Chains

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. The history of enslavement during the time of the American Revolutionary War is typically not as well-known as its history closer to and during the Civil War. Speculate 6-8 suppositions (or list known facts) about enslavement during the American Revolution. In what regions of the young nation was enslavement practiced? What roles did enslaved people fulfill?

Teaching Suggestion: The knowledge base of many students on this topic may regard the Civil War or the American South primarily. This novel takes place in the northern American colonies, which also practiced enslavement. This question will serve as a springboard toward identifying common misinformation among students and avoiding confusion; it offers the opportunity to clarify the time setting and main characters’ positions in society and politics.

• This resource page from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation discusses how enslavement played a role in the American Revolution.
• This article from the New York Public Library highlights the enslavement trades that took place within New York City, one of the settings of this novel.