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You can’t help thinking about these questions. Some of these were
submitted by other Wisconsin students. What do YOU think….let’s
talk about it.
- Not all slave owners
were cruel. Some treated slaves kindly. If a slave owner gave the slaves
good food, a good place to live, and didn’t beat them or make
them work too hard was that o.k.? Why or why not?
-
Why were only Black people slaves?
- Did
slave catchers ever pretend to be part of the underground railroad in
order to trick people running away from slavery? How would a fugitive
slave know who to trust and who not to trust?
- People
tell us that everyone decides what’s right or wrong for them.
We’re not supposed to judge or to label what people do as right
or wrong. Does that mean that owning slaves was right for the people
who thought it was right and wrong just for the people who thought slavery
was wrong?
- Historians
know that slavery has existed in almost every place at some time. Why
do you think that has happened? Why do people make other people slaves?
-
Read “More Thoughts about Slavery.” (Click on “In
Their Own Words” and scroll down to “More Thoughts…”)
These people actually said slavery was a good thing for them and their
families! Why might someone think this? How might freedom be more difficult
than slavery for some people?
-
Around the world, many people like to trace their families back hundreds
of years. People love to find out if they had famous ancestors. There
are even clubs for people whose ancestors came on the first 'pilgrim"
ships from England. Because of slavery, finding the history of their
families is very, very difficult for African-Americans . Why do you
think this is true? What other ways can you think that slavery hurt
black families?
-
Sometimes people involved on the underground railroad were arrested,
made to pay fines, sent to jail, or even beaten or killed because they
helped fugitive slaves. The people they helped were almost always strangers.
Why do you think workers on the underground railroad took risks to help
people they didn’t even know?
-
Today, some people are slaves in the African country of Sudan. The American
government hasn’t done anything to stop it. Some people say it
isn’t our business what goes on in a different country. Other
people think America can’t stop what happens so far away. What
do you think? Could American people help stop slavery in Sudan? How?
- When
your grandparents were kids, many black and white children attended
separate schools. “White” schools had better buildings,
more special classes, libraries, and opportunities. The U.S. government
forced all states to integrate* schools so African American and white
children could learn together and have equal opportunities. Some people
hoped that, by going to school together, kids would become friends.
They hoped friendship would help stop racism. In order to integrate
schools, some neighborhoods were split up. Black children rode busses
to schools in the “white” neighborhoods – sometimes
miles away. White children left the schools near their houses and rode
busses to the schools in neighborhoods where mostly African American
people lived. Today, some people wonder if this has been a good idea.
Some African American parents want their children to go to school in
the neighborhoods where they live. What do YOU think? Has “bussing”
children to far away schools helped stop racism? Has it made education
more equal for everyone?
*integrate:
white and black children attending school together
For any remarks, suggestions, or broken links:
Please email us at: historyalive@epdmail.engr.wisc.edu
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