Students brainstorm what the word slavery means to them. Then they learn about the role of slavery in the economy of the American colonies. Next they explain the triangular trade system of the Transatlantic slave trade. Finally, they write a brief diary entry from the point of view of a young slave.
Students read an introduction describing the transatlantic slave trade and its role in creating wealth for European colonizers, view an image of a slave market, and respond to a word cloud prompt by completing the sentence “When I hear the word slavery, I think of…” with a word or short phrase.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson objectives and use student word cloud responses to gauge prior knowledge about historic slavery, optionally connecting to contemporary issues such as modern slavery or civil rights movements through guided discussion.
Students examine an image of captive African women and read explanatory text about how African people were kidnapped, sold, and transported across the Atlantic as forced labor. They study a map of the transatlantic slave trade and read about how all thirteen British colonies depended on slavery in different ways, then answer two multiple-choice questions about where most enslaved Africans in mainland North America lived and which economic activity most increased the demand for slave labor.
Teacher MovesGuide students in observing and interpreting the image of captive women, explaining how African leaders sometimes sold prisoners from rival groups to European traders. Clarify key points from the text and map, and summarize how the African slave trade developed and how regional colonial economies—especially plantation agriculture in the Southern Colonies—shaped the demand for enslaved labor.
Students view a map of the triangular slave trade and read an explanation of how goods and enslaved people moved among Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Using the map and text, they post a written explanation on a class wall describing the three parts of the triangular trading system and the roles of plantation owners, African kings and merchants, and European traders.
Teacher MovesSupport students in interpreting the triangular trade map and connecting each leg of the trade to specific groups’ roles. Highlight and share strong student responses, using them to reinforce how each leg of the trade supported the others in a continuous system.
Students read about the harsh conditions of enslaved life in the American colonies, including hard labor, mistreatment, and family separation, and may consult the article Slavery for additional detail. They then imagine themselves as a twelve-year-old enslaved person and write a short diary entry describing an event or their thoughts, followed by reading classmates’ entries and responding to at least two with a question or positive comment.
Teacher MovesEmphasize that the goal is to understand slavery from the perspective of enslaved people and to write respectfully and thoughtfully. Monitor student posts and responses, guiding discussion to deepen empathy and historical understanding while maintaining a sensitive, supportive classroom environment.
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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