Spirituals

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

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/spirituals

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. What is the key musical elements?Call-and-response, syncopation, improvisation, and biblical narrative integration
2. What is the derivative genres?Blues, Gospel, Jazz, and other forms of African American popular music
3. What are African American spirituals?Spirituals are songs that mix African music and Christian hymns, created by enslaved Africans in the American South. They were a way to keep their culture alive and to find hope.
4. Why did enslaved people sing spirituals?Enslaved people sang spirituals to keep their spirits up, share hidden messages, and remember their African traditions while living in slavery.

Chattel Slavery: A system where enslaved people are treated as personal property, bought and sold.
Hush Harbors: Secret, informal gatherings for worship and community among enslaved people.
Oral Tradition: The passing down of knowledge, stories, and music through spoken word and performance.
Syncretism: The blending of different religious or cultural beliefs and practices.