VirtualExhibit

= __A Fight for Freedom?__  =


 * ~A virtual Museum exhibit by Nathan, John, Kyler, and Bradley~**

__Introduction__
During the late 1700's, the United States was fighting for its freedom from the British. They wanted to be free to govern themselves and control their own lives. However, although many people don't realize it, slaves existed during this time period. While the rebels were fighting for their own freedom, slaves were fighting for their freedom too.

__A Slave's life in Colonial America__
The average slave in New York was a house slave. Never needing to go out and work, because most slave owners didn't have plantations in New York. Most slaves were born and raised inside the owners house, where they were taught cooking, sweeping and other house chores. Many slaves of British Loyalists were persuaded into working for the American Rebels with promises of freedom, by eavesdropping on their owners conversations and going through their personal belongings. The average slave could not go outside onto the streets without a pass or without a accompanying house servant.

Slaves often lived in small huts like this or they lived in the basement of the house they worked in.

Many of the slaves came through the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. This map shows the routes that the ships took. • Visit this interactive map of a common house that a slave would work in [|HERE]. Once you click on this link, click on the Melrose Interactive Slavery Environment link. When it loads, click on Jump to Interactive Map on the bottom of the window. • Visit the slavery compendium to learn more about slave life HERE.

__A Slave's duties in Colonial America__
A House Slave's duties in New York was taking care of possible children of the owner's, house duties, and shopping. Some slaves work outside by churning butter, taking animals that they have bought at market, slaughtering them and cooking them for their owners. Some slaves had to work in the kitchen where they would cook for their masters.

Some slaves were forced to attend church with there masters. One example of such churches is pictured here.

__Slave Punishments in Colonial America__
During Colonial times a common punishment for slaves was to brand them. Also, slaves would be beaten, whipped, flagged, or injured in other ways. Usually these punishments would be able to be viewed publicly so the slave would not be temped to rebel again.

This slave is being branded. In Chains, Isabel was branded with the letter "I".

__Justifications for Slavery__
Slavery has been around in the United States since Jamestown. If you were brought up in a certain belief, wouldn't you believe it? Wouldn't you believe that it is morally just? Many Americans believed this, and this eventually tore the nation in two with the Civil War. Many people also thought that slaves were not people but rather "property." Believing this, they felt it was right to treat them like property and not like people.

• Visit the slavery compendium to learn more about the justification of slavery HERE.

__Slaves and the Army__
Please watch this video to learn about slaves and the army.

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• Visit this interactive online activity to learn more about the ways slaves could get to freedom [|HERE]. After you click on this link, click on the Roads to Freedom image on the left side of the site.======

media type="custom" key="3079192" Here is the Chains game made by Bradley S.


 * If you can't see the game, go to:

http://www.planetbravo.com/games/ccn/bradley.htm