Yasmine+Pendergrass

=Name:= My name is Ayanna Smith and Master Smith is my owner. I am thirteen years old. I work in the rice fields on the coasts of South Carolina. I have been smuggled in by Master Smith's workers from Senegal where I was seperated from my family. The conditions on this plantation are dreadful. The overseer beats us for fun, we barely get enough food to survive, and Master Smith takes most of the food from our gardens. I have been working hard to be promoted to a house slave. I hate this slave life, but I am afraid to run away.

=A page from the journal of Ayanna Smith= = =

Entry Number 1:
Dear Journal, There is a freed slave, Harriet Tubman, that helps free other slaves. She is a very famous conductor on the Underground Railroad. Harriet has already freed hundreds of slaves but she works mainly in Maryland. She has made many trips from 1849 to 1859. Furthermore, in the Civil War, she served as a scout, nurse, and a spy. We slaves can tell she is coming by her calling song "Go Down, Moses." I am very proud that a slave woman can be strong, courageous, and wise enough to lead a group to freedom. I wish that Harriet would come to South Carolina and free me from this hard rice plantation life. Who am I kidding? I would never even dream of running away because of my fear of being caught. From the stories I have heard, she kills people who try to run back to their plantation. I wish I could outsmart those plantation owners like she does. They think that just because we call her Moses, she is a man. That's one of the reasons she's unstoppable.

Harriet Tubman. Retrieved from __http://www.answers.com/Underground%20Railroad__ on April 6,2009.

Entry Number 2:
Dear Journal, Angelina Grimke is from South Carolina and tried to help with the antislavery cause by writing a book. Like any other person that tries to help us slaves, she was threatened and moved out of the state. She and her sister are abolitionist leaders and Quakers. Angelina continued to work and speak out for slaves. Although she became ill after her marriage, she continues to strive to help free slaves. I was furious when I found that she was moved because of her book. I hope there are more people like Angelina and her sister to help end slavery. The Quakers are the most helpful in this crisis. They assist by working on the underground railroad, becoming abolitionist,etc... I'm also thankful for the people who risk their well-being to help the cause. Its that selflessness that gives me hope when I am working hard everyday in the plantation. Angelina Grimke. Retrieved from __http://www.answers.com/Angelina%20Grimke__ on April 7,2009.

Entry Number 3:
Dear Journal, There is a way for slaves to run away and become free. Slaves are being led to the Underground Railroad. It is a system that helps fugitive slaves get to their destination safe and well-kept. Also, various people assists slaves by offering their homes, time, and money. The Underground Railroad leads to many places or areas in which slaves are considered to be free. It is very organized and precise, so that fugitives are somewhat safe. I think the Underground Railroad is a clever way to help slaves become free. I applaud the people who are brave and wise enough to conduct the getaway, hose who actually runaway, and others who help in anyway possible. I wouldn't have the courage to make it even half the route these people have gone. I wonder how it feels to know that your owner was somewhere close by with dogs, ready to beat you to death? The conductors of the Underground Railroad would have to be ingenious to know where the stops are, how to get to freedom, and knowing they would be hanged if caught. Underground Railroad. Retrieved from __http:www.answers.com/Underground%20Railroad__ on April 7, 2009.

1. How does one's understanding of slavery affect his understanding of the people and events of the 1850s and 1860s?
One's understanding of slavery highly impacts his/her understanding of the people and events during the 1850's and 1860's. It provides reasoning for the behavior of people such as abolishinists. One can see also see the purpose of remarkable events such as the use of the Underground Railroad and other events towards freedom.

2. Why would slavery ever be condoned in the United States?
Slavery was condoned because planters needed workers that would work for free to grow a staple crop and make the planter money. That money kept the United States thriving; therefore, it was condoned.

3. Was the Civil War the only means to end slavery in the United States?
Yes, the Civil War was the only way to end slavery in the Unites States. The years of protesting and trying to abolish slavery were helpful; however, that did not put an end to slavery. The Civil War was the only way that slavery could really be stopped with acts and laws put into practice.

4. What are some of the long-term effects of slavery that are linked to the people and events of the past?
Some of the long-term effects of slavery are racial discrimination between races that were invoved in slavery.