Life before the Constitution
Kanya Hudson
Life as a Southern Planter
My name is Julie A, I live in Virginia and i work as a tobacco planter. My family owns about 30 black slaves and i am quite wealthy. My wealth,however,depends on my slaves. Slaves do all the work. They plant, harvest, dry, pack, and load the tobacco to get it off fore sale. I did not know where i would get people to do the work if I had no slaves. From time to time a slave would run away.
Enslaved African American
Hey my name is Sam, Everyone in my family is Enslaved and lives on a tobacco plantation in Virginia. The year is 1787. Eleven years ago the Declaration of Independence stated that "all men are created equal." And yet because my skin is black and i were born a slave i am still remain a slave. Obviously, the American Revolution didn't mean freedom for everyone.
Enslaved African American
Enslave African American
Enslave African American
Farmer
My name is Joe, I am part of a farming family with a small amount of land in western Massachusetts. I grow only enough to feed myself with a little left over to sell in town. I am badly in debt because my crops failed last year and I had to borrow money to buy food and a new plow. i am worried because the bank that lent me the money now demands payment right away. On top of this problem , i have been unable to pay my state taxes, which are very high.