Merry Christmas and Enjoy the Winter Break

I hope you all have a well rested and enjoyable Winter Vacation.

Have a Happy New Year

Mr. Mullady

and Thurman

"What Became of Slaves on a Georgia Plantation?"

Originally published as a series of articles by New York Tribune reporter Mortimer Thomson, "What Became of Slaves on a Georgia Plantation?" was turned into a best selling book in 1863. Many Northerners were shocked and horrified by the details of Thomson's work. The work angered many Southerners who felt that the New York newspaperman was portraying their way of life in an unfair and unrealistic light.

Tonight for homework read the excerpts of "What Became of Slaves on a Georgia Plantation?" and complete the handout that accompanied the reading.

Love, Divorce, and Slavery on Butler Island Plantation

Today in class we read about the relationship between English actress Fanny Kemble and plantation heir Pierce Butler. Their relationship would shortly end following Butler's inheritance of his grandfather's two plantations on the coastal islands of Georgia.

Your homework is to continue to read and markup the handout on the Butler's. Tomorrow in class we will go over Fanny's reactions and response to the conditions of the Butler's slaves.

On a personal note,

I can not say, "Thank you" enough to all of those who helped out with the Red for Children's Hospital. Over one hundred books, games, puzzles, and toys were donated, and we raised over $300 to help families of patients pay for parking. Thank you so much for taking part in a wonderful cause.

~ Mr. Mullady

Homeroom List

Homeroom, these are the menu items that have been requested by Mr. Mazzeo's class for the breakfast party on Thursday, December 23rd. Please let me know on Monday which item that you could bring in.

Thank you

Pancakes-----> Mr. Mullady

Griddle -----> Mr. Mullady

Eggs ---------> Mr. Mullady

Bacon

3 Gallons of Orange Juice

1 Gallon of Cranberry Juice

1 Gallon of Apple Juice

paper plates

cups (at least 48)

napkins

plastic forks

ketchup

cookies

muffins

Iced Tea/Lemonade

Clementines

maple syrup

donuts

Life on the PlantationPart II

Tonight for Homework please finish reading the handout Life on the Plantation, pages 5-10.

When you are finished with that, please answer the following questions:

1. How did the lives of Southern free blacks differ from those of slaves? In what ways were they lives similar? Your response should be at least four sentences

2. What are the origins of strong musical culture of the Appalachians?

3. Although most Southern towns and cities grew very slowly, what cities in the South experienced rapid growth? What was the largest city in the South? What are those cities located by? (You will need to look at a map of these cities)

4.Why do you think that schooling did not seem as important to yeoman farmers in the rural South as it did to the working class of the urban North? Your response should be at least five sentences

5. What were the first public universities in the South?

Tonight's Homework

Read and markup pages 1-4 in the handout "Life on the Plantation."

When you are finished, please answer the following questions.

1. Give three examples of the different types of power the planter had.

2. Describe the role of the plantation mistress. (You must use at least four sentences in your answer.)

3. How many Southern plantations had over 100 slaves in 1860?

4. Why was the kitchen separate from the Big House?

5. Some plantation owners had private chapels on their estates. What does that tell us about the importance of religion in the planter class?

6. Explain the importance of the "jumping the broom" ceremony.

Practice Questions

Test is tomorrow, please be sure to have your study guide/cheat completed.

Here are some practice questions:

1. Why did many African Americans in the North turn to whaling as a means of employment?

2. Who was Robert Peel? Why did his plan fail? (three reasons)

3. Define Assimilate

4. Why did many working class Bostonians become prejudice against the Irish?

5. Why did Paul Cuffe go to court?

6. What was the African School? Why was it created?

7. Why were northern factories built by rivers?

The Irish In New York

New York, three times the size of Boston, was better able to absorb its incoming Irish. Throughout the Famine years, 75 percent of the Irish coming to America landed in New York. In 1847, about 52,000 Irish arrived in the city that had a total population of 372,000. The Irish were not the only big group of immigrants arriving. A substantial German population totaling over 53,000 also arrived in 1847.

In New York, the Irish immigrants did not face the degree of prejudice that was found in Boston. Instead, shifty characters and con artists confronted them. Confused Irish, fresh off the farm and suffering from culture shock, were taken advantage of the moment they set foot on shore. Immediately upon arrival in New York harbor, Irishmen known as ‘runners’ speaking in Gaelic and promising to ‘help’ their fellow countrymen met them. Many of the new arrivals, quite frightened at the mere prospect of America, gladly accepted. Those who hesitated were usually bullied into submission. The runner's first con was to suggest a good place to stay in New York; a boarding house operated by a friend, supposedly with good meals and comfortable rooms at very affordable rates, including free storage of any luggage.

The boarding houses were actually filthy hell-holes in lower Manhattan. Instead of comfortable rooms, the confused arrivals were shoved into vermin-infested hovels with eight or ten other unfortunate souls, at prices three or four times higher than what they had been told. They remained as 'boarders' until their money ran out at which time their luggage was confiscated for back-rent and they were tossed out into the streets, homeless and penniless.

During the entire Famine period, about 650,000 Irish arrived in New York harbor. All incoming passenger ships to New York had to stop for medical inspection. Anyone with fever was removed to the quarantine station on Staten Island and the ship itself was quarantined for 30 days. But Staten Island was just five miles from Manhattan. Runners were so aggressive in pursuit of the Irish that they even rowed out to quarantined ships and sneaked into the hospitals on Staten Island despite the risk of contracting typhus.

Another way to take advantage of the Irish was to sell them phony railroad and boat tickets. Runners working with 'forwarding agents' sold bogus tickets that had pictures of trains or boats the illiterate immigrants wished to board to leave Manhattan for other U.S. cities. The tickets were either worthless, or if they were valid, had been sold at double the actual price or higher. On the boats, the immigrant were shoved into jam-packed steerage sections, although they thought they had paid for better accommodations. Sometimes, halfway to their destination, they were told to pay more or risk being thrown overboard.

The penniless Irish who remained in Manhattan stayed crowded together close to the docks where they sought work as unskilled dockworkers. They found cheap housing wherever they could, with many families living in musty cellars. Abandoned houses near the waterfront that once belonged to wealthy merchants were converted into crowded tenements. Shoddy wooded tenements also sprang up overnight in yards and back alleys to be rented out room by room at high prices. Similar to Boston, New York experienced a high rate of infant mortality and a dramatic rise in crime.

The Irish In Boston

Today is the 69th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Do not forget those that died on that day, or those who died in combat fighting in World War II.

Thousands of Irish emigrants traveled to Boston to escape the horrors of the Great Famine. These travelers had not yet escaped tragedy once they had climbed the gangplank. The accommodations aboard ship were appalling, especially those who elected to sail to Canada because the steerage fare was about half of the cost for the United States route. Many of the transport ships used were formerly used in slave trading in America and timber ships, freshly unloaded of their Canadian forest products. Before, during, and for a time after the famine, these voyagers, well and sick, old and young, were packed into the ship’s holds until they were crammed. They were kept below deck for the six or seven week journey unless there was fair weather. Provisions of food, water, and medical attention, were minimally adequate. Sailing with them as shipmates were the byproducts of the tight quarters and unsanitary conditions…. infectious illnesses, such as typhus, TB, and cholera. The air was foul with the vile odors that accompany disease and poor hygiene. It was estimated that an average fifteen percent of the passengers never made it to their destination alive. These vessels earned the name of “Coffin Ships”.

Once arriving in Boston the Irish soon found themselves faced with new challenges, horrors and ordeals.

Use tonight's reading to answer the following questions:

1. Why were landowners in Boston able to take advantage of the Irish immigrants?

2. How many Irish immigrants arrived in Boston in 1847?

3. What disease plagued the slums of Boston and other U.S. cities? Why was it able to spread so much?

4. What impact did immigration have on the crime rate? Why?

5. Explain the competition between the working class members of Boston and Irish immigrants. Make a prediction: How could this lead to future anti-immigration movements in the U.S.?

The Abiel Smith School

Today in class we learned about the first school created for African Americans, the Abiel Smith School. The Smith School was located in Boston and became the center of the African American community during the mid 1800s.

Tonight for homework read Section 4 on Black Communities in the North and answer questions 7-16.