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Slave Economy Black History and Blacks in U.S. History

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Slave Economy
Print Slave Economy Reading Comprehension


Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 7 to 8
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	7.07

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		labor-intensive, callous, chattel, boon, brutality, servitude, bearable, misery, strife, emancipation, destruction, heavily, shores, continuation, eighteenth, indifferent
	content words:		United States

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Slave Economy By Mary L. Bushong

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¹     Slavery has been a fact of life throughout history, and no race has been left untouched by its shackles. When the colonies were first being settled, labor was hard to come by, and it was procured any way possible. For some, it was through indentured servitude. For others, it was through slavery.
 
²     In the early years of the United States, many people came over the ocean as indentured servants. They could not afford the money for passage on their own. Instead they would sign a contract agreeing to work a certain number of years for the one who could pay. The term of servitude usually lasted 3-7 years. While many white people came over with that arrangement, several blacks did as well. A few of the first Africans who were sold on those shores were given similar contracts. While they might be treated like slaves, it was bearable because it was for a short time. However, it was not long before all the new black arrivals were designated as slaves for life. As that changed, slavery spread to all the colonies.
 
³     The Northern states did not become so heavily dependent on slavery. The rolling, sometimes rough ground did not lend itself to large plantations. It was useful for industrialization. Hills and rivers often provided the location and power for machines to produce goods. This led to a reduced need for slave labor. As the need was reduced, so was the tolerance for slavery.

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Black History and Blacks in U.S. History

Black History and Blacks in U.S. History

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A Nation Divided
(1840-1861)

A Nation Divided (1840-1861)

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United States

United States

American Government         Black History and Blacks in U.S. History         Children in History         Government Careers         Hispanic Heritage         How Can I Help?

Immigration         National Parks and Monuments         Native Americans         Presidents of the United States         Women's History

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United States History

A Nation Divided (1840-1861)         A New Nation (1776-1830)         After the Civil War (1865-1870)         American Revolution         Cold War (1947-1991)         Colonial America (1492-1776)         Lewis and Clark (1804-1806)         Pearl Harbor         Spanish American War (1898)         The 1890's         The 1900's         The 1910's         The 1920's         The 1930's

The 1940's         The 1950's         The 1960's         The 1970's         The 1980's         The 1990's         The 2000's         The Civil War (1861-1865)         The Great Depression (1929-1945)         The United States Grows (1865-1900)         The War of 1812         Wild, Wild West         World War I (1914-1918)         World War II

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50 States

Fifty States Theme Unit

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Document Based Activities

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