Student Resources:

• Resisting Enslavement Graphic Organizer 
• Origins of Slavery, Resisting Enslavement Primary Source Set 

Teacher Resources:

• Origins of Slavery, Resistance to Slavery Slide Deck  

Engage 

• ​​Display the word ‘Justice’ and ask students the following questions:​ 
  • When you hear or read the word ‘justice,’ what comes to mind?  
  •  How would you define justice in your own words?​​ 
•  If we define ‘justice’ as the upholding of what is fair and right, or respecting the rights and dignity of all:  
  • Who is responsible for ensuring justice in a community? Individuals, leaders, laws? 
  • What does it mean to act justly in everyday life?​ How can people recognize when something is unjust?​ 
  • What are some ways individuals or societies can challenge injustice?​​ 
• Have students share and discuss their answers.  
  • Tell students: “In this lesson, you will look at slavery as it existed in the colony of Virginia, before the United States was a country. As you read the primary sources, think about the definition of justice and how it relates to the people we read about today.” 

Explore 

• Lead students through the background information (slides 3-6) on the   
• Distribute the  and review slides 7-11 with students.  
• As a class, complete primary source 2 (slides 12-15) helping students with the context, vocabulary, and reading of the source before answering the comprehension questions as a class. Model completion of the graphic organizer for source 2 with students, allowing them to copy what you record from the class discussion on their own organizer.  
• ​​​For primary sources 3-4, choose the way that works best for your class, as a whole group, a small group, or individually.  
• On the primary source document, there is a vocabulary and notes column, here students will see important words defined and space to record any notes they have while reading. This can be used to reword in any way the teacher would prefer.  

Assess & Reflect

• Once all the sources have been read, comprehension questions answered, and the graphic organizers are complete, instruct students to answer the questions on slide 22 of the slide deck.  
• How did the laws regarding enslavement in Virginia demonstrate injustice, or diminish another’s rights and dignity? 
• ​​What are two different ways of resisting enslavement? ​ 
  • If students need help with this question, ask them to compare how Matthew and Jude, Frank, and Walton resisted differently.​​ 

Extend (Optional)

• If you would like to cover more ways of resisting the institution of slavery, slide 23 provides a more extensive list.