Using the Project in Your Classroom Project Overview Slavery has existed since the earliest civilizations, and still persists in parts of the world. Students today have difficulty understanding the many ways in which slavery permeated the fabric of society, but without this understanding, they cannot appreciate the Herculean effort it took to abolish the institution. This project introduces students to the broad scope of slavery throughout history, from Biblical times to recent decades. It also helps students discover how pervasive slavery was in many American institutions, including business, religion, government, and home life. In this overview of slavery around the world and through history, students will discover how common an institution it has been since the dawn of civilization.
Students can explore many manifestations of slavery, ranging from ancient Greece to modern Asia.
This section focuses on the life of a single remarkable man, Olaudah Equiano. Born free in West Africa, he was captured and enslaved at age 11. He experienced slavery in Africa, in the Caribbean and American colonies, and as a slave sailor to a British Naval officer, before he purchased his freedom and became a famous abolitionist speaker and author. Students will learn Equiano's story through his own words, by reading excerpts from his autobiography. This interactive section draws students into a slave auction in antebellum Virginia and lets them explore the ways in which slavery permeated American society and its institutions.