Slavery and Realism

Introduction

In March of 1841, Solomon Northup was seeking employment when he was contacted by two men. The  men promised him a good salary if he would accompany their minstrel show and play his violin. It would be 12 years before Solomon would see his family and home again. He was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Louisiana.

This webquest helps you understand the real Solomon Northup, the time that he lived in, and other slaves of the same period. It also helps you understand slavery in America.

Task

Your job is to research the evidence of Solomon Northup life.

  • You will read documents and other information that detail the life of Northup.
  • Then you will create a presentation about realism and the slave narratives that accompanied the time period.
  • You will study information about:
    • Harriet Jacobs
    • Frederick Douglass
    • Solomon Northup
    • Sojourner Truth

Begin here with Solomon Northup:

  • Find him and his family living in Saratoga, NY
  • Find Platt on the manifest of the Orleans.
  • See if you can figure out which slave Solomon is on Epps plantation.

Click the link and begin. Take notes and then watch the videos and take notes:

https://education.blogs.archives.gov/2013/11/05/twelve-years-a-slave/

Click on this link to read more about Solomon and Edwin Epps:

http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/12-years-a-slave.php

 

 

See the diary of the Soldier who found Epp"s Plantation:

http://huntingtonblogs.org/2014/03/where-solomon-northup-was-a-slave/

Edwin Epps Home is preserved on the campus of LSU Alexandria:

https://www.lsua.edu/about/campus/location/epps-house

Searching for Patsey:

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/03/patsey-12-years-a-slave

Process

Process: Using these resources, you will:

  • Research the lives of the four people below.
  • Create a documentary, prezi, or a multimedia presentation.
  • Present that presentation to the class.

 

You are welcome to use other resources to support the ones that I have provided.

 

Links to Resources

Background Information

Frederick Douglass

Harriet Jacobs

Solomon Northup

Sojourner Truth

 

Tenets/Ideas of Realism 

(You will choose at least three quotes--sentences or parts of your person's story--that relate to Tenets of Realism)

 

Sample Slides

 

Group One

Douglass

Jacobs

Northup

Truth

Chapters I-II

Pages 11-24

Chapters I and II

Pages 13-23

 

Group Two

Douglass

Jacobs

Northup

Truth

Chapters III-IV

Pages 25-57

Chapter III-IV

Pages 24-36

 

Group Three

Douglass

Jacobs

Northup

Truth

Chapter V

Pages 58-81

Chapters V-VI

Pages 37-45

 

Group Four

Douglass

Jacobs

Northup

Truth

Chapter VI

Pages 82-104

Chapters VII-VIII

Pages 46-58

 

Group Five

Douglass

Jacobs

Northup

Truth

Chapter VII

Pages 105-130

Chapters IX-X

Pages 59-78

 

Group Six

Douglass

Jacobs

Northup

Truth

Chapter VIII

Pages 145-166

Chapters XI-XII

Pages 79-95

 

Group Seven

Douglass

Jacobs

Northup

Truth

Chapter IX

Pages 173-192

Chapter XIX-XX

Pages 96-108

 

Group Eight

Douglass

Jacobs

Northup

Truth

Chapter XI

Pages 237-253

Chapter XXII

Pages 109-125

 

Introduction

Task

Process

Resources

Evaluation

Conclusion

Evaluation

EVALUATION

Group Score

Components

Exceptional

Strong

Approaching

Needs Development

Missing

Prepared

__/10 * 1 =

Presentation is ready to go when assigned with no last minute adjustments, slides flow together smoothly.

Presentation is ready to go when assigned, slides fit together.

Presentation is one day late or slides seem a bit disconnected.

Presentation is more than a day late or is disjointed.

No presentation.

Compare/Contrast

___10 * 1 =

Presentation finds interesting and insightful similarities and differences between the four subjects and explains why they are notable.  All subjects are equally represented.

Presentation finds interesting similarities and differences between the four subjects.  All subjects are equally represented.

Presentation finds similarities and differences between the four subjects.  All subjects are represented, but not evenly.

Presentation lacks clearly identified similarities and differences or it focuses on a few subjects.

 

Works Cited

__/10 * 1 =

Presentation includes one or more slides that lists all websites used for information and graphics.

 

Presentation includes a slide that lists some websites used for information and graphics.

 

No Works Cited slide.

Total

____/30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Individual Score

Components

Exceptional

Strong

Approaching

Needs Development

Missing

Summary

__/10 * 3 =

Slides effectively summarize the essential events that occur in your section of the narrative, giving the audience a clear sense of Douglass and his life.

Slides summarize important  events that occur in your section of the narrative, giving the audience a sense of Douglass and his life.

Slides list some events that occur in your section of the narrative, giving the audience a limited sense of Douglass and his life.

Slides do not effectively summarize the important events of your section (either too few or too many).

No summary slides

Quotes/

Tenets

__/10 * 3 =

Slides include at least three quotes from the narrative and clear, insightful explanations of how the quotes each reflect a tenet of Realism.

Slides include at least three quotes from the narrative and clear explanations of how the quotes each reflect a tenet of Realism.

Slides include quotes from the narrative and but link to tenets of Realism is not strong.

Slides include one quote and explanation or quotes without clear links to the tenet of Realism.

Quotes/ explanation missing.

Layout

__/10 * 1 =

Slides are easy to read with clear layout and strong choice of color and graphics.

Slides are easy to read with effective colors and graphics.

Slides are easy to read but graphics are missing or graphics are present but slides are not easy to read.

Slides are hard to read or have a confusing layout.

Slides are just plain black text on white.

Conventions

__/10 * 1 =

Practically perfect.

A few errors that do not distract.

Several errors that somewhat distract.

Many errors that are distracting.

No text.

Total

____/100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

Write an essay where you compare the lives of:

Solomon Northup

Sojourner Truth

Frederick Douglass

Harriet Jacobs

Or:

Write an essay arguing whether America still suffers from the affects of slavery. Click on the Rubric to see how your essay will be graded.

https://www.westada.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=6899&dataid=148045&FileName=Informative%20Common%20Core%20Rubrics_Gr11-12.pdf