A Teacher's Guide to American Tapestry by Rachel L. Swarns Amy Jurskis

Author:Rachel L. Swarns, Amy Jurskis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-03-07T16:00:00+00:00

SOUTH CAROLINA GOLD

* * *

CCSS.ELA-Literacy. RI.11-12.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy. RI.11-12.2

CCSS.ELA-Literacy. RH.11-12.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy. RH.11-12.2

1. Explain what the cash crop in South Carolina was and how cultivation of this crop is linked to Africa. What were living and working conditions like for agricultural slaves in South Carolina?

2. Why are there even fewer written records of slaves from large plantations in South Carolina than there are from smaller farms in Georgia?

3. The records that do exist suggest that one of Michelle Obama’s paternal forebears, Caesar Cohen, may have been connected to a prominent Jewish family. Explain the possible connection.

4. Why do you think that marriages between slaves were not recognized as legal unions? In spite of this, describe Tira and Caesar’s wedding and marriage. Why do you think her peers described Tira as “a lawful wife”?

5. What detail about Tira and Caesar’s family suggests that Tira had a meaningful relationship with her white mistress?

6. What is Gullah? Why would the fact that Michelle Obama’s great-great-grandfather, Jim Robinson, spoke Gullah be a clue to his descendants that he grew up on a South Carolina rice plantation?

7. During the 2008 presidential campaign, researcher Toni Carrier found evidence that suggested that Jim Robinson had belonged to a man named Francis Withers. Explain the evidence that led to this possible conclusion. What has more detailed evidence revealed about Jim Robinson’s probable owner?

8. Explain the connection between William Nesmith and Jim Robinson. How did their relationship impact their sons? How do you think Nesmith and Robinson managed to form this sort of connection in spite of the circumstances?

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.