Archaeology & Slave Life at Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon was home to America's first president and Commander in Chief of the Revolutionary War army, George Washington, for over 45 years. Through existing structures and thousands of documents in Washington's own words, historians know a tremendous amount about Washington's life, both as a leader and as a progressive farmer, however, Mount Vernon was also home to over 300 slaves and indentured servants. Extensive archaeological investigations have revealed detailed, and often surprising, information about the daily lives of the people who built and maintained the estate. This primary source portfolio allows students to investigate colonial, African-American slave history. Using historical documents and maps, and 20th-century archaeological findings from Mount Vernon, students will go beyond the traditional perception of George Washington and analyze the entire 18th-century Mount Vernon community. Students are challenged to identify the occupants of this archaeological site through the investigation of primary documents and photographic evidence of artifacts from Mount Vernon, the most thoroughly documented colonial plantation in existence today. Included is a large color poster that presents seven assemblages of 47 artifacts, and a Teacher's Guide with answer keys for activities. This primary source portfolio was researched and written by Amy Shook, Nancy Hayward, and Esther White, Archaeologist, of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, founded in 1853, is the nation's oldest preservation organization. 4 Broadsheet essays with activities: * George Washington the Farmer * Slave Life at Mount Vernon * An Educational Story: A Day at Mount Vernon * Archaeology at Mount Vernon 6 Primary Source Documents: * Map, The Vaughan Plan, drawn by Samuel Vaughan, 1787 * Map, The Five Farms, surveyed and drawn by George Washington, 1793 * Maryland Gazette, August 20, 1761 * Invoice from the Nautilus, April1763 * Letter to farm manager William Pearce from George Washington, June 7, 1795 * Slave Census, 1799