Should slaveowners' descendants pay? Malik Al Nasir found an unusual way to continue his important research into his Guyanese ancestry and the history of enslaved people from the Sandbach Tinne dynasty.
eBay letters that reveal slavery secrets
Family fortunes: Records unearthed by Cambridge PhD student Malik Al Nasir expose the kinship and brutality behind one of Britain’s most powerful slave-trading dynasties. Comprehension quiz
-
What does the word “frustrated” mean?
-
Which word is the closest synonym for “abolished” as used in this context?
A: Created
B: Continued
C: Ended
D: Weakened
-
Add the correct punctuation and capitalisation to this sentence:
they had already built huge fortunes from enslavement on guyana
-
According to the article, why was Malik Al Nasir frustrated with his research into his ancestry?
A: He couldn’t find any information.
B: Many documents were held in private collections and had not been reviewed.
C: The documents were too expensive to buy.
D: He didn’t know where to look.
-
According to the article, what is one argument for why descendants of slave traders should pay reparations?
A: It is a good way to make money.
B: The fortunes built on slavery were created from people stripped of their freedom and lives, so it is fair for their ancestors to receive some compensation.
C: It will make people feel better about the past.
D: It is a way to prove who owned slaves.
-
Do you agree or disagree with the argument that nobody should be held financially responsible for historical crimes that they did not commit? Use information from the article to justify your answer.
Answers
Tap to reveal
1: Annoyed, 2: C, 3: They had already built huge fortunes from enslavement on Guyana. 4: B, 5: B, 6: Your research and opinion!
1: Annoyed, 2: C, 3: They had already built huge fortunes from enslavement on Guyana. 4: B, 5: B, 6: Your research and opinion!
Glossary
Enslaved - Forced into slavery.
Compensation - Money paid in exchange for something that is damaged or lost, or in recognition of suffering.
Guyana - A country on the northern coast of South America, that identifies with the Caribbean and was once part of the historic British West Indies.
GDP - Short for Gross Domestic Product, the measure of all the goods and services produced inside a country.
Inhumane - Cruel, or without compassion.
Forebears - Ancestors.
Reparations - Providing payment to make amends for a wrongdoing.
Legacy - Something that comes from events in the past.