Elizabeth Freeman

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/elizabeth-freeman

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Elizabeth Freeman born?Circa 1744
2. Where was Elizabeth Freeman born?Sheffield, Massachusetts
3. What is the related topics?Abolitionism, American Revolution, Constitutional Law, Civil Rights
4. Who was Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mumbet?She was a woman born into slavery in Massachusetts around 1744. She fought for her freedom and helped end slavery in the state.
5. How did Elizabeth Freeman try to get her freedom?In 1781 she and another enslaved person filed a lawsuit against their owner, using the new Massachusetts Constitution that said everyone is born free and equal. The court decided in their favor.

Chattel slavery: A system where enslaved people are treated as personal property, bought and sold like goods.
Freedom suit: A legal proceeding initiated by an enslaved person to assert their right to liberty and freedom.
Massachusetts Constitution of 1780: The foundational legal document of Massachusetts, which declared that all individuals are born free and equal, a principle Mumbet used to argue against slavery.
Legal precedent: A prior court decision that serves as an authoritative example or guide for subsequent similar cases.