Downing's Oyster House - 4th Grade Adaptation

Goals:

Aim
How did African-American entrepreneurs contribute to the antebellum economy of New York City?

At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Assess the contributions of entrepreneurs such as Thomas Downing to the economy and social life of antebellum New York
• Identify the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur
• Contrast the image of a wealthy, successful free African American to the commonly-held image of antebellum African Americans as poor and enslaved

Essential Questions:

• How did free African Americans contribute to the building of New York?
• How did the unique social and economic fabric of New York contribute to the building of African American social and economic institutions?