Berlin continually expresses the agency and autonomy of slaves alongside the violent and enduring constraints that kept slavery in place. What are some of the key strategies (language, images, example selection, etc.) that Berlin employs to balance these histories of oppression and opportunity? What are some of the potential drawbacks and implications of overemphasizing either the perils or the possibilities that slaves faced throughout American history, rather than balancing the two?

Berlin’s first and second chapters cover an expanse of time before the United States existed (before the American Revolution). What key elements of the history of slavery would be invisible if Berlin (or any other author) began an analysis of American slavery in the 1760s?

Which generation of slaves discussed in the monograph witnessed the largest degree of change throughout their existence? Think carefully about definitions and conditions of slavery and freedom as you make your selection.