مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت الف

Active Speaking - Part A

It’s hard to believe, but just a little over 150 years ago, it was legal in the US for one human being to own another.

How long ago was slavery legal in the US? Slavery was legal in the US just a little over 150 years ago.

There are people still alive today, who had grandparents that were slaves.

Are there people alive today, who had grandparents who were slaves? Yes, there are people alive today who had grandparents who were slaves. Does this surprise you?

In the mid-1800’s, the US was a country divided by slavery.

What was the US divided by? The US was divided by slavery.

In the South, it was legal to own slaves, but in the North slavery was illegal.

Was slavery legal in the North at this time? No, slavery was illegal in the North at this time.

Ellen and William Craft were a married slave couple who risked their lives to escape the South and make it to freedom in the North.

Were Ellen and William Craft slave owners? No, Ellen and William Craft were slaves. What were they trying to escape? They were trying to escape slavery in the South. Where were they trying to go? They were trying to make it to freedom in the North.

Before making their escape, Ellen and William were owned by separate slave owners.

Who owned Ellen and William? Separate slave owners owned Ellen and William.

William was put up for auction when he was 16 to settle some debts of his previous owner, and was bought by a bank cashier in Macon, Georgia.

Who bought William when he was 16? A bank cashier bought William.

He lost touch with his family, as they were sold to different owners all over Georgia.

Who did he lose touch with after he was sold? He lost touch with his family after he was sold.

Ellen was also separated from her family at a young age.

What happened to Ellen at a young age? Ellen was separated from her family at a young age.

A plantation mistress gave Ellen to her daughter when Ellen was only 11 years old.

How old was Ellen when she was given away? Ellen was 11 when she was given away.

Ellen was mixed race, and had very light skin, which often caused people to mistake her for being white.

Did Ellen look like a black slave? No, Ellen had a very light skin and was often mistaken for being white.

Ellen and William eventually met and were married, despite being owned by different masters. They both wanted children, but couldn’t bring themselves to have them. Having experienced separation from their families, they didn’t want to see the same thing happen to their children.

Were Ellen and William in a hurry to have children? No, they weren’t in a hurry. They couldn’t bring themselves to have children. Why couldn’t they bring themselves to have children?

They couldn’t bring themselves to have children because they didn’t want to be separated from them.

During this time many attempted escape in the dead of night, and had to run from vicious dogs or equally vicious slave hunters.

What did some slaves attempt in the dead of night? Some slaves attempted to escape in the dead of night. Who would chase these escaped slaves? Vicious dogs and equally vicious slave hunters would chase these escaped slaves.

The punishment for trying to escape was harsh, but Ellen and William were desperate for the opportunity to raise a family in freedom.

Were Ellen and William desperate? Yes, they were desperate. What were they desperate for?

They were desperate for the opportunity to raise a family in freedom.

They knew they wouldn’t stand a chance if they just tried to run.

Did they have a good change of successfully escaping if they just ran? No, they wouldn’t stand a chance if they just ran.

So they came up with a plan that they thought might just be crazy enough to work.

In those days, the only way a slave was allowed to travel was if they were with their master.

What was the only was a slave was allowed to travel? A slave was only allowed to travel if they were with their master.

Since Ellen had such light skin, they decided she would go with William to the North and pretend to be his master.

Did they decide that William would pretend to be Ellen’s master? No, they decided that Ellen would pretend to be William’s master. Why did they think this might work? They thought this might work because Ellen had very light skin.

If they reached the North, where slavery was no longer accepted, they could live in freedom.

Was slavery accepted in the North? No, slavery was no longer accepted in the North. Could they live in freedom in the North? Yes, they could live in freedom in the North.