hewittvalue2equizzes

Quiz for Life in Slavery

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Choose the best answer to each question.

Question

1. In William Wells Brown’s narrative (Document 10.12), what aspect of slavery is most pronounced?

Separation of families across long distances

Long and torturous hours laboring in the fields

Poor diets and living conditions of slaves

Powerlessness of kin to save one another from violence

Correct: The answer is d. Brown’s narrative illustrates both the torture of the whip and the torture felt by family members who could not help one another in moments of great duress.

Incorrect: The answer is d. Brown’s narrative illustrates both the torture of the whip and the torture felt by family members who could not help one another in moments of great duress.

Question

2. Solomon Northup’s account of a slave market (Document 10.13) details the processes of inspection and the forced separation of one family. Why were slaves with scars from lashes less appealing to prospective buyers?

Scars evidenced a previously cruel owner.

Scars indicated that the slave was rebellious.

Scars indicated a slow or lazy worker.

Scars evidenced a trauma which may have debilitated the slave.

Correct: The answer is b. According to Northup’s account, scars from whippings hurt the sale of a slave because they were considered “evidence of a rebellious or unruly spirit.”

Incorrect: The answer is b. According to Northup’s account, scars from whippings hurt the sale of a slave because they were considered “evidence of a rebellious or unruly spirit.”

Question

3. Why did beauty “hasten the degradation of the female slave,” according to Harriet Jacobs (see Document 10.14)?

An attractive slave was more likely to be sexually abused by her owner.

The wife of the owner was more likely to grow jealous and send an attractive female slave to the fields.

Beauty increased her value, so she is more likely to be sold and separated from her family.

Beauty in a slave increased the likelihood that the mistress will punish her with violence.

Correct: The answer is a. Jacobs wrote about the sexual exploitation that took place between slave masters and their female slaves. In her view, the beauty of a slave only increased the chances that she would fall victim to sexual abuse.

Incorrect: The answer is a. Jacobs wrote about the sexual exploitation that took place between slave masters and their female slaves. In her view, the beauty of a slave only increased the chances that she would fall victim to sexual abuse.

Question

4. In Laura Smalley’s account of a runaway slave (Document 10.15), how did slave owners try to entreat the slave’s return?

Owners told the other slaves to relay the message that the runaway slave would be given a domestic duty upon return.

Owners told the other slaves to tell the runaway slave that he or she would be given a full meal upon return.

Owners told the other slaves to tell the runaway slave that he or she would be sold to the owner of his or her mother upon return.

Owners told the other slaves to communicate to the runaway slave that he or she would not be whipped upon return.

Correct: The answer is d. According to Smalley, the owner asked his slaves about the whereabouts of the runaway and told them that the slave would not be beaten when he or she returned.

Incorrect: The answer is d. According to Smalley, the owner asked his slaves about the whereabouts of the runaway and told them that the slave would not be beaten when he or she returned.

Question

5. Listen to and read the lyrics of the songs performed by Irene Williams (Document 10.16). What conclusion can you make about slave songs based on this document?

Songs were often used to stave off boredom.

Some slaves performed concerts for their owners.

Most slave songs were expressly used to resist oppression.

Most slaves sang based on requests from their owners.

Correct: The answer is a. Although one of the songs is a religious hymn, the other is a work song, sung to make the task less dull.

Incorrect: The answer is a. Although one of the songs is a religious hymn, the other is a work song, sung to make the task less dull.