Category: Assignments

1. Was abolition of slavery inevitable according to Wilentz?  “Inevitable”–means it had to happen and could not have not happened.   What does he mean by “relentless unforeseen?”  Does this agree or disagree with Hannah-Jones?   When we look back at history, how do we see the events vs. how did the people at the time experience them?
2. One main difference between Wilentz and Hannah-Jones is that Wilentz does not tell the story of the role of the African-American in liberation from enlsavement.  On the other hand. Hannah-Jones’ thesis is that the African-American contribution to abolition of slavery and the continued struggle for equality for all is of the utmost importance in American history.
3. Wilentz’s main point is that is was not known at the time that slavery would be abolished.  There was a great struggle between proslavery and antislavery world views among the white population.
4. In paragraph 3, Wilentz references the 1740-1750s “explosive consciousness of man’s freedom to shape the world in accordance with his own will and reason.”  In general, this refers to the “enlightenment.”  Hannah-Jones will be quick to point out that this “universal freedom” was not extended to the enslaved, and slavery did exist at that time.  Wilentz is arguing that the moral rejection of slavery was advanced by “scrutinizing inequality, personal sovereignty, national sovereignty and servititue of every kind” (paragraph 4).
5. In paragraph 5, he says that though slavery had always existed, “the struggle to abolish it came abruptly.”  He sees the American Revolution as part of this process, that there was an anti-slavery movement in the Declaration of Independence, but it was violently opposed by the proslavery forces that existed based on feudal and ancient world view of conquest of peoples and social hierarchy.
6. Write your own reflection (400-600words) on the first 19 paragraphs of Wilentz.  Compare it to Hannah-Jones.  Post it by Monday 1pm.
7. Note: I will make comments on your previous Hannah-Jones posts by Monday 1pm.

Reflection on Hannah-Jones’, “The Idea of America. Intro to 1619 Project.” Additional readings to consider in your reflection, Magness, “Fact-Checking the 1619 Project and its Critics.” And Lindsay, “After All, Didn’t America Invent Slavery?”

This was supposed to be due Thursday the 12th, but you can post it by Tuesday 17th.

Possible topics to reflect on:

1. Hannah-Jones thought on the leading role of African-Americans in the U.S. in the pursuit of goal of freedom and equality.
2. How this relates to more recent immigrants.
3. How the author shifts in the use of “we” and “us.” Is it possible or not for the “we” or “us” to include everyone with equality?
4. Is the USA “in its DNA” an evil, unjust, racist society? What is your role and position in it? What do you do and what should you do in response?
5. Do you consider yourself an American? What is the “idea of America” that Hannah-Jones agrees with and supports? What is the “idea of America” she condemns and disagrees with?
6. Compare the situation of slavery, based on reading Hannah-Jones, to how we care or don’t care about the homeless person on the street, in the subway, etc.
7. What have you learned that you didn’t know before from reading Hannah-Jones, Magness, and Lindsay? Are they addressing the same audience? Is there a discourse community they all belong to?
8. Reflect on a topic that strikes you in relation to the readings, and in your personal experience. What type of language do you choose to use? Who is your audience?

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