In this experience, students learn about the transatlantic slave trade and the experiences of enslaved Africans during the Middle Passage and in the colonies. They explore how slavery shaped colonial life and how enslaved people endured, contributed, and preserved culture under oppressive conditions.
Students read an introduction to the transatlantic slave trade, the Middle Passage, and enslavement in the colonies, including key vocabulary and the lesson objectives. They examine an image of enslaved Africans working on a plantation and then respond on a discussion wall to the prompt: “Why is it important to learn about the lives and experiences of enslaved peoples in the colonies?” using complete sentences.
Teacher MovesPreview the experience by summarizing the lesson overview, reviewing key vocabulary, and explicitly stating the objectives. Establish norms for a respectful, empathetic classroom environment given the sensitive nature of slavery and human exploitation. Connect this lesson to prior learning about cash crops and colonial economies. Encourage thoughtful responses to the opening question, emphasizing the importance of studying the perspectives and lived experiences of enslaved Africans.
Students build background on the nature of chattel slavery and the transatlantic slave trade by reading Understanding Chattel Slavery and watching The Atlantic Slave Trade: What Too Few Textbooks Told You. They use evidence from these resources to respond on a discussion wall about how chattel slavery and the transatlantic slave trade differed from earlier forms of slavery in Africa. Next, students read about the Middle Passage and then answer two discussion wall prompts explaining how the Middle Passage illustrates the characteristics of chattel slavery and how the conditions on the voyage reflected the economic goals of the transatlantic slave trade.
Teacher MovesClarify that not all historical systems of slavery were the same, guiding students to distinguish African forms of enslavement from racialized, hereditary chattel slavery under European colonization. Review the discussion questions aloud, pre-teach or clarify key vocabulary (such as chattel, hereditary, dehumanization), and model academic sentence frames as needed. During discussion of the Middle Passage, emphasize that enslaved people were treated as cargo and packed into ships to maximize profit, and facilitate respectful, evidence-based conversation about the brutality and economic motives of the system.
Students read Enslavement in the Colonies to learn about the lives of enslaved Africans after arrival in the colonies, including their living conditions, labor, and cultural practices. Using a graphic organizer, they record details from the text about living conditions, colonial contributions, and cultural preservation. Then, on a discussion wall, they answer a prompt explaining how the experience of enslavement during the Middle Passage continued in the lives of enslaved Africans in the colonies.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the focus on life in the colonies and the role of enslaved Africans in shaping colonial economies and societies. Encourage students to draw evidence from both the text and its embedded primary source images when completing the organizer. Afterward, review each section of the organizer as a class, highlighting key takeaways about harsh conditions, economic contributions, and cultural preservation. Lead a brief discussion connecting the Middle Passage to ongoing enslavement on land, emphasizing continuity in treatment, lack of freedom, and systems of ownership, while also underscoring resilience, resistance, and cultural survival.
Students deepen their understanding of the Middle Passage by reading Excerpt from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, focusing on his first moments aboard a slave ship. They contribute words and phrases that stood out to them to a word cloud, then respond on a discussion wall explaining how Equiano’s personal experience reveals the physical and emotional impact of the Middle Passage, using textual evidence. Next, students closely examine a historical image of enslaved Africans packed into the cargo hold of a slave ship and answer two discussion wall prompts: one about how the image helps them better understand Equiano’s experience, and another about how firsthand accounts and visual images together deepen understanding of enslaved Africans’ experiences during the Middle Passage.
Teacher MovesSupport students in reading and interpreting Equiano’s primary source by reading sections aloud, paraphrasing complex language, and modeling how to unpack difficult vocabulary and sentence structures. Review the word cloud as a class, inviting students to explain why particular words or phrases are powerful, and highlight responses that effectively use textual evidence. Introduce basic sourcing questions (such as why Equiano’s account is valuable and how different types of evidence contribute to understanding). When students analyze the image, guide them to connect specific visual details to Equiano’s description and model how combining written and visual primary sources can build a fuller picture of historical experiences.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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