became Wall Street. They built the roads and docks. They built the first city hall, the first Dutch and English churches, Fraunces Tavern, the city prison, and the city hospital.
How heavy would this feel empty? How heavy would it feel full of water? for 10 steps? for 100 feet? for a half mile? Slaves had to carry water for great distances that caused physical damage to their bodies.
Look at the follwing buildings and imagine how the work got completed. How long did it take? How many people were needed? What did the work feel like?
Fraunces Tavern
Shiloh Presbyterian Church
Around 1801 workers laid 25 miles of log water pipes to create the city's first water system.
Tontine Coffee House, 1792.
Review the following links to determine the extreme work slaves were required to do and the impact it had on their lives. The work actually broke backs, caused arthritis and rickets. Lack of nutrition also caused anemia and increased susceptibility to infection. Life expectancy of a slave was 37 years. However, 40% of the 20,000 graves discovered were children. How did the work impact these young lives?
Examine the objects below to infer what types of work African slaves were forced to do.
What are the objects made out of?Who might use the object?
Who might make the object?
What is the object used for?
What job would this object create for a slave?
View PowerPoint slideshow to see objects.
When finished inquiring about the object slideshow,
visit the following link to compare a white person's and slave person's uses for the objects Slavery in New York Gallery 3
Work
Slaves in New York did not work on plantations, but they did have work. They took care of strenuous household chores like getting the firewood, the water, getting food, cleaning the house, washing clothes, and removing the wastes. Some slaves became skilled craftsmen and artisans. Slaves built many of the buildings of New Amsterdam and early New York. They built Fort Amsterdam and the protection wall that later became Wall Street. They built the roads and docks. They built the first city hall, the first Dutch and English churches, Fraunces Tavern, the city prison, and the city hospital.How heavy would this feel empty? How heavy would it feel full of water? for 10 steps? for 100 feet? for a half mile? Slaves had to carry water for great distances that caused physical damage to their bodies.
Look at the follwing buildings and imagine how the work got completed. How long did it take? How many people were needed? What did the work feel like?
Fraunces Tavern
Around 1801 workers laid 25 miles of log water pipes to create the city's first water system.
Tontine Coffee House, 1792.
Review the following links to determine the extreme work slaves were required to do and the impact it had on their lives. The work actually broke backs, caused arthritis and rickets. Lack of nutrition also caused anemia and increased susceptibility to infection. Life expectancy of a slave was 37 years. However, 40% of the 20,000 graves discovered were children. How did the work impact these young lives?
African Burial Ground
National Parks Conservation Association
African Burial Brochure Oct. 2003
Mapping the African American Past