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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Some slaves preferred what over being captured after running away?

2. Who was the slave who freed him/herself who said he/she had worked enough and "you can't make me work no more?"

3. In which figure did slaves find a form of camaraderie?

4. Which of the following is NOT a method whites used to "brainwash" blacks?

5. What did the slaves use religion for?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

For most slaves, the plantation was the only thing that they knew. Describe what a typical plantation looked like and who lived on it. What were the duties of a slave living on a plantation? What were the living conditions and daily lifestyle? Discuss in detail whether such a lifestyle was just and what part of human nature drove slave owners to treat their slaves in such manners. Why did the slaves continue to work as they did?

Essay Topic 2

There is a very long narrative about a slave named Paul in the novel. Give a brief summary about the story. Why is it included in the novel? Discuss what Paul symbolizes. What happens to Paul in the end? Discuss the reason for Paul's decision for his own life and how the narrator of Paul's story feels about it. Do you agree with Paul's decision? Why or why not? The narrator notes the iron collar around Paul's neck. What does it symbolize? The narrator also notes the three bells. What do they symbolize?

Essay Topic 3

Many years after the Civil War had ended and slaves had been free, the Federal Writer's Project began to interview former slaves and record their experiences and stories. Why did they do this? What was the overall reaction from the black community on this project? Julius Lester, the author of "To Be a Slave" was also a man who did research and compiled several slave accounts. What was his purpose for doing this and did he achieve it? Does reading a true slave narrative change your perception of slavery from before you read it? If so, how? What does reading a true slave narrative accomplish?

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