Daily Log

Wednesday, September 29

We revisited students' KWL charts (which they turned in at the end of the period), and we reviewed some of the distinctive characteristics of American slavery.  Our primary focus, however, was on establishing questions about American slavery which we want to answer as we proceed to read literary works concerning slavery (especially Frederick Douglass's Narrative).  One such question concerns how people early in the country's history justified slavery and how they reconciled that institution with the principles of the founding documents -- especially the belief that "all men are created equal" and endowed with rights including liberty.

HW due Thursday:
Read the Declaration of Independence, pp. 117-123 in Elements of Literature, in the draft Jefferson presented to the Congress with the changes and deletions Congress made.  There will be a quiz over the reading in class Thursday.