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Units February 17, 2023

Commodities, Contributions, and Compensation

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Lesson Summary: Students examine how the forced labor of enslaved Black Americans was a commodity in establishing U.S. wealth and success; explore their contributions to the formation of American democracy; and examine arguments for and against reparations. Downloads: Unit resources
SECTIONS


This unit was created by Conscious and Radical Teachers team as part of the 2022 cohort of The 1619 Project Education Network. It is designed for facilitation across approximately three weeks, or 13-17 days.

Objectives

Students will be able to...

  • Identify and analyze the rhetoric within the selected essays from The 1619 Project and other supplemental writings. 
  • Develop an argumentative essay that synthesizes information from at least four sources to support their argument.
  • Create a podcast episode that utilizes research, primary sources, journalism, and rhetoric to inform their audience. 
  • Contextualize & connect historical events to modern day.
  • Analyze arguments in primary and secondary sources.
  • Understand the cause and effect of the historical events discussed in selected essays from The 1619 Project.

Essential Questions

  • What role should journalism play in telling the truth and in education at large?
  • How and why were enslaved Black Americans commodified and/or treated as commodities?
  • How have Black Americans (and their enslaved ancestors) contributed to the formation of American democracy?
  • How have Black Americans (and their enslaved ancestors) been essential to the development of the American economy and wealth?
  • What factors contributed to the existing racial wealth gap in America?
  • What, if anything, is owed to the descendants of enslaved Black Americans? 
  • What might compensation look like?

Unit Overview

This unit seeks to explore how the forced labor of enslaved Black Americans was a commodity in establishing America’s wealth and success, how they were contributors to the formation of American democracy (and other critical areas), and are deserving of compensation as a result of these oft overlooked and ignored historical facts.

This unit asks students to analyze and examine the legacy of slavery in contemporary U.S. systems and society and the contributions that Black Americans have made to the country over the past 400+ years by exploring several resources from The 1619 Project and a wealth of supplemental documents and media.

Students will write an essay that synthesizes the arguments proposed by 1619 Project contributors, as well as counterarguments, in order to develop a position on compensation, reparations, and on what, if anything, is owed to the descendants of enslaved Black Americans. As an optional extension, students may collaborate with their peers to create and record a podcast that builds upon one of the 3Cs (Commodities, Contributions, or Compensation).
Important Note on Cultivating Joy: Due to the sensitive nature of the readings and materials in the unit, we will intentionally cultivate moments of joy to show students the many ways that Black Americans have contributed to art, to music, to fashion, to the sciences, etc. as forms of resistance and how those contributions continue to impact us in positive ways today. These will largely appear as Fun Facts of the Day that will be posted around the room.

Performance Task

The culminating project will be an argumentative essay that synthesizes details from The 1619 Project in order to develop a position on compensation, reparations, and on what, if anything, is owed to the descendants of enslaved Black Americans. Students are asked to incorporate evidence from multiple sources explored throughout this unit to make their claim, and to address counterarguments.

As an optional extension, students may collaborate with their peers to create and record a podcast that builds upon one of the 3Cs (Commodities, Contributions, or Compensation).

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