White Southerners' Defense of Slavery
About | K-12 Objectives | Materials Needed | Procedures | Assessment | Standards
Materials Needed:
Historical Background
Slaves were legally defined as property: slaves could be bought, sold, rented, and bequeathed in wills. Occasionally, slave owners freed their slaves in their wills. George Washington not only freed his slaves, he also established a fund to provide financial support to the former slaves in their old age. In contrast, Thomas Jefferson's slaves were sold shortly after he died in order to provide money to pay off some of Jefferson's outstanding debts.