12 Years a Slave Study Guide

Questions and Answers

Who did Northup trust would help him mail a letter to his family?

Armsby

What did Armsby do instead of mailing the letters?

He told Northup's master Epps about the letter.

How did Northup get out of getting in trouble for trying to send letters to his family?

Northup lied and said Armsby made it up.

What does 'spare the rod' mean?

'Spare the rod, spoil the child'. Signup and view all the answers

What does Northup get in trouble for saying?

He said he would like for O'Niel to buy him. Signup and view all the answers

What does Epps do after hearing Northup's comment?

Epps whips Northup. Signup and view all the answers

Who does Epps stab while drunk one night?

Uncle Abram Signup and view all the answers

Who helped the slave that was stabbed?

Mistress Epps Signup and view all the answers

How did Mistress Epps help Uncle Abram?

She sewed up the wound. Signup and view all the answers

To whom was the book dedicated?

Harriet Beecher Stowe Signup and view all the answers

When was the book published?

1853 Signup and view all the answers

What state was Northup a citizen of?

New York Signup and view all the answers

To where did Northup trace his ancestry?

Northup traces his ancestry on his paternal side to slaves from Rhode Island Signup and view all the answers

What was Northup's father's name?

Mintus Northup Signup and view all the answers

What was the name of the attorney that later helps Northup gain his freedom?

Henry B. Northup Signup and view all the answers

How did his family gain freedom?

Northup's father was freed in his owner's will Signup and view all the answers

Who did Northup marry and what did his wife do for a job?

Northup marries Anne Hampton; she has a job as a cook Signup and view all the answers

Why does the fact that Northup can swim prove later that he is free?

The fact that he can swim proves he is free because slaves were never taught how to swim because that would make it easier to escape Signup and view all the answers

Why did Northup go to Canada and what job was he doing at that time?

Northup went to Canada while working in the rafting business. Signup and view all the answers

How many children did Northup have? Give the name and age of each.

Northup had three children; Elizabeth, 10, Margaret, 8, and Alonzo, 5. Signup and view all the answers

What talent does Northup have that is useful in making extra money?

He can play the violin Signup and view all the answers

What year was he taken in?

1841 Signup and view all the answers

Who kidnapped Northup and how did they get him to go with them?

Two men named Brown and Hamilton kidnapped Northup; Northup went with them because they said they were from a circus and they offered him a job in the circus. Signup and view all the answers

Why didn't Northup leave a letter to his wife about where he was going?

Northup didn't leave a letter to his wife about where he was going because he thought that, since she was also on a trip away from home, he would be back before she got back and she'd never know he went. Signup and view all the answers

What did the men who kidnapped him tell him to go get before leaving New York?

Brown and Hamilton told Northup to get free papers before they left New York. Signup and view all the answers

What was happening in Washington at the time Northup was there?

While in Washington DC, Northup saw the funeral of General Harrison. Signup and view all the answers

How did Northup's kidnappers kidnap him?

They kidnapped him by drugging him. Signup and view all the answers

Where is Northup when he wakes up?

He is in shackles in Williams Slave Pen. Signup and view all the answers

Who is James H. Burch?

James Burch is the slave trader that owns Northup for the time being until he sells him. Signup and view all the answers

Why is Northup beaten/whipped for the first time?

Northup is whipped because he keeps saying that he is free, and although Burch knows that, Burch doesn't want Northup to tell people that. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Eliza and what are the names of her two children?

Eliza is another slave that was brought to Williams Slave Pen; her children are Randall and Emily. Signup and view all the answers

Define irony.

The difference between what appears to be true and what actually is true. Signup and view all the answers

What is ironic about Williams Slave Pen?

The irony about Washington DC is that it is the capital of a country whose laws are based on people's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, yet there is a slave pen there in which nobody is free. Signup and view all the answers

At the second slave pen whom does Northup meet and what do they have in common?

At the second slave pen Northup meets Robert; they are both free men who were kidnapped into slavery. Signup and view all the answers

What character roles do Northup and this new slave have?

They are confidants to each other. Signup and view all the answers

What ship are Northup and the other slaves put on?

Orleans Signup and view all the answers

What state are they in when they are put on the ship?

Virginia Signup and view all the answers

What is the main cargo on the ship they are on?

Tobacco Signup and view all the answers

What does Northup do for his fellow slaves at Freeman's Slave Pen and why is this so important to them?

He carves their initials onto their tin cups; this is important because not only would that then mean they owned the cups, which is important because they owned almost nothing (not even themselves), but also it had their real names on it not the names given to them as slave names. Signup and view all the answers

What do we find out eventually happens to Burch?

He is arrested but is not found guilty. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Arthur and what does he have in common with both Northup and Robert?

Arthur is another slave who Northup meets in Freeman's Slave Pen; he, like Northup and Robert, was kidnapped and put into the slave pen. Signup and view all the answers

What is Northup's first new name?

Steward Signup and view all the answers

What character roles are Northup and Arthur?

They are confidants to each other. Signup and view all the answers

What do Northup and Arthur plan to do?

Northup and Arthur plan to take over the ship by killing the captain; they include Robert in their plans. Signup and view all the answers

What does Northup figure out about the overturned, small boat on the bow of their ship?

The overturned boat is useful because it is a very good hiding place, which would be helpful in their plan to take over the ship. Signup and view all the answers

What happens that spoils their plans?

Robert gets small pox and dies. Signup and view all the answers

Who is John Manning and what does he agree to do for Northup?

John Manning is a sailor; he agrees to send a letter to Northup's family for Northup. Signup and view all the answers

What fact about John Manning makes Northup trust him more than others?

Another fact that makes him more trustworthy is the fact that he is from Canada, which means he does not like slavery. Signup and view all the answers

Why is the letter an image?

The letter is an image because it shows Northup's one real chance to gain back his freedom, and how he is always looking for a way to write and get a letter sent to his family. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to Arthur when their boat lands?

Arthur's family comes to rescue him, because they found out where he was. Signup and view all the answers

What is Northup's second new name and why does it need to be changed?

Northup's second slave name is Platt; Northup's name must be changed because normal slaves did not have last names. Signup and view all the answers

How does a possible buyer check a slave?

A buyer checks slaves by looking in the slaves' mouths, checking their body to make sure it was strong, and other things to see how healthy the slave was. Signup and view all the answers

What did scars on a slave's back show?

It shows that the slave has been whipped a lot which usually means they aren't obedient. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to Randall?

Randall is bought by someone and is therefore separated from his mother. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to nearly all of the slaves on the ship that night?

Almost all of them catch small pox. Signup and view all the answers

For how much was Northup finally sold?

1,000 Signup and view all the answers

Why is Eliza so sad when she hears she is being bought but not Emily?

She is sad because Emily is her daughter and she has already been separated from her son, so she doesn't want to be separated from her daughter too. Signup and view all the answers

Why will Theophilus Freeman not sell Emily?

Theophilus Freeman doesn't sell Emily because he thinks that when she is older she could be sold for a lot of money because of her beauty. Signup and view all the answers

What theme is developed during the scene when Eliza is separated from her children?

The horrors of slavery because families were split apart. Signup and view all the answers

What does Northup say about Eliza?

He says she is a smart, strong woman but that after losing Emily she was devastated. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Northup's first master and how much does he pay for Northup?

Northup's master is William Ford; he pays 1,000 dollars for Northup. Signup and view all the answers

What did Northup's master do as a job?

Ford was a preacher; he also owned a mill. Signup and view all the answers

How does Northup compare his first master to masters later to come?

Northup says that his first master was an extremely nice slave owner, and that since he treated his slaves nicely, they worked better. Signup and view all the answers

What does Northup say about the way a master treats his slaves and the amount of work the slaves produce?

Northup says the nicer you treat your slave the more work you'll get out of them. Signup and view all the answers

What does Northup do to make him known as the 'Fulton of Indian Creek'?

He builds a raft that allows wood to be transported quicker and cheaper. Signup and view all the answers

Why are the other plantation owners mad at Ford for giving/allowing his slaves to have Bibles?

They are mad at Ford for allowing his slaves to have Bibles because that encourages the slaves to try to read it, which means they'll try to read, and also it would be another thing that they'd own. Signup and view all the answers

Why does Ford read the Bible to his slaves?

Ford reads the Bible to his slaves to give them hope that once they die they'll go to a better place. Signup and view all the answers

Who is known as a 'Jack of all Trades'?

Northup because he is good at almost everything. Signup and view all the answers

How does Northup describe John M. Tibeats?

He describes him as a short-tempered man who is the opposite of Ford in almost every way. Signup and view all the answers

Why is Northup sold to Tibeats?

Ford is in debt to Tibeats, so he has to partially sell some of his slaves to Tibeats to pay that debt. Signup and view all the answers

Who was Northup's overseer?

Chapin Signup and view all the answers

What does Northup do to Tibeats that makes Tibeats hate him?

He gets into a fight with Tibeats over the nails Northup brought, and overpowers Tibeats and whips Tibeats. Signup and view all the answers

What do Tibeats and two other people begin to do to Northup?

They begin to tie him up and hang him. Signup and view all the answers

Why does Chapin defend Platt?

Chapin defends Platt because he does not like Tibeats and he also reminds Tibeats that Ford has ownership of Northup legally so that would make Tibeats have to pay for Northup. Signup and view all the answers

Why doesn't Chapin take the ropes off of Northup?

He doesn't take off the ropes because he doesn't want to go against Tibeats anymore and he wants Ford to see what Tibeats did. Signup and view all the answers

How is Chapin a foil to Tibeats?

Chapin is a foil to Tibeats because he is nice to slaves. Signup and view all the answers

Why does Ford tell Northup not to sleep in the slave cabins, but in the house that night?

Ford tells Northup to sleep in the main house because then if Tibeats killed Northup, Ford could testify against Tibeats in court, whereas the other slaves couldn't testify against a white man in court. Signup and view all the answers

Why could Tibeats murder Northup in front of many slaves yet none of them could testify against him in court?

No slaves could testify against Tibeats in court because there was a law that prohibited slaves/blacks from being able to testify in court against a white man. Signup and view all the answers

How is Peter Tanner related to William Ford?

Tanner is related to Ford because Ford's wife is Tanner's sister. Signup and view all the answers

How are Ford and Tanner foils?

Ford and Tanner are foils because they use the Bible in different ways; Ford uses it to give his slaves hope, and Tanner uses it to justify the whipping of his slaves. Signup and view all the answers

What does Peter Tanner tell Northup to do to some other slaves?

Tanner tells Northup to put the other slaves into the stocks. Signup and view all the answers

What does Tibeats try to do to Northup?

Tibeats tries again to kill Northup; only this time he attacks Northup with many things including an axe. Signup and view all the answers

What type of allusion is: 'It is I, be not afraid.'?

That is a biblical allusion. Signup and view all the answers

What is different about Northup than most other slaves, and how does this help him escape from the dogs?

The difference between Northup and many other slaves is he can swim, which throws the dogs off of his scent and therefore they cannot track him anymore. Signup and view all the answers

How does Northup get back to Ford's house?

He walks back and even outsmarts another plantation owner into telling him which way Ford's plantation was. Signup and view all the answers

What does Northup do while healing/resting?

Northup tends to the garden while he is healing/resting. Signup and view all the answers

Who does Tibeats temporarily sell Northup to?

Tibeats temporarily sells Northup to Mr. Eldret. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to slaves that are found without a pass?

Slaves without a pass can be arrested or whipped severely. Signup and view all the answers

What do we learn happens to Eliza?

Eliza will grow old and eventually will be practically whipped to death by her last master. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Northup's next owner?

Northup's next owner is Mr. Epps. Signup and view all the answers

How is Epps different from Ford?

Epps is different from Ford because he is very cruel to his slaves. Signup and view all the answers

What bad habit does his new owner have and what does he do to his slaves at these times?

Epps has a bad habit of drinking a lot; when he is drunk, he either makes his slaves dance or whips them just for the fun of it. Signup and view all the answers

How much is an ordinary day's work of cotton?

200 lbs Signup and view all the answers

Who is the best cotton-picking slave Epps had?

Patsey Signup and view all the answers

What was Northup bad at?

Picking cotton Signup and view all the answers

List the average amount of whips a slave would receive for different mistakes.

25-small offense, 50-average offense, 100-severe offense, 150-200-for being lazy, 500-attempting to run away. Signup and view all the answers

How long was Northup a slave to Epps?

10 years Signup and view all the answers

Why was Patsey whipped so much?

Patsey was whipped so much because Mistress Epps did not like the fact that her husband had a sexual relationship with Patsey and so to make up for it she had her husband whip Patsey every time she found out. Signup and view all the answers

What is a 'Guinea ******' and why is Patsey proud of being one?

A 'guinea ******' is a person who is from Guinea, Africa; Patsey is from there and she is proud of that because it means she isn't from a long line of slaves in the South. Signup and view all the answers

Why was Mrs. Epps jealous of Patsey?

Mrs. Epps is jealous of Patsey because her husband has a sexual relationship with Patsey. Signup and view all the answers

How did Northup get food when he and the other slaves weren't fed because of a lack of food?

Northup gets food by setting up a trap to trap his food; he eats fish a lot. This develops the theme of survival and the ability to adapt because Northup has to adapt to getting his own food and he does. Signup and view all the answers

What did Northup say the qualities for an overseer/driver were?

Must be cruel, brutal, and heartless. Signup and view all the answers

How did Northup please both Epps and the slaves in the field while he was a driver?

While being a driver, Northup pleases both Epps and the other slaves by perfecting a technique of whipping where he isn't actually whipping the slaves but he gets close enough that when Epps looks, he thinks Northup is whipping the others a lot. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Book Dedication and Publication

Dedicated to Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Published in 1853.

Solomon Northup's Background

Northup was a citizen of New York.
Ancestry traced to slaves in Rhode Island.
Father's name: Mintus Northup.
Family gained freedom through his owner's will.

Family Information

Married Anne Hampton, who worked as a cook.
Had three children: Elizabeth (10), Margaret (8), and Alonzo (5).

Freedom Indicators

Northup's swimming ability indicated his freedom, as slaves were not taught to swim.
Worked in the rafting business, reinforcing his status as a free man.

Kidnapping

Northup was kidnapped in 1841 by men named Brown and Hamilton who falsely claimed to be from a circus.
Did not leave a letter for his wife due to the assumption he would return before her.

Events Following Kidnapping

Kidnappers instructed Northup to obtain free papers before leaving New York.
Witnessed the funeral of General Harrison in Washington, DC.
Kidnapped by drugging; woke up in shackles at Williams Slave Pen.

Slave Pen Experiences

Met James H. Burch, a slave trader who owned Northup temporarily.
Whipped for asserting his freedom, as Burch wanted to prevent him from sharing that truth.

Slave Encounters

Met Eliza, a fellow slave, with her children Randall and Emily at the slave pen.
Irony of the slave pen's existence in Washington, DC, a city built on principles of liberty.

Shipping to Slavery

Transported on the ship "Orleans" while the main cargo was tobacco.
Carved initials on tin cups for fellow slaves, establishing ownership and identity.

Escape Plans

Developed an escape plan with fellow slaves Arthur and Robert, hindered by Robert's death from smallpox.

Communication with Family

John Manning, a sailor from Canada, agreed to send a letter to Northup's family, increasing trust in him due to his anti-slavery stance.

Second Stage of Slavery

Northup sold for $1,000 to William Ford, a kind slave owner who was a preacher and mill owner.
Kind treatment from Ford resulted in better work performance from enslaved individuals.

Shift to Cruelty

Sold to John M. Tibeats due to Ford's debts; described Tibeats as cruel and short-tempered.
Tibeats tried to hang Northup after a conflict; Chapin intervened legally to prevent his murder.

Themes of Survival and Trust

Northup concealed his vulnerability and endured hardships for survival.
Affected by the actions of others, including the betrayal by Armsby who failed to send a letter.

Life Under Epps

Sold to Mr. Epps, characterized by cruel treatment and habitual drinking.
Epps favored certain slaves, creating a toxic environment fueled by jealousy and abuse.

Impact of Cotton Picking

200 lbs of cotton considered an ordinary day's task; Patsey was noted as the best cotton picker.
Northup struggled with cotton-picking and faced severe punishment for perceived laziness.

Psychological Manipulations

Northup adapted his behavior as a driver to satisfy both slaves and Epps, a survival strategy.
He faced punishment for voicing desire to be sold, showcasing the constant threat of violence in slavery.

Conclusion and Final Struggles

Northup's letter to family remained unfulfilled due to betrayal, reinforcing the theme of mistrust.
Commanded a multi-layered experience of friendship, betrayal, and survival within the confines of slavery.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the key aspects of '12 Years a Slave' with these flashcards. This study guide covers important facts like the dedication, publication date, and Northup's origins. Perfect for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of this powerful narrative.