Slavery in the United States - Crash Course

Video

In which John Green teaches you about America's "peculiar institution," slavery. I wouldn't really call it peculiar. I'd lean more toward horrifying and depressing institution, but nobody asked me. John will talk about what life was like for a slave in the 19th Century United States, and how slaves resisted oppression, to the degree that was possible. We'll hear about cotton plantations, violent punishment of slaves, day to day slave life, and slave rebellions. Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, and Whipped Peter all make an appearance. Slavery as an institution is arguably the darkest part of America's history, and we're still dealing with its aftermath 150 years after it ended. Support CrashCourse on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/crashcourse

Hey teachers and students - Check out CommonLit's free collection of reading passages and curriculum resources to learn more about the events of this episode. Memoirs from former slaves like abolitionist Frederick Douglass provide insightful context on the harsh realities of slavery: https://www.commonlit.org/texts/the-narrative-of-the-life-of-frederick-douglass-excerpt-from-chapter-1
Others resisted the violence of slavery through open rebellion, like Nat Turner: https://www.commonlit.org/texts/nat-turner-s-slave-revolt
Abolitionists and free slaves alike had to fight against unfair laws such as the Fugitive Slave Act: https://www.commonlit.org/texts/fugitive-slave-act-of-1793