Overview of New Economic Systems

Open Ended

Is it possible for people to build strong communities even when they’re denied freedom?

Fill in the Blanks

A system where people or groups are ranked one above the other based on status or authority is called a

.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the term 'plantation' as used in the context of slavery in the Americas?

• A large estate or farm where crops are grown, often using forced or enslaved labor.

• A small family-owned farm worked by paid laborers.

• A government-owned land used for military purposes.

• A communal living area for free people.

Multiple Choice

The Underground Railroad was a secret network of routes and safe houses. People who participated in this network would often harbor individuals escaping enslavement.

Based on this context, what was the primary risk for someone who chose to harbor a freedom seeker?

• a) They might have to pay for the freedom seeker's food and transportation.

• b) They were breaking the law and could face severe legal penalties.

• c) They would have to travel long distances to find the next safe house.

• d) They were expected to join the freedom seeker on their journey north.

Multiple Choice

A historian is analyzing the social structure of a Southern colony in the 1700s. They note a rigid hierarchy with wealthy plantation owners at the top, followed by small farmers, then indentured servants, and enslaved people at the bottom with no rights.

How did this social hierarchy directly support and perpetuate the existence of the plantation system?

• a) The hierarchy ensured that everyone had an equal opportunity to own land.

• b) The hierarchy was frequently challenged, leading to constant reforms in the plantation system.

• c) The hierarchy encouraged those at the bottom to work harder so they could move up in status.

• d) The hierarchy created a class of people with the political power to make laws that protected the plantation system and a labor force with no power to resist it.

Open Ended

After reading the first paragraph:

"What is the main idea we just read? What number should everyone have circled or highlighted as a key piece of evidence?"

Open Ended

After the section on the Caribbean:

"How does the evidence about the British Caribbean—750,000 enslaved despite 2 million+ imported—prove that sugar plantations were especially brutal? Underline the phrase that shows this

Open Ended

The system of slavery was built on both economics (the need for a cheap labor force) and ideology (the beliefs used to justify it). Based on the two characteristics presented, which factor—economics or ideology—do you think was the more powerful engine for maintaining the system of slavery for centuries? Defend your position with specific evidence from the presentations.

Open Ended

The two characteristics, "People as Property" and "Racial Hierarchy," did not work in isolation. Create a simple cause-and-effect statement that shows how one characteristic reinforced the other, making the overall system of slavery stronger and more difficult to challenge.