Required Reading/Watching
Prior to completing this assignment, you should have:
- Read Chapters 12, 13, 14, and 15 of your textbook, The American Yawp, Volume I.
- Watch Video lectures 12 through 15.
I do not see how many pages. However, every other assignment required around 5-6 pages.
Extra Notes from the Professor:
For this writing assignment, you are asked to look at seven Freedmen’s Bureau Contracts that took place within Williamson County. This assignment asks to closely explore the seven contracts, comparing and contrasting evidence, and noting any similarities or differences. Importantly, this assignment is asking you to see how the Federal Government’s Freedmen’s Bureau attempted to assist those during this time.
Carefully note, the seven contracts are located within the assignment directions. There are a series of questions you are to answer in detail. It is perfectly fine to copy and paste these questions within your paper to act as headings. However, this is still expected to be read as a scholarly paper assignment. You must incorporate evidence and detail to support and strengthen your answers to these questions.
With all writing assignments in this course, be sure your paper is in Times New Roman 12-point font.
Actual assignment instructions:
This assignment teaches you how to closely examine and compare contracts, which you will do many times in your life. People often sign contracts and agreements without reading them or negotiating the conditions, which can have catastrophic consequences. Conversely, a clear and well-negotiated contract can ideally benefit both parties involved.
In addition, these Freedmen contracts reveal many aspects of post-Civil War Middle Tennessee and the South as a whole, including labor issues, economic conditions, and racial issues. Close examination illuminates the many challenges war survivors can face, even when the military conflict is technically ceased. Words such as “peace” and “freedom” become complicated and elusive under closer examination.
Historical Context: After generations of enslavement, four million African Americans were technically emancipated by ratification of the 13th Amendment in December 1865, seven months after the end of the Civil War. No longer owned, African Americans still struggled to find work, food, and shelter. The Federal Government’s Freedmen’s Bureau attempted to assist them and impoverished whites in the South. One of the main tasks of the Freedmen’s Bureau was to oversee labor contracts across the South, mostly between former slave owners and the formerly enslaved. Williamson County alone had hundreds of these contracts, because approximately half the population in 1865 were former slaves. Below are seven examples of these contracts that your will read and analyze.
Learning Outcomes Addressed:
Analyze historical facts and interpretations.
Draw on historical perspective to evaluate contemporary problems/issues.
Analyze the contributions of past cultures/societies to the contemporary world.
- Recognize the impact of geography, environment, and the natural world on the course of history and how choices are often limited by physical factors beyond the control of human beings.
- Grasp the capacity of human beings to make a difference in history, and recognize the complexities of cause and effect and of intended and unintended consequences
Tasks
Step 1: Gather evidence: After reading the required chapters and watching the required lectures mentioned above, read the seven Freedmen’s Bureau contracts at the bottom of this assignment, and take notes on any statistics, events, or examples you find in each contract.
Step 2: Analyze that evidence and see what it is telling you: Compare and contrast the evidence. Assess what similarities and differences these contracts contain.
Step 3: Communicate your findings honestly to yourself and others: write a paper answering these following questions in detail. Copy and paste these questions into your paper to organize your communication:
- Which signees signed with an “X” and why might they be doing so?
- For those who signed with “X”, what challenges might they encounter in negotiating or challenging the contracts?
- Of the following contracts, which do you see as the fairest to the laborer? Show all the evidence within the contract that leads you to that conclusion.
- Of the following contracts, which do you see as the least fair to the laborer? Show all the evidence within the contract that leads you to that conclusion.
- What patterns do you see concerning shelter for the laborers?
- What patterns do you see concerning pay for the laborers?
- Are there any Amendments under the US Constitution Bill of Rights that the below contracts could be violating? If so, state the Amendment and the statement or statements in the contracts that might be in violation.
- How do personally feel about these contracts? What emotions and thoughts do you experience when reading these examples?
Criteria for success Earning a high score:
- Gathering evidence: A successful exploration will show five or more pieces of evidence (statistics, events, and/or examples) within each question answer.
- Analyzing the evidence: A successful examination will include three or more observations for each question answer.
- Communicating honestly to yourself and others: Successful communication will include all eight questions listed individually and each answered in detail, with correct grammar and spelling.
Seven Freedmen’s Bureau Contracts in Williamson County Contract A:
Contract for rent, Williamson County, October 2nd, 1865. On or before the first day October 1866 I promise to pay James H. Wilson on third of all the produce of whatever kind or quality except animals and fowls which I may raise upon his land for the rent of his house and land, the house being the same in which Thomas Davis lived the past year and the land being all of the field in which the above-mentioned house is situated lying on the north side of the drain which runs through the field from east to west supposed to contain twenty acres.
Signed – George Prim signed with an X.
Contract B:
Memorandum of a contract may this 31st of October, 1865, between James S. Rodgers and Mary Rodgers colored. Witnesseth that the said Rodgers agrees to give said Mary clothing, board, and fuel [firewood], and pay her doctor bills, and pay her five dollars per month from this date until the first day of January 1867, and Mary agrees to labor for the said Rodgers during that time given under our hands the day and date above, written, acknowledged, and approved.
Signed – John P. McKay, Freedmen’s Bureau agent
Signed – James S. Rodgers
Signed – Mary Rodgers
Contract C:
Williamson County, October 24th, 1865. Article of agreement between J.C. Seward on the one part and Penny Crocket (col) on the other, for hire of Penny and her three children from this date until the 25th day of December 1866. I, J.C. Seward on my part do bind myself, my heirs, and assigns to give them shelter, fuel [firewood], meat, bread, and milk when we have it during the time specified above, or so long as the behave themselves and do as they are directed by myself and my family. Penny agrees on her part that she and her children will work for me and my family for the time specified above. Penny agrees to pay her doctor bills and all other expenses except those mentioned above, and that she will not take or allow to be taken anything on my place if she has knowledge of it without consent, nor have any crowd of negroes coming to see her, and if her husband gets out of jail that he must not come to my house. But if she wishes to live with him, she must go to him, and she further agrees that she will not be any way insolent, and if she is, she is to get out of my house and leave my place at any time we may say. She further agrees if he children will not work or mind, that they have to be corrected by me or some of my family in her absence, but when she is present, she must correct them herself.
Signed – J.C. Seward
Signed – Penny Crockett signed with an X.
Contract D:
This indenture made and entered into by Yewel D. Scales on the first part and Andrews Hubbard and Madison Boyd of the second part certify that the said Yewel scales has agreed to furnish 100 acres of land to the said Hubbard and Boyd to be well cultivated in cotton and corn, thirty acres of the land to be cultivated in cotton and the remaining seventy in corn. One third of the cotton and corn produced on the land is to be paid to the said Yewel Scales for the rent of the land. The said Hubbard and Boyd further obligate themselves to erect their houses such as will be necessary for their residences. The timber and place for erection being furnished by the said Scales. The above obligation is for the year 1866. The said Scales, Hubbard, and Boyd obligate themselves in the penal sum of $1,000 to comply with the conditions of the above contract in every particular.
Signed – Yewel D. Scales
Signed – Andrews Hubbard with an X.
Signed – Madison Boyd with an X.
Contract E:
Articles of agreement between William Johnson, Harris Wilson, and Nelson Cannon, all of the county of Williamson and State of Tennessee. Witnesseth, the said William Johnson of the first part has this day rented all of his tenable land on both sides of the railroad in said county to Harris Wilson and Nelson Cannon for the year 1866, for which they are to pay the said William Johnson two and a half barrels of corn per acres, the corn to be piled and shucked, and the corn on the east side of the railroad to be put in a pile about 100 yards east of where the railroad crosses Liberty Pike, that on the west side of the railroad to be piled near the pike west of the fort [Fort Granger, a Union fort built just west of Franklin during the Civil War in 1863 to watch over the largely pro-Confederate whites in the area]. It is agreed for the said Wilson and cannon to get firewood from the timber that is dead and lying down but not to cut any green wood. It is further agreed by the above parties that party of the second part will furnish two hands [two men] and two work horses to haul rock. Johnson is to allow them six bushels of corn per day [that they work hauling rock] in part for the rent of land. It is further agreed that the colored Wilson and Cannon may put up some houses to live in, such as will suit them, and shall have the privilege of taking the houses away at the end of the year 1866. If the rent is not paid, the houses will be held until the rent is paid. It is further agreed that the stock is held as security for the rent. The fruit on the place is reserved by said Johnson except so much as the party of the second part may need for their own use.
Signed – William Johnson
Signed – Harris Wilson with an X.
Signed – Nelson Cannon with an X.
Contract F:
The article of agreement between Tilman H. Atkison of Williamson County, Tennessee and Timothy [formerly enslaved by Atkison] also of Williamson County, Tennessee. Witness that the said Timothy agrees and binds himself to labor for the said Tilman H. Atkison on Atkison’s plantation near Franklin, Tennessee during the year 1866, and is to do any kind of work on the said plantation that Atkison may require of him. The said Timothy also agrees to furnish himself with quarters, fuel [firewood], and provisions. If Atkison provides any shelter, fuel or provisions to Timothy during the year 1866, the said Timothy shall pay Atkison the market value of any such provisions. The said Timothy further agrees to pay for his own medicines and medical attendance and will not demand pay for when he is sick.
Timothy binds himself to work from sunrise to sunset, except on the Sabbath. In consideration of the above, the said Tilman H. Atkison agrees and binds himself to pay the said Timothy the sum of $150 for his services during the year 1866. Payment will be $50 on September 1, 1866, and $100 on December 25th, 1866.
Signed – Tilman H. Atkison
Signed – Timothy with an X
Contract G:
Articles of agreement made and entered into this the 13th day of January 1866 between W.S. Reid and Eliza, both of Williamson County, Tennessee. Witness that the said Eliza binds herself to work upon the farm of said W.S. Reid for the year 1866, to perform all duties faithfully assigned to her, to work under and according to the direction of W.S. Reid, to conduct herself prudently and soberly, and not to leave the farm except by permission. For said services, Reid binds himself to pay said Eliza $50 and to feed her and her two children, but she is to clothe herself and her two children. It is further agreed between the parties that if the said Eliza should fail to perform in any way her part of the above contract, she is to immediately leave the farm, forfeiting all pay that may be coming to her. The said Eliza is to be charged with all lost time proportionate to her wages.
Signed – W.S. Reid
Signed – Eliza Atkeison with an X
