EDSS 513 - History of Slavery in America: 1600s-1800s (3)

Slavery is inexorably entwined with the history of American economics, politics, culture, and race relations. For students to fully understand America in the past and today, they must grapple with the institution and practices of slavery, how and why Americans brought slaves to the colonies, the hardships of slavery, and the key people and events involved in fighting-and perpetuating-slavery. 

In this course, you will examine the history of slavery from the early 17th century to the brink of the Civil War. You’ll review the early slave trade, the inequities and horrors of slavery, and slaves’ and abolitionists’ struggles to end American slavery. In addition, you’ll learn techniques for teaching students about the experiences of slaves in Africa, on plantations, and during resistance and escape, as well as how slavery influenced American culture, politics, and economic structures. Finally, you’ll gain concrete and actionable instructional strategies to help students grasp the experience and suffering of slaves, understand the rationalizations of proslavery Whites, and trace how slavery finally came to an end.

Using the resources and methods from this course, you will be able to engage your students in this difficult topic in American history with sensitivity and objectivity.