Do Now...
Why is it hard to make a choice?
Why is the opportunity to make a choice
important to you?
The Enslaved in Colonial
America
Humanizing Individuals
The Mount Vernon Experience
Adapted from Scholar Presentation at Mt. Vernon MO/KY Residential Program
Essential and Topical Questions
Students will consider…
● To what extent did enslaved people have the ability to
choose?
● Why is choice important?
TQ: What did enslaved people do to help themselves?
TQ: What is the difference between “slave” and
“enslaved”...why does it matter?
TQ: How did the American Revolution influence the enslaved
and those who enslaved them?
Knowledge and Skills
Students will know…
● the choices available to enslaved
people
● the obstacles associated with
each choice
● difference between slave and
enslaved
Students will be skilled at…
● Interpreting primary sources
● Identifying pros and cons
● Working in collaborative groups
● Sharing their thinking with a
group
● Making a decision
Slave or Enslaved
Slave: someone who is legally owned
by another person and is forced to
work for that person without pay
Words Matter
Enslaved: to make (someone) a slave
Slave...what ONE word
comes to mind…
Other words....
How do the words impact
your thinking…
Turn and Talk...Be Prepared to Share
An Enslaved Person - George Washington’s Mt. Vernon
Read your person card
Based on the previous list of words - what words apply (or
might apply) to your enslaved person?
CHOICES
CHOICES...CHOICES...CHOICES
Runaway
The Military
Passive Resistance
Petition
Rebellion
CHOICES
CHOICES...CHOICES...CHOICES
Individually - Read a primary
source document
associated with one of the
choices
Team - Create a poster to
present to the class that
has the following
information
■ Summary
■ Pros of the Choice
■ Cons of the Choice
■ Picture - Illustrating
the choice
Creating your presentation...
1. Summary
2. Pros and Cons
3. Non-visual representation of the choice
CHOICES
CHOICES...CHOICES...CHOICES
Listen to each choice
Take notes
Be prepared to make a choice
Make a Choice
Enslaved Person on Your Card
What would you choose to do and why?
Select one of the choices you did not make and explain why it was
not the best choice for you.
- Stand Behind Your Chair When You Are Ready-
Stand in the Place
Where You Are
TAKE A STAND
If you were an enslaved person at
George Washington's Mt. Vernon
during the Revolutionary Period What choice would you make
Move to your choice -
Choice
What did you choose?
Introduce Your Enslaved
Person
Your Choice and Why
One You Didn’t Choose and
Why
Choices
What decision did your enslaved person make...for real?
Essential and Topical Questions
Students will consider…
● To what extent did enslaved people have the ability to
choose?
● Why is choice important?
TQ: What did enslaved people do to help themselves?
TQ: What is the difference between “slave” and
“enslaved”...why does it matter?
TQ: How did the American Revolution influence the enslaved
and those who enslaved them?
Inner Outer Circle
Letter Off - A and B
As Form Outer Circle
Bs Form Inner Circle (Face an A)
Introduce Yourself
Wait for the Prompt from the Teacher
Essential and Topical Questions
Students will consider…
● To what extent did enslaved people have the ability to
choose?
● Why is choice important?
TQ: What did enslaved people do to help themselves?
TQ: What is the difference between “slave” and
“enslaved”...why does it matter?
TQ: How did the American Revolution influence the enslaved
and those who enslaved them?
1 + 1 and 2
Write Name on Note Card
1 - One question you have about slavery in colonial
America.
1 - One question you have about George
Washington and slavery.
2 - Two things you learned today.
George Washington’s Mt. Vernon
Teacher Institutes at George Washington’s Mt. Vernon
Application Deadline
January 31, 2017
APPLY NOW