Slavery is a system, in which a person or a group of people is seen as a living possession1. Enslaved2 people were forced to work according to their 'owner's' instructions or else they were punished cruelly3. They had no human rights.
1lebender Besitz, 2versklavt, 3grausam bestraft
In the USA, slavery began in 1619 when 20 enslaved Africans were forcefully4 brought into Virginia. During the 18th century, more than 7 million Africans were taken into slavery. Many died during the horrific journeys on the ships5 from Africa or because of the cruel working conditions6.
4gewaltsam, 5grauenhafte Schiffsreisen, 6unmenschliche Arbeitsbedingungen
A lot of enslaved people tried to fight back or run away. It took more than 240 years and a Civil War until slavery legally ended when the 13th Amendment7 to the US Constitution8 was passed9 in 1865.
7Zusatzartikel, 8Verfassung der USA, 9verabschiedet (Gesetz)
- How do you feel when you look at the pictures?
- What comes to your mind when you read that enslaved people had no human rights? What are human rights?
- Who enslaved the African people? Why?
- Look at the first picture again. What could the enslaved people bring with them?
