My students have completed persuasive essays debating the idea of indentured servitude. After learning about why people were indentured servants, my students chose a side whether they would want to be a servant or not and why. Some said they saw benefits for many who came to the colonies to be servants. They felt it was a good way to get out of England. Others felt that living under someone else is never good, and felt indentured servitude was wrong. It was wonderful to hear the kids argue from both sides.
The lesson included a daily journal as well. The journal includes notes from each day and their feelings about it. The journals were interesting to look at as a culmination of their thoughts.
Thinking as an individual in a historical time period really helped my class see both sides of the issue. Once they had a deeper understanding of how indentured servitude really worked, I had them imagine themselves in the situation, and that is when they began to have real thoughts and feelings about indentured servitude.
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