Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What were the origins of slavery in the United States? How did this institution of slavery affect women differently than men? What unique challenges did slavery present to women?

Teaching Suggestion: Harriet Jacobs, who referred to herself as Linda Brent, describes her experiences as an enslaved woman in the Southern United States. Jacobs details the cruelty of slavery, describing her personal struggles as a woman and mother. To introduce this text, consider discussing or offering direct instruction on the origins of slavery, the treatment of enslaved people, and the experiences of enslaved women.

• This 6-minute video describes the Atlantic slave trade chronicling the rise of slavery in Europe and the United States.
• This 11-minute video explains the evolution of slavery in the United States after the establishment of the Atlantic slave trade.

2. Why did the North and the South differ so greatly when it came to the issue of slavery? Why did slavery persist in one geographical area of the country and not another? Why might self-emancipated people have moved to the North?

Teaching Suggestion: During this time, fugitives from slavery, like Jacobs, escaped North, toward the Free States where slavery had been abolished. The economy of these states did not rely on large-scale plantations with huge labor forces as the southern states did. The North gave birth to the Abolition movement, while the South doubled down on their pro-slavery policies and hoped to expand slavery into Federal land. Despite the efforts of some policymakers, the nation was not able to heal its divisions in time to avoid the Civil War.

• This article describes the history of slavery and how it was phased out in the New England states.
• This 3-minute video describes the complicated relationship between the North and South before the Civil War.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Consider a time you were forced to make an important decision. Maybe it was going out for a team or choosing whether to take a difficult class. Maybe there was even a time you were afraid you were putting your safety at risk. What emotions did you feel? How did courage play a role in making the right choice?  

Teaching Suggestion: Jacobs is forced to choose between remaining in slavery or self-emancipating. Her decision takes a great amount of courage considering the consequences that would follow if she were caught. This discussion might cover the qualities of courage and the factors that contribute to decision-making.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students seeking an additional challenge may find it beneficial to research the underground railroad and the dangers for those who risked self-emancipation. A collection of valid, scholarly resources might be collected; this library of resources might be referenced throughout the unit.