Center for Technology and Teacher Education - Social Studies Module: Death and Dying

What Happened to Slaves When Their Owners Died?

Materials Needed:

Historical Background

Slaves were legally defined as property: slaves could be bought, sold, rented, and bequeathed in wills. Occasionally, slaveowners 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.

Center for Technology and Teacher Education, University of Virginia,

This module created by Alice Carter of the University of Virginia..