Robert Smalls

Which of the following is a main idea of the story "Freedom of Death"?

• Hundreds of thousands of soldiers died in the Civil War

• Robert Smalls became a good businessman

• Robert Smalls freed himself and other slaves

• Piloting a ship is challenging, but Robert Smalls did it

Why did the harbor guards watch "in astonishment" as the Planter headed out to sea?

• The ship headed out to sea every day

• The ship was heading towards enemy ships

• Robert had taken off his hat

• The ship was moving extremely slowly

Why didn't Robert's mother want to try to escape?

• Trying to escape was dangerous

• No slave had ever managed to escape

• Without her, the McKees would starve

• Mrs. McKee was her best friend

Which line from the story supports the fact that trying to escape slavery was too dangerous?

• "He was a piece of property..."

• "...for every slave that managed to escape, hundreds more died or were captured..."

• "Slaves could not legally marry..."

• "Except they weren't slaves anymore."

You can infer that Robert's feelings toward Mr. and Mrs. McKee were ________________________.

• affectionate; the McKees were kind people

• bitter; he couldn't like slaveholders

• fearful; the McKees often whipped him

• grateful; the McKees gave him his freedom

Which sentence from the story supports the fact that Robert Smalls felt affection for the McKees?

• "But Robert's mother made sure that her son understood what it meant to be a slave."

• "With those shots, the Civel War began."

• To Robert, this was intolerable."

• "He took care of his former owner until she died."

Which of the following convinced Robert that he had to escape to the North?

• In the Civil War, Robert was forced to fight against ending slavery.

• His wife, Hannah, came up with a plan to try to free the family.

• The captain of the Planter whipped him

• He wanted to start a business in the North

Which of the following did Robert NOT do after the Civil War?

• run a business

• serve in the U.S. Congress

• take care of Mrs. McKee

• open a restaurant

Which piece of text evidence best shows the courage of Robert Smalls?

• "Robert was leading a mission of extraordinary daring. Within moments, he and his family would be free -- or they would be dead."

• "Robert and several other black crew members were forced to fight against the U.S. government, against President Lincoln, and against those who wanted to end slavery."

• "Robert worked constantly, eventually landing a job on the Planter..."

• "He longed for freedom for himself and his family..."

Which of the following shows Robert's concern about African-Americans after the Civil War?

• "To Robert, this was intolerable. He longed for freedom for himself and his family."

• "Even as a respected businessman, Robert faced many hardships."

• "'All they need,' he famously said, 'is an equal chance in the battle of life.'"

• "He'd heard about slaves who'd made the terrifying journey, hiding in forests and caves, dodging slave catchers and bloodhounds."