Slavery and Spirituals

Division between North and South◦ North: Commerce, education, banking, science,

reform◦ South: Plantations (cotton, sugar, rice, tobacco),

slower-paced, slavery

Biggest division = Slavery

First African slaves in U.S. = 1619 Slave trade banned in 1808 Slave rebellions = 1820s-1830s

◦ Southern states made laws taking away slaves’ rights

Historical Context

South- depended on slaves for cheap labor on plantations

North- birth of abolition (protesting slavery)

Fugitive Slave Act- 1850◦ All citizens (in free and slave states) required to help

catch runaway slaves◦ South supported, North opposed◦ Underground Railroad = secret network of activists

helping fugitive slaves reach freedom

Disagreements finally led to Civil War

Division of Slavery

Folk songs of enslaved and oppressed African Americans

Social and religious content◦ Freedom, protest, slave life◦ Glory of God, getting to heaven, prayers

Plantation owners encouraged singing to boost morale◦ Didn’t realize the power and double meaning of

songs

Spirituals

References to people, places, events of Bible

Used these stories to represent their own situation◦ Moses leading Jews out of slavery in Egypt

Code for escaping slavery◦ “Follow the Drinking Gourd”

Follow the Big Dipper north to freedom

Double Meaning of Spirituals

Refrain: a word, phrase, or group of lines repeated at regular intervals◦ Emphasizes the most important ideas◦ Helps establish the rhythm of the song

Call-and-response: a leader sings the verses and the rest of the group sings the refrain

Mood: the feeling created in a reader◦ Spirituals mainly focus on pain & rage caused by

slavery conditions or hope for freedom & future

Literary Terms

1. What does the speaker desire?

2. What is the religious reference in the song?

3. Which phrase is the refrain?

4. What code/hidden messages might be in

this song? Think of what “sweet chariot”

and “band of angels” could refer to.

5. What is the mood of this spiritual?

“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”