DUE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009 BY 2:35 PM
Lesson: How to Read a Primary Source
Good reading is about asking questions of your sources. Keep the following in mind when reading primary sources. Even if you believe you can't arrive at the answers, imagining possible answers will aid your comprehension. Reading primary sources requires that you use your historical imagination. This process is all about your willingness and ability to ask questions of the material, imagine possible answers, and explain your reasoning.
As a historian, you will want to ask:
What can I know of the past based on this material?
How can I be sure about it?
How do I know these things?
Now that you have read the Virginia Laws, write a brief comment about what you think about this source. Keep in mind the following questions:
1) What does it tell you about Virginia society and how people from Virginia viewed slaves?
2) How does this fit into the "big picture" of southern society?
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43 comments:
The primary source tells how to the slave owners thought of the slaves as inferior or even tainted.
I agree with you Ivan!!
I agree with you Ivan.
As the time went on it seemed liked the laws got more strict as well as the punishment.
The Virginia Laws for the Blacks were very harsh and unfair.
The primary source talks about how slaves were treated with harsh conditions and how it got worse with time. Slaves were punished very bad if they refused to work or resist to their masters. It was just wrong how the whites treated another race so bad. We are equal and thats how we should be treated.
I found the reading interesting. I do believe that the Virginia laws were very strict, but i think it could have gona more into detail. As strict as they were, I feel like those laws were considered "normal" for that time and by that, I was not suprised.
The slaves were looked down at and they were treated very bad. They had to obey everything their master said and they had to do anything their master told them. They did not have freedom of speech and they did not have the rights to resist from anything they did NOT want to do.
Slaves in southern society were seen as pets/propertys and not as human beings. A slave played a big role in the southern producing what the southern colonies needed which were labor workers,but socially, they were inferiors to there owners. They had no rights, had no dignity, if they did, they would be serverely punished with 20-30 lashes.
i agree with Lidyia, she got straight to the point of how the slave owners treated their slaves which was bad.
jennifer's comment was also good, i do beleive that the worksheet should of had a s bit more information and maybe a bit more readable, since the old lanuguage was kind of hard to realize. I also do like the rule against fornication with the slaves. it helps the slaves somewhat
The primary source illustrates Virginia's prejudice views toward slaves and how Virginians truly believed that because African Americans "weren't like them", that they should be treated unequally and without any respect. The primary source goes on to explain how slaves had no rights, and if they ever disrespected or tried defending themselves from their masters, how they would be punished accordingly.
I agree with Jennifer and Alex; they primary source should have included more information.
What I thought about the Virginia laws:
I think the Virginia Laws had unfair rulings against the African slaves. When we look at society today, we see how different things are, including the way we treat African Americans today. The Constition grants every person rights.
Africans didn't have the rights we have back then. They lived the life of a slave, treated like animals or property, just like Alex said, and had no respect what so ever towards them. The Virginia Laws were strict towards the slaves and thought of them as inferior beings.
I don't think Virginia has the proper fit into the "big picture" becuase of the inhuman way Virginia treated the slaves. If any colony wants to fir into the "big picture," laws should be fair, but we won't see the idea of equality for a while.
Jennifer has a point too. The primary source should of contained more information and details.
I agree with Jennifer,Alex.Brandon,& Jess. i also think the primary sources could have contained more information.
It was also difficult for me to understnad some of the old terms they used.
The Primary source talks about how slaves in the south were seen as property instead of people and not as human beings. They only provided work & were given very little, if anything in return.
I agree with Ivan & Jess because like ivan said, slaves were seen as inferiors & Jess said that "VirginiaVirginia has the proper fit into the 'big picture'" because of the way they treated slaves.
The Virginia Law talks about slaves were treated if they disobeyed thir master's or Chirstians. Also, if the Christians offend they slaves, instead been lashed they pay double of what was fund against them. If the slaves or negros offends the Christians, they get lashed 20-30 on their bare back. I don't think that was fare because they were supposed to be treated equally.
I agree with every student that gave their comments. By giving their thoughts on how bad the slaves were treated if they offend their master's.
my thoughts on the Virginia Laws for the Black are that i thought they treated the slaves very bad and strict. This reading was very interesting.
The primary source talks about the limits put on slaves in the later 1600's to early 1700's. Slaves weren't treated as people, they were looked at as animals, sometimes worse than that. Africans were disrespected to the fullest. If slaves were to rebel and break the rules, they were lashed very badly. Over all slaves were so discriminated on that the laws should have been against the slave owners.
Angel your comment was very interesting. I really like how you said that we are all equal and that how we should be treated. Good Pont.
I agree with Brandon he really showed the "true colors" of slavery. He didn't sugar coat anything, he told us how it really was. Good job!
The virginia Laws were harsh towards black slaves.
The virginia laws were harsh towards black slaves.
The virginia laws were harsh towards black slaves .
I agree with ivan.
I disagree with alex.
I agree with Jessica about "the big picture" they had to make their laws fair which they did not.
the primary sourse talks about the basic laws between the slaves and the slaves masters. The slaves didn't like the rules and thought the rules were not needed.
Well I think the Virgina law was harsh to black people. They didn't care, treated them like animal, couldn't put themselves into their shoes!!! They had harsh laws saying that African Amercians couldn't vote, were low class, and couldn't own weapon. This law gives specific orders that the white mastees and slaves had to obey. I think the Law was unfair, and has impacted us in a big way. Bacause of the careless minds we have racism, sexims. It's not fair!!!
Well I think the Virgina law was harsh to black people. They didn't care, treated them like animal, couldn't put themselves into their shoes!!! They had harsh laws saying that African Amercians couldn't vote, were low class, and couldn't own weapon. This law gives specific orders that the white mastees and slaves had to obey. I think the Law was unfair, and has impacted us in a big way. Bacause of the careless minds we have racism, sexims. It's not fair!!!
I agree with Ximean, the black slaves werne't seen as human beings, were descriminated, had no respect for their helping hand.
I also agree with Barndon slaves had no rights, and freedom of speech. It's as if they "White" people only neede them for their hard work. The slaves had no need of their voices, and minds.. I think this was a waste.
I agree with Ximena, the black slaves werne't seen as human beings, were descriminated, had no respect for their helping hand.
February 25, 2009 9:55 AM
The primary source on Virgina Laws were a couple of things. Fortification with a black man or woman has to pay double the fines from the former act. Slaves were looked down upon and treated very harshly. If slaves refuse to work against their masters you'd get lashed and whooped. They could also be killed for punishment.
In this primary source slaves are treated very badly. People have no respect for slaves, and because of that slaves don’t have any rights or opinions on how to be treated. This fits to southern society because the same thing is happening there with salves and all the mistreating that they are getting.
I agree with Ashley salves were treated very badly and it wasn’t fair for all those people to suffer.
I agree with Andres because people where mostly slaves were treated very bad and where considered on worthy.
I agree with Shirley because slaves were treated like animals because if other people were being treated that bad the wouldn’t of done some many bad thing to the slaves.
I agree with Shirley because slaves were treated like animals because if other people were being treated that bad the wouldn’t of done some many bad thing to the slaves.
i think they had really bad life. in my opinon, they even do not have their own life either. they have to live like a human, however, they could not have it. i also agree with lydia.
in my opinion, they even do not get a life at that life. i know that is not a good. they had to get a life like a human, however they could not. that is not good. i also agree with lydia.
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