Importance of African and Slave Music

    Africa is known for it’s unusual music. African music is based upon religion. Africans normally use drums to express their feelings during their life. One particular drum is called the Bamoun drum. The chief of Mali had one made for him fifty years ago. When it was played, it was a signal for the women to bring the food and drink for the visitors and their families. They would bring the food to their village. On the drum was a kneeling woman with fish,lizards, and snakes. The drum was made from wood and animal skin. Usually, the drum was brown or black. There are many other instruments that Africans use such as the xylophone (made out of banana stems), harp,flute,trumpets,and the lyre.

    If you don’t already know, some Africans were brought to the American Colonies, which were ruled by Britain at the time. Even though their families were separated and their life ruined, their music lived on. Their music would come to their advantage. The slaves would talk to each other in their song while they were working. They would discuss matters such as killing their master or running away. One example of a run away song is "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."

    The music of slaves is quite amazing. They produced their own music and their own language while the masters thought they were just singing enjoy themselves. So when you hear another African drum or song, know that those notes could have freed many slaves from the horrible treatment of slavery.

Armento,Beverly, Gary Nash, Chris Salter, and Karen Wixon. America Will Be. Boston:  Houghton Mifflin, 1991.

Education and Slavery

    What was school like in Colonial America? If you lived in a large town where people could read and enough parents wanted their children to go to school, you would have a better chance of being educated. Also, if you went to school, you were probably a boy, because of the punishments. If you misbehaved, you might be whipped, gagged, pinched, tied to another student, or put into the "dungeon". The "dungeon" was a dark closet in the cellar that might contain a couple rats. Many children did not want to go to school, despite the fact that it took some children an hour to walk there.

    In the Northern Colonies teachers were paid in animal skins. But later when the government printed money, teachers were paid in money. In the Southern Colonies a few neighbors might have hired a teacher to teach their children. They did this because they lived so far away from each other. The teacher would teach in a rundown building on an old tobacco field. Wealthy families might send their children to the local minister or to a relative who could read or write.  Slaves were not allowed to be educated.

    Now come with me and pretend you are in this schoolhouse. School was a one-room house with either benches or logs to sit on. There were no blackboards, maps, globes, or pencils. Children wrote on tree bark with ink. They learned the alphabet, syllables, and prayers from one book, The New England Primer. In all the Colonies more people knew how to read than write. The percentage of knowing how to write your name was greater in the New England Colonies

Kalman, Bobbie. Early Schools. Toronto: Crabtree, 1982.

Trades

    What are the different trades in Colonial American? Blacksmiths are very useful. They make and repair iron objects by hammering them by hand on an anvil. Silversmiths are similar to blacksmiths but silversmiths make and repair articles of silver.Colonial Americans are very thankful for such talented people to make our lives a little easier.

    The men also need wigs. Guess who does that? That’s right! The wigmaker. They used horsehair or a persons hair by weaving the hair into a wig. Before that they made a base or hat to weave the hair in. The wigmaker was known as perruque which means wig. Have you ever wondered how wigs were made?

    Oh! My friend got sick and we must run to the apothecary. The apothecary is pharmacist who sells medicine.  The last tradesman is the  wheelwright. He builds and repairs wheels.  Do you know what trades you would like to do in Colonial America?

Olmert, Michael. Official Guide to Colonial Williamsburg. Williamsburg, Virginia: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1987.

By Jennifer R.

Treatment

of

Slaves

    Do you know how slaves were treated in Colonial America? No? Then follow me into the past ,and I will tell you about the harsh treatment of slaves.

    Slaves were chattel ,which means property. The slaves were treated unequally,as you can see, and here is a slave being branded because he hit a white man. He also could have been whipped or even killed. Slaves are not allowed to be married , sue, or carry a weapon . The slave working in the fields right over there has just been separated from his family. They were all sold to different masters at a slave auction yesterday. His wife is probably making a feast with other women slaves in the masters' kitchen. Can you smell that meaty, big, fat chicken and warm fluffy mashed potatoes with bright yellow corn? I can just taste it.

    Let’s take a look at where the slaves live. They live right over there in those shabby, old, dusty one-roomed cabins. Let’s take a look inside. There are slaves sleeping on the dirt floors. They do not have any beds. There is only some straw. Why don’t we take a look around while they are sleeping. The clothes you see on them are the only ones they own. They are old,dirty, and cheap. Their masters only give them clothes two times a year. Sometimes they are aloud to make thier own clothes.

    Look, there are some slaves coming into the cabin. They must be coming in from the fields. They are getting ready to eat dinner. It doesn’t look very good. It looks so different from their masters. They are eating pork fat, and old corn. They are talking about a vegetable garden they are starting to grow. That sounds like a great idea if their master does allow them to do it.

    Looks like it is getting very late and everyone wants to rest. I think we have seen enough harsh treatment for one day.

Armento,Beverly J. America Will Be. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1991.