Famous American Leaders & Slavery

How America was led into the contradictionof FREEDOM and SLAVERY.

Created by Mr. Steve Hauprich for acceleration and remediation of US History students

George Washington became a slave owner at age 11

when he inherited 10 or 11 slaves after his father’s death.

…by 1799 he and Martha owned 316 slaves at Mt. Vernon

GW did not trust his slaves…he ordered“whippings” for both men and womenservants…he was very concerned about their “inefficiency” and lack of loyalty…

In spite of the fact some of GW’s slavesescaped to freedom (runaways)…

he still allowed them rights tohunt with firearms and

other unsupervised “privileges”.

GW’s attempts to emancipate his ownslaves…124 people…was a priority in his will…Martha “owned” the other192 slaves…and by Virginia law couldnot free them!

Thomas Jefferson also owned manyslaves…on his plantation

Monticello

Jefferson supported the land ordinancesthat stopped the spread of slavery

into the NW Territory…but added Louisiana Purchase lands

that were opened to slavery

Jefferson did not free his 187 slaves inhis final will…except for Sally Hemingsand her 5 children…leading to muchspeculation

James Madison owned about 100 slaveson his Virginia plantation at montpelier.

Madison tried to lead Virginia and theUS toward abolition…but his ideas ofWestern land sales to pay for emancipationColonization and Relocation to Africa, etc…did not gain enough support to succeed

Madison did little to help hisown slaves gaintheir freedom,he instead…focused his timeon making sure they were soldto kindly ownersor relatives.

12 Of the first 18 Presidentswere slave owners for at leastpart of their lives…even LINCOLNmarried into a family of slave

owners…Lincoln of course never owned

slaves

Who were the other non-slave owners…Washington – Grant ?

Monroe Jackson van buren

Harrison Tyler Polk

Taylor Fillmore Pierce

Buchanan Johnson Grant