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January Image—"Every day's observation... Timber for Shingles to cover houses, Montgomery County"

"Every day's observation... Timber for Shingles to cover houses, Montgomery County," watercolor by Lewis Miller, Virginia, 1853-1867.

Children have wonderful imaginations. Bilbo Baggins and the wonders of "Middle Earth" or Harry Potter and his friends at Hogwarts are perfectly acceptable notions in the minds of students-and adults who are young at heart. The fact that nearly half the population in some regions of eighteenth and nineteenth century North America were enslaved, however, is usually much harder for students to comprehend.

When discussing the issue of slavery, you might ask your students "What was a slave?" and they will undoubtedly give an acceptable answer. But, if you ask them "What was it like to be a slave?" you will offer them something much deeper to ponder. You can help your students understand the daily lives and experiences of the millions of Africans who were enslaved in British North America by using engaging and provocative primary sources such as this watercolor by Lewis Miller.

This image is one of many watercolors created by Miller in his ca. 1853–1857 sketchbook. Miller's image, "Every day's observation... Timber for Shingles to cover houses, Montgomery County," provides the viewer with an example of the everyday work accomplished by Africans in Virginia. Notice that, in addition to what appears to be a white overseer, there seems to be a white laborer toiling along with the slaves. Also note that the print depicts a variation on the more familiar theme of slaves working in tobacco or cotton fields.

Many attendees of Colonial Williamsburg's Teacher's Institute have had great success using primary sources and primary source activities in their classrooms. Your students can let their imaginations flow by creating letters, journal entries, stories, or artwork focused on the content of period images like this one.

A .PDF version of this document is also available to use as a student handout. (Requires the free Adobe Acrobat reader.)


Another excellent primary source dealing with eighteenth-century slavery is "Trait des Negres."

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